Test Drive Citroen C5 Tourer Since 2008 Universal

All photos Citroen C5 Tourer since 2008

Princess Frog

Now, having received a sufficient idea of \u200b\u200bC5, I completely differently began to look at the owners of these cars. With surprise, respect and understanding. It seems to me that quite recently, these people did the path of fabulous Ivan Tsarevich, unless everyone was looking for himself a bride, but something easier. Automobile. Once they risked, and their risk was justified.

Probably, anyone who turns out to be involved in the process of finding a car for twenty - twenty-five thousand dollars, one day faces the fact that this pretty frog is held by a brilliant arrow. Further, everyone reacts in different ways: someone immediately turns away, someone falls into thought. But only to the one who does not confuse the unusual appearance of the car, she will open their secrets. And the secrets of the tse-fifth will be enough for five. Let's start with the fact that a full-fledged hatchback is hidden under respectable appearance of the sedan. Moreover, C5 is able to take the view that is irreviding a rapid sports car, then a clumsy SUV. Such metamorphoses occur with it due to the famous hydropneumatic suspension capable of changing the magnitude of the road lumen. The body of the car can be in several positions: standard (lumen - 150 mm), elevated (190 mm, for speeds up to 40 km / h), high (230 mm, for speeds up to 10 km / h) and lowered (90 mm, for Loading-unloading). In addition, the speed of over 110 km / h is lowered by 15 mm in front and at 11 mm at the rear, and the standard position returns as soon as the speed falls below 90 km / h.

Suspension Hydractive Third Generation is a complex and perfect organism. Instead of conventional shock absorbers, hydraulic cylinders are used in it, and the role of the springs perform gas-filled spheres. There are six of these areas - one on each wheel plus two additional, providing a comfortable mode. The electronic suspension control unit constantly gains testimony from sensors tracking the body acceleration in three dimensions, the position of the steering wheel, the gas pedals and the brakes. Every second analyzing driving style and coating condition, electronics adjusts the ground clearance and switches the suspension between comfortable and sports modes of operation. However, the sports mode can be included forcibly from the driver's seat. In addition, the suspension supports constant road clearance regardless of the machine loading.

In its class, Citroen C5 sets fundamentally new standards for equipping. In any case, according to the number of all sorts of sensors and auxiliary devices, it does not know equal. There is also a parking sensor, and rain sensors, outdoor lighting and even air pressure tires climate control makes it not easy to set a separate temperature for the left and right parts of the cabin, but also serve, for example, to the right air from the air conditioner, but left from the stove. Moreover, the included air conditioner cools not only the interior, but also a glove box. The machine is equipped with eight pillows and security curtains. The degree of disclosure of the front pillows depends on the severity of the collision, and the right is turned off if it is necessary to install a children's chair. The audio system, which is duplicated by a steering wheel switch, heads a CD changer on six disks. The electric car includes servo drives of all the adjustments of the front armchairs, including adjusting the lumbar backpage, as well as automatically folding mirrors in the parking lot. True, all this applies to the car you see in the photos, but even in the basic configuration C5 it is difficult to reproach in the scarcity of the equipment.

The Estetian interior of C5 is a decent response of the French with its eastern neighbors. There is no hint of tough straightness, cultivated by the Germans. The designers clearly expect to influence not so much on the mind, but on emotions, and they succeeded. Once in the interior of the car, you are in power of the game of seats and bizarre weave of smooth lines. The dominant element of this fascinating pattern resembling an occult symbol is the tip of the corporate identity emblem. It seems that the magic acts - sitting in the cabin from half an hour, he no longer want to leave. However, inside the car is not only a mannered, but also very cozy. Front seats - a real masterpiece of engineering art: the distribution of loads is so calculated that sometimes there is a feeling of weightlessness. Until the first turn, in which side support immediately appears, the chair simply do not feel! And the armrest is useless in the city, it is great for the long trip. Nothing is wrong to say about the ergonomics of the governing bodies. The excellent steering wheel is adjustable in length and height, and even the display of the on-board computer is located in the optimal zone, without forcing the view for a long time from the road.

With minivans, the car is related to the presence of many places for small items. The retractable boxes are in the doorway and under the front seats, to the left of the steering wheel are a small container and folding cup holder. A dual cup holder between front seats can be transformed into a positive, drowned with a jumper. It is impossible not to praise and paired sunscreen visors. However, in addition to successful solutions, there are also miscalculations. The dashboard is frankly overloaded by pointers, and from six arrows ripples in the eyes; At the same time, the indicators of the modes of the machine are small and difficult to read. There are no constant information about the position of the body - messages are displayed on the computer display only at the time of changing the road lumen. And you can find out, the sports mode of the suspension is enabled or not, you can only find the luminous button between the front seats in the dark. The functionality of the inner handles of the doors is sacrificed with spectacular form. Finally, heated chairs control the wheels somewhere below and on the side, so you have to learn to work with them to the touch.

Sitting from behind do not experience any problems. Two here is expanse: a huge supply of space, soft seats, a wide armrest. And almost even floor. And an extensive air duct system will not allow to freeze in winter. Having played enough with hydropneumatics, I must admit that its help is valuable not only in improving the running qualities of the car, but also from a purely everyday point of view. Indeed, it can facilitate weight loading into the trunk, rescue the car out of the deep rut or help to move out of a high border. In the movement, C5 turned out to be two -faced: on good roads, the smoothness of the course is wonderful, small coating defects are invisible, but the car reacts suddenly to the larger pits, shuddering the body. And it almost does not depend on whether Hydractive III is in comfort or sport mode. The design features of the suspension are also manifested in the other - with intense acceleration, the car is allegedly squatted on the rear wheels, but when braking does not peck with the nose.

The two -liter engine belongs to the category of steep ones - he loves momentum and copes well with his work. Brakes are equally effective. However, the machine is more affected by the transmission than the engine. The automatic box on C5 can operate in manual, winter or sports switching mode; In addition, it is adaptive (that is, self -adjusting). The automatic machine here is combat: even with measured driving, it actively helps to brake the engine, each time the gas deftly switching to a low gear. In sports mode, the machine is transformed: responses to the actions of the accelerator pedal are aggravated, switching upwards become sharp, and downwards are accompanied by unceremonious shocks. According to subjective sensations, a set of speed is now much more frolic.

In general, with such abilities of the machine in the manual switching mode, it is almost not necessary to move. The controllability of the car in its own way specifically. The steering wheel is sharp, the reaction of the machine is accurate, but not so fast as I would like. With increasing speed, the steering wheel is heavy - this is the merit of the pump hydraulic switch. The transverse rolls of the body are small even in comfortable suspension mode. I liked how C5 resists the loss of sustainability, with what reluctance it is amenable to provocatively. Literally until the last car slipped from turning, and if the drift occurs (or it was possible to call it), it develops smoothly, predictably and easily corrected. What should I say? Citroen C5 is an ambiguous phenomenon: someone will call his deficiencies in advantages, someone - on the contrary. But this is one of those machines with a soul that cannot be perceived indifferent, and therefore it is necessary to remember for a long time.