Test Drive Citroen C5 Sedan since 2008 Sedan

French ties

These cars have always been the most French. That is, they revealed various features of the French national character of the type of love for luxury (DS) and ... uh, economy (2cv), avant-garde style (almost all models outside) and love for comfort (large models inside). They reminded that France is one of the leaders in terms of technology. And just looked so much that they would not confuse them with anyone, despite the fact that they practically did not have any common corporate elements. Well, in addition to the single steering wheel and covered rear wheels. There is no one for a long time. When we look at the new Citroen C5, we can still find traces of its Gallean origin. But for this you need to try a little.
The C5 Tourer wagist is 50 mm longer than the sedan, and offers a trunk for 66 liters of greater volume. Among the options, a glass roof, among the standard lantern equipment in a special trunk compartment.
To be not easy. The last decades demonstrate to us complete globalization: for example, the car of the American brand is made in Sweden on one platform with a representative of the German brand. Technical delicacies such as motors of the original scheme are preserved in production, it seems only for the sake of facilitating the labor of the authors of the prospectuses in principle to achieve decent indicators today can be from any design, the question is only in money. But about the unusual layout you can write something and even draw. For this, you can go on the cost of organizing something exotic.
Once Citroen was an outstanding brand and software, and design. Even on cheap models with a fairly simple appearance, the instrument panel looked like a piece of scenery to star wars. Where did it all be? Here is the current flagship of Double Chevrons C6 really not like their competitors, as once DS and changed it CX. A new C5, made on the shortened platform C6, on the contrary, is similar. Cynical and attentive glance is ready to rest in the rib on the sidewall it is almost like BMW. Rear lights want to compare with Audi. The flow of the windows line resembles a competing model Ford. Similar details could be found in many models at all times: designers of different firms often think it seems. Marketers and employees of PR departments call it true to the trend. But in this case, some geanophobia designers are not at all random, but quite conscious and even underlined: the rollers prepared for C5 indicate that it should seem in the German car.
There were still branded details and a french chic charm, but mostly in the cabin. Carefully drawn front armchairs and doors finish produce a very pleasant impression. Especially chairs in expensive equipment, they can adjust the angle of the top of the upper part. How to BMW! Notes Germanic. As on Renault Vel Satis! Must be remembered by Patriot France. Citroen's branded detail at this historic stage steering wheel with fixed hub. It is not very clear how necessary it. The practical meaning is that the numerous keys are never shifted, so they are very easy to seek ... Eyes. Hands are also easy, but only when we go straight. What, probably, can also be considered in a sense a struggle for security: Well, why in turn, for example, adjust the volume or respond to phone calls? Take, Comrade Driver, taxi!
You will steer incorrectly, learn that the fixed hub also allows you to optimally position the airbag at the time of operation. The most important thing in this case is that such a hub looks like it is very impressive and even luxurious.
Other branded details are not as striking before the start of the move. We are about the arrows on the instrument panel, which are not fixed on the central axes, and ... how would it be to designate? On rims of relevant instruments. The idea is not the newest, but for the first time we see her embodiment in the open, without imitation of the central arrow. Citroen never shunted experimenting with information display methods Recall at least mechanical digital devices on CX and BX. Now the electronics makes it possible to turn around in this plan by 120 percent. And here it was not without it: the amount of fuel, for example, is displayed classical LED, or a ribbon. But still designers did not miss the chance to play with mechanics. And they proved that there is a place of fiction.
  The new C5 slightly added long and lost height, which gave him more rapidness. Now he even bypassed his native Grandfather CX is not surprising, because the new C5 is the longest in the class. If you do not count the Ford Mondeo sedan. And it will be necessary: \u200b\u200bnow C5 is also sedan. Let us do not deceive the attachment of the roof form: as once on the CX and GS, it does not guarantee the rising trunk doors at all. However, the opening turned out quite decent. For this, CX is borrowed concave rear window. Although the main task of such a form prevent glare when viewed from the inside, it also helps make the opening more and increase the angle of lifting the trunk lid. This is still a French car, so in the basic configuration you immediately get not just a folding back, but completely folding back seat, and even divided into two unequal parts and with a hatch behind the armrest. German stamps tend to include all this in the number of options. No vain Representatives of Citroen intend to seriously entrenched in the corporate sales segment with this car: practical equipment should please the economical heads of transport shops. Although an even more practical version with a universal body, which is a little longer (by 50 mm), and offers at least 505 liters of the trunk instead of 439. Plus the ability to adjust the height of the rear suspension during loading, manual flashlight in a special compartment and huge glass hatch As an option.
