Citroen C5 Aircross review - Reliability & safety

In recent years, Citroen has moved up the rankings in our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, with a fifth-place overall finish out of 32 manufacturers and a much better-than-average reliability score. The C5 Aircross itself has also appeared on our Driver Power list of the top 50 models in 2024, where it finished in an impressive ninth place.

Just 15.1% of Citroen respondents reported a problem with their car in the first year of ownership, with most issues relating to electrical faults – that’s lower than average, and bodes well for reliability.

The C5 Aircross specifically came in 21st place out of 50 cars when owners rated its reliability, despite previous years’ disappointing scores in this category, so it seems the brand may have ironed out some of the kinks.

How safe is the Citroen C5 Aircross?

The Citroen C5 Aircross received two ratings from Euro NCAP to reflect the differences when it's fitted with certain safety equipment and when it's not. Fortunately for UK buyers, all versions of the C5 Aircross sold here have the safety kit required for the five-star rating. In this form, the C5 Aircross scores 89% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupant protection and an impressive 82% in the safety assist category.

There's plenty of standard technology that aims to minimise the likelihood of a crash occurring. All models have autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning and active blind spot monitoring, while top trims have traffic sign recognition and Highway Driver Assist – a combination of lane keeping assist and active cruise control that effectively provides semi-autonomous control in motorway traffic conditions.

Some safety kit is optional, however, including the Safety Pack Plus for the entry-level Sense Plus trim, which adds autonomous emergency braking for pedestrians, cyclists and junctions for £350. Highway Driver Assist can also be added to Shine trim models with an automatic gearbox for £500.

What are the Citroen C5 Aircross service intervals?

Citroen service intervals can vary depending on the model, with diesel engines often running further between oil changes. You can expect an annual service to be required and Citroen can set up a service contract to cover multiple services in advance, which makes it easier to budget for routine maintenance.

What is the warranty on the Citroen C5 Aircross?

Citroen's warranty covers you for three years or 60,000 miles, whichever occurs first. That's on par with the policy provided by Ford, for example, but lags a long way behind Hyundai's five-year/unlimited mileage warranty and Kia's seven-year/100,000-mile offering.

When your Citroen warranty expires, you can purchase an extended warranty for an additional 12 or 24 months, subject to exclusions.