Citroen C5 Aircross Review 2026: Prices, specs and verdict

What is the Citroen C5 Aircross?

The Citroen C5 Aircross has been a popular family SUV for just under a decade now, putting comfort, space and value at the top of its priority list.

Now there’s a new version, and it’s added a dose of style and high-tech appeal that was missing from the old car. It’s also bigger and roomier than before, while it now features petrol mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric power options.

It once again shares plenty under the skin with the Vauxhall Grandland and Peugeot 3008 within the wider Stellantis group. But Citroen purists shouldn’t fear: the C5 Aircross is still very comfortable, roomy and, crucially, cheaper than many competitors.

With a strong variety of rivals including the Kia Sportage and Dacia Bigster, can Citroen’s current range-topper compete for family SUV supremacy? We’ll find out in this in-depth review.

Verdict: is the Citroen C5 Aircross a good car?

We reckon the C5 Aircross is a great family-sized SUV choice for those that prioritise comfort, affordability and ease-of-use over fancy materials and razor-sharp handling.

It’s a clear improvement on the old car, being better to drive and having an improved range of powertrains. The all-electric E-C5 Aircross is the nicest to drive, but whichever version you choose this is among the best options at this price point.

Pricing, specs & rivals

Citroen has priced the both the C5 and electric e-C5 Aircross keenly, making it cheaper than its cousins from Vauxhall and Peugeot. A Dacia Bigster is more affordable still, but other than a base-spec Kia Sportage the Citroen is among the most affordable family SUVs.

Citroen C5 Aircross prices start from £30,530 at the time of writing. That’s for the Hybrid 145 in entry-level ‘You!’ trim, which comes with 18in alloys, metallic paint, LED headlights with auto high-beam, dual-zone climate control, keyless start, rear parking sensors, wireless phone charging and adaptive cruise control.

In other words, it’s well equipped for the money. The electric E-C5 Aircross starts from £34,085 in the same trim, although the wheels are upgraded to 19in in size and remote preconditioning (to warm or cool the car before driving via a smartphone app) is thrown in.

Upgrading to Plus trim ups the price to £33,170 for the Hybrid 145 and £36,725 for the E-C5. Plus upgrades the hybrid to 19in alloys while also adding privacy glass, satin chrome and gloss black details, extended cabin ambient lighting, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, faux leather upholstery, reclining rear seats, keyless entry, front parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

Topping the range is Max trim, priced from £35,810 in Hybrid 145 form and £39,365 in electric E-C5 form. Max also brings the option of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) C5 Aircross, which costs from £38,880. This means that every version of the C5 avoids the £40,000+ Expensive Car Supplement, an additional VED car tax charge for five years after the first year of registration.

Max models come fully loaded with 20in alloys, Matrix LED lights, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an electric tailgate, a 360-degree camera system and a load of extra safety kit thrown in. On the E-C5 Aircross, this trim is the only one that gets a heat pump as standard.

Rivals

The Citroen C5 has a vast selection of family car rivals – not least the closely-related Vauxhall Grandland and Peugeot 3008. You’ll also want to check out the Dacia Bigster, Renault Austral, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai, Mazda CX-5, BYD Sealion 5 and Omoda 7.

On the electric side, the Citroen E-C5 still competes with its Vauxhall and Peugeot cousins, along with the Kia EV5, Nissan Leaf, Skoda Enyaq, Ford Explorer and Renault Scenic E-Tech (to name just a few competitors).

Interior comfort, quality & technology

The C5 Aircross has a smart, cosy interior design which is a clear improvement on the rather plasticky old model, with some soft-touch coloured fabrics on the dash and doors.

But you’ll find harder and scratchier finishes than a Qashqai or Austral, while the gloss black trim on the centre console can mark quite easily. Overall a Peugeot 3008 or Mazda CX-5’s interior is plusher, but the Citroen does feel sturdy enough.

The C5 Aircross’s comfort focus isn’t just on the suspension – it also brings super comfortable padded ‘Advanced Comfort’ seats. They’re soft to give a plush, almost sofa-like feel, and give you enough support for long journeys, although they don’t exactly hold you in place in tight corners.

That high driving position gives you a good view out, as do narrow windscreen pillars. You also get large rear and side windows giving good over-the-shoulder visibility, making this an easy SUV to manoeuvre and park.

Infotainment, sat-nav, stereo and connectivity

The biggest cabin upgrade over the old C5 Aircross is the in-car tech. Every model now comes equipped with a big 13in portrait-angled touchscreen that cascades down the dashboard into the centre console – described as a ‘waterfall screen’ by the brand.

It’s far brighter, clearer and more responsive than the fiddly screen in the old model. It’s also easier to operate on the move, because the screen is closer to the driver and the icons are big and easy to hit. The menu layout is intuitive, too – it’s a better system than in the 3008, and among the best in this class.

