There’s an automotive bout going on at the moment. More tradition petrolheads have been rather upset about how SUVs are threatening the livelihood of sedans and, more so, station wagons in the new car market. Citroen’s latest reveal, the C5 X, aims to satisfy all of the respective parties by putting together a car that represents all three body shapes.
The C5 X has been penned to display the elegance of a saloon, the dynamism of a station wagon and the elevated stance of an SUV. The new offering will be available as petrol-fueled or a 165 kW plug-in hybrid electric with a claimed EV range of 50 km and electric top speed of 135 km/h. It will also introduce the brand’s “Advanced Comfort” active hydraulic suspension which aims to give the impression of travelling on a magic carpet.
Complementing this is the C5 X’s lounge-like interior room with comfort seats, generous rear leg-room and 545 dm3 of boot space which expands to 1 640 dm3 when the seats are folded. A 360 degree glass area within the cabin improves the sense of space from within. Further innovations in the cabin include an extended heads-up display, digital gauges and a new customisable 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system with natural voice recognition.
How does it measure up? The new D segment challenger boasts a wheelbase of 2 785 mm within an overall length of 4 805 mm, width of 1 865 mm and height of 1 485 mm. Ground clearance has not been stated.
C5 X, available in petrol and plug-in hybrid engines, will be on sale in the second half of 2021 for European markets. A local introduction in SA has not yet been confirmed.