Citroën C5 Tourer estate (2008-2016)
“The Citroen C5 Tourer is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable family estates on the market – but it’s stylish and luxurious too.”
Pros
- Big, square boot with wide hatch
- Soft touch interior surfaces
- Very comfortable indeed
Cons
- No petrol engines available
- Residual values not a good as some rivals
- Not much fun to drive
The Citroen C5 Tourer has been on sale since 2008 and, despite its age, still looks pretty fresh next to newer rivals like the Mazda 6 Tourer, Volkswagen Passat Estate and Ford Mondeo Estate. It’s a chunky-looking estate with smart design details that make it look more upmarket than the double chevrons on the grille suggest.
It’s a similar story inside, too, with plenty of soft-touch plastics on the dashboard and centre console, however the design looks a little fussy when you compare it with its rivals. There’s an awful lot of buttons on the centre console and steering wheel, which can be confusing, especially next to the likes of the Passat Estate, which is a fine example of simple, intuitive interior design.
There’s plenty of room inside the C5 Tourer, though. While the boot isn’t quite as large as the VW Passat Estate’s, it’s a usable, square shape with a low loading lip, making it very easy to load heavy items. Some models higher up the range feature Citroen’s Hydractive 3+ suspension set-up, which automatically adapts to the road and is self-levelling, too, so the car stays level even if you load it up with family and luggage.
There’s not much choice when it comes to engines and trim levels. There’s a 2.0-litre BlueHDi engine with 148bhp that’s available in both VTR+ and Exclusive trim levels, while you can also get the Exclusive with a more powerful 178bhp 2.0-litre BlueHDi engine. This only comes with an automatic gearbox, while the BlueHDi 150 engine comes with a manual gearbox.
The specification of the C5 is generous. The VTR+ Techno Pack comes with air-con, alloy wheels, cornering lights, Bluetooth phone connectivity, automatic lights and wipers, rear parking sensors and electric windows all-round. The Exclusive Techno Pack adds plenty of luxuries like an electric tailgate, leather seats and sat-nav.
Both 2.0-litre diesel engines are smooth and refined, returning decent fuel economy, too. The C5 Tourer is no sports car, though, and is better suited to relaxed cruising on the motorway.