Although you don’t get physical climate controls, they take up a large portion of the screen so you aren’t squinting to see them. You also get a few physical shortcuts for menus or key functions like the heated rear screen, along with natural speech voice control.

The standard 10in digital instrument display is clear and customizable, so while Max trim does get a head-up display we don’t think it’s essential. We’re pleased to see a proper 360-degree camera system rather than the lacklustre system in the old car.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is built-in sat-nav with a one-year subscription to live data services. It’s great to see wireless phone charging standard across the range, but four USB-C sockets across the front and rear (along with three 12-volt sockets) give you plenty of charging options.

Every C5 Aircross gets the same six-speaker sound system regardless of trim level. Sound quality is perfectly fine for most people, but audiophiles may want to look elsewhere to rivals with upgraded or branded systems.

How practical is the Citroen C5 Aircross?

The Citroen C5 Aircross’ dimensions make it 4,652mm in length, 1,902mm in width (excluding mirrors) and 1,660mm tall. That’s considerably longer, and slightly wider and taller, than the first-generation model. It’s also a good chunk bigger than the Renault Austral and Nissan Qashqai e-Power.

That means it’s noticeably roomier than the old model. Front seat space is plentiful even for those over six-foot, and the interior’s width means no elbow banging on the centre armrest. Max trim’s panoramic sunroof doesn’t affect headroom too much, either.

The most obvious improvement over the old C5 Aircross is in the back, however. The old model was a bit tight for taller adults, but legroom is more generous for six-footers and headroom isn’t an issue either. What’s more, the middle seat occupant also has enough space to not feel too hemmed in, and all seatbacks individually recline to let occupants get more comfortable on long trips.  

The only downside is that the C5 Aircross no longer has three individually sliding rear seatbases. But the extra space means this isn’t a dealbreaker, and it’s more practical than the Austral or a Nissan Leaf overall.

Storage and boot space

Cabin storage in the C5 Aircross is very good, with big door bins able to take large bottles of water, a decent-sized glovebox, a deep under-armrest space that’s chilled and a generous compartment with a pair of cupholders below the centre console itself.

In the rear you’ll find smaller but still useful door bins, a pair of pockets on the front seatbacks and a centre armrest with cupholders and a phone holder.

Those who lug bulky items in the boot will be grateful that all models get 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, adding flexibility. That’s better than rivals such as the Ford Kuga which only make do with a 60/40 split.

As for the boot, its 565-litre capacity is among the best in the class, only beaten slightly by the Dacia Bigster and Kia Sportage. It’s also the same regardless of whether you opt for hybrid or electric power.

But it isn’t just about capacity, because the loading area is a nice square shape, while the tailgate has a large opening and the loading height isn’t as high as many SUVs – making lifting bulky items in and out easier.

A standard height-adjustable boot floor gives you a flat load area and some underfloor storage. That makes up for the lack of a ‘frunk’ (front boot) where you could store the charging cable.

Performance & drive: What is the Citroen C5 Aircross like on the road?

Don’t expect electrifying performance from any version of the C5 Aircross. Although none are truly underpowered, acceleration is on the leisurely side.

The entry-level C5 Aircross Hybrid 145 uses a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine mated to a small electric motor and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox only.

With a 0-62mph time of just over 11 seconds it’s a long way from the fastest family SUV out there, but in most situations the engine’s torque means it doesn’t feel too gutless when getting up to speed. It’ll need working hard, though, and you’ll hear it doing so.  

The Plug-in Hybrid model is comfortably the fastest on paper. With a generous 225hp, from a combination of a 150hp 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, an electric motor and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Power goes through the front wheels and takes almost three seconds off the base hybrid’s 0-62mph time.

The electric E-C5 Aircross splits the two on paper, with 210hp sent through the front wheels and a 0-62mph time of just under nine seconds. Don’t expect any kind of Tesla-style shove in the back when you floor the throttle, but in the real world it’s probably the fastest C5 because there’s no pause for gearchanges, just smooth and instant power.

Power, 0-62mph times

• Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid 145: 145hp/ 11.2 secs
• Citroen C5 Aircross Plug-in Hybrid:225hp/ 8.3 secs
• Citroen E-C5 Aircross Comfort Range: 210hp/ 8.9 secs

Ride and handling

Citroen’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ philosophy is alive and well in this latest C5 Aircross, so it’s no surprise what the French brand’s priorities are for the way it drives.

Combining cushy padded seats with hydraulic bump stops in the suspension, the C5 Aircross is set up to isolate occupants from potholes, speed humps and drain covers. It achieves that better than rivals such as the Kia Sportage and Renault Austral, even with larger wheels fitted.

The C5 Aircross has a cushy motorway ride, too. Having said that, the most comfortable version is the base hybrid model, with the plug-in hybrid and fully electric versions being set up a bit more firmly due to their extra weight.