The Russian buyer will appreciate the presence in the sedan, and in the vespersal of the place for the real spare wheel. True, the fifth wheel is a little bit more important and on the steel disk instead of alloy, but without restrictive inscriptions about 80 km / h. The only thing that is clearly lacking in the cabin of the notorious cupboards and places for bottles. Only we are accustomed to count them in every new model, how suddenly it turns out that it is already unlikely to drink in the car.
This car relies led. And this is a pretty pleasant occupation after all the platform, on other versions of which peugeot 407 and C6 are made, quite good. The chassis demonstrates an attempt to please everyone immediately the first Citroen model in fifty years (and the second in history), which exists in two versions, with a hydropneumatic suspension and with normal. The second, metal version, on the one hand, allows you to reduce the car, on the other makes it again closer to the same German competitors. After all, their hydropneumatics is absent at all. Suspension Hydractive III + as the previous versions, allows you to adjust the ground clearance, and sometimes it does it yourself (for example, presses the car to the road with a growing speed). And, of course, makes it possible to choose a mode of operation. Of course, the current fashion for Driver's Car made us turn on the sports mode. On the smooth highways of Portugal, it provides sufficient comfort, and on winding mountain roads is decent stability.
Especially we were lucky with the engine: a new diesel engine 2.2 l / 173 hp Just great on any turns. It is easily drawn already at 1500 rpm, which is not surprising for a diesel engine, it is confidently unwinding to the maximum and perfectly feels there. The picture slightly spoils not too clear inclusion of gears in a manual box. Nowadays, it is already strange when the drive control is confused in six transmissions: it's not so much. By the way, six of them and in a very pleasant machine, which are equipped with a flagship gasoline V6 with a capacity of 215 hp, with whom we also met. He did not call a particularly memorable impressions: Well, yes, it is the most powerful motor in the range and Citroen, and Peugeot, the car is going fast and ... and that's it. Probably, it is even normal for a large engine, not to cause special emotions. Of course, this is because we are not burdened with the need to pay for fuel for him. Otherwise, we, like European colleagues, would not pay attention to this motor at all, and focused on diesel engines.
Perhaps it would be worth the fall to the steering wheel, which seems too electric. It seems right as in the electron brain of the amplifier, click the speedometer numbers, and it reduces the gain of the increasing 20 km / h ... after all, Peugeot is in something right, while maintaining loyalty to the traditional hydraulics, albeit with an electric pump.
Despite globalization, something French remains in C5. Strange proportions were very skillfully used. Long Front Svea was a characteristic feature and CX, and today it turns out himself, if you want to get a lot of stars from Euroncap for pedestrian protection. Some models this feature spoils, but the length of the C5 is noticeable only in drawings overlooking the side of reality, the car is perceived quite proportionally, and it looks elegant.
Another feature of the new Citroen models only told us, personally to study these characteristics is not so easy. German cars usually love at all, for quite a specific virtue of reliability. And in this parameter, the French company decided to invest much more seriously than in the commercial. First, prototypes passed a total of five million kilometers. And secondly, in the process of production, the quality of the assembly of each machine will be monitored by 1,400 parameters, and another 400 measurements will produce on randomly selected cars. Perhaps it would be worth it to make a commercial role precisely from the procedure of such inspections of the truth, it pulls rather to a full-length film.

Abstracts in the same time
1. Citroen believed in the Russian dielair: the new C5 will be supplied to our country and with diesel engines.
2. A concave rear window is not just a spectacular item. It also helps get rid of glare and increase the opening of the trunk lid.
3. Contrary to popular opinion, the hatchback is not the most typical type of body Citroen: a large hatchback was only one, xm. CX has no rear window.
4. Reliability First of all: the total prototype mileage is five million kilometers.
Citroen C5.
HDI engine / gasoline
Frequent volume (cube. Cm) 2179/2946
Power (hp at rpm) 173/6000 / 215/6000
Moment (nm at rpm) 370/1500 / 290/3750
Drive front
Transmission 6-speed mechanical / automatic
Length / Width / Height (mm) 4779/1860/1451
Mass Curb (kg) 1800/1804
Maximum speed (km / h) 224/219
Acceleration up to 100 km / h (c) 10.2 / 9.2
Fuel consumption Average, (l / 100 km) 8.8 / 5.2 / 15.6 / 7.5
Price in France () 30 900/45 150

Text: Valery Chusov
 

 

A source: "Autopilot"