The trade-off for the Citroen’s plush ride is it’s far from the sharpest family SUV in the corners. There’s plenty of body lean if you push hard, and although grip levels are fine the light, vague steering means you don’t feel connected to what the front tyres are up to.

Still, we think Citroen has got its priorities right in the C5 Aircross: it rewards drivers with a smooth and gentle driving style, which means you get a soft ride quality that will calm your passengers and send small children to the land of nod.

Noise and refinement

The Citroen C5 Aircross is a good motorway cruiser thanks to low levels of wind and road noise combined with that cushy suspension. The base hybrid model’s engine isn’t too gruff for a three-cylinder engine, either, only giving out a pleasing growl when revved.

The same can’t be said for the plug-in hybrid. Although it’s supremely quiet when running in electric mode, the engine is surprisingly noisy and coarse, particularly when accelerating.

The electric E-C5 is, unsurprisingly, the quietest of the three. Electric motor whine is barely noticeable and it’s super smooth, although the lack of engine noise means you notice tyre and wind noise a touch more.

Euro NCAP: is the Citroen C5 Aircross a safe car?

Euro NCAP decided in 2025 that the latest Citroen C5 Aircross is so closely related to the Peugeot 3008 that it didn’t need to fully test the Citroen. Instead, it applied many of the same assessment grades to the Citroen from testing the Peugeot, with only some additional testing of the C5.

This means that the Citroen was awarded four stars out of five, like the 3008 and Grandland. That’s still a strong score, but it falls behind class leaders like the Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson.

The C5 Aircross scores well for occupant protection, with an 80% adult occupant score and 85% child occupant rating. Euro NCAP was critical of the lack of any rear seat occupant detection, however, or centre airbags to prevent passengers colliding in an accident.

Every C5 Aircross comes with six airbags, autonomous emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, a driver alertness camera, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition. However, you’ll need Max trim for features like blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane positioning assist.

Running costs and fuel economy

The C5 Aircross might not be the cheapest family SUV to run, but it does have efficient hybrid and plug-in hybrid engine options.

The C5 Aircross Hybrid 145promises up to 53.3mpg combined in WLTP testing, depending on spec. That falls short of full hybrid rivals like the Nissan Qashqai ePower and Dacia Bigster but is ahead of the Kia Sportage hybrid in the same tests.

Expect to see around 45mpg in the Hybrid 145 in typical real-world driving, although this will vary depending on how much time you spend pottering about town where the hybrid’s engine can drop off and the battery can take over more often.

Electric range and charging

The C5 Aircross Plug-in Hybrid is a very different proposition to the Hybrid 145. Rather than a mile or so of electric running, it’ll manage up to 50 miles on a full charge from a 17.8kWh usable battery.

That results in a combined official economy figure of 113mpg, but as always with PHEVs achieving that figure depends entirely on how often you charge the battery up fully by plugging, and how long your journeys are.

For example, you might see around 40mpg when driving longer distances with a depleted battery. You could well use almost no fuel whatsoever if you leave the house with a full charge and complete a round trip of under 50 miles.

The C5 Aircross Plug-in Hybrid can only charge at speeds of up to 7.4kW. That’s fine for the majority of homes using a typical home wallbox, but several rivals let you access quicker three-phase supplies, and some new PHEVs enable DC rapid charging too. Still, you’ll have a full charge from empty in just under three hours from a home wallbox.

The all-electric e-C5 Aircross boasts a 73.7kWh usable battery in Comfort Range form, enough for an official combined WLTP range of up to 322 miles. That’s only average by modern electric car standards because the Renault Scenic E-Tech, Nissan Leaf and Skoda Enyaq will go considerably further in their longest-range forms.

Those who need even more range will be best off waiting for the E-C5 Aircross Long Range to arrive. That features a much bigger 97kWh battery pack for an impressive range of up to 421 miles. That has been delayed arriving, however, and may not be available in showrooms until 2027.

In Comfort Range form, the e-C5 manages a decent maximum DC public charging rate of 160kW. Across the charging curve, though, several rivals can be topped up more quickly. It can accept 11kW AC charging, however.

Charging speeds

(Figures from EV Database)

• 7kW charging: 11hrs 45 mins
• 11kW charging: 8hrs
• 50kW rapid charger (10 to 80% charge): 72 mins
• 300kW+ rapid charger (10 to 80% charge): 36 mins

How much does the Citroen C5 Aircross cost to insure?

The C5 Aircross looks like it should be one of the more affordable family SUVs to insure. Insurance groups start at just 18 for the Hybrid 145 model in base You! Trim, rising to group 19 for Plus trim and group 20 for Max trim.

Those groups are slightly lower than the Peugeot 3008 and significantly lower than the Dacia Bigster, with only the base Kia Sportage undercutting the Citroen’s groups.

It’s worth noting that both the plug-in hybrid C5 and electric e-C5 are potentially much pricier to insure, with both sitting in insurance group 28-30. That’s roughly on a par with rivals, though.