The shifter burned my hand. Not metaphorically. Actual skin contact with metal heated by the sun resulted in immediate recoil. I jumped in warm. Didn’t pre-cool. Assumed it was plastic because why wouldn’t it be. Wrong. That finish baked to three hundred degrees. Or felt like it.
It’s a good example of why Citroen hasn’t cut corners.
Inside the e-C5, there is patterned piano-black trim that attracts fingerprints like a magnet. Too much for me maybe. But the fabric dash adds character. The seats? Fake leather but incredibly soft. Plush. They wrap around you. It feels less like driving a machine and more like sinking into a sofa.
Mood swings at 70mph
Do cars change who we are? Probably. My subconscious habits shifted after just one month in this electric SUV. Coming from a petrol hot hatch changed everything.
Last September I had the VW Golf R Black Edition. Fancy kit. Racy bits. Angry mask. Every journey on the M25 felt like a race I wasn’t winning. BMWs. Audis. Bouncing on Bridgestones over potholes. The rage built up slowly. Without me noticing. Until I snapped. Or almost did. My wife calls it an undesirable alter-ego. I called it Tuesday.
Switching to the Citroen broke that cycle.
The e-C5 imposes zen. Zen is the new alter-ego. The powertrain hums quietly around town. The ride soaks up motorway imperfections that the Golf highlighted with brutal clarity. It’s calmer. I drive differently. I breathe differently.
Is the suspension too soft?
Yes. Sometimes. The car rolls through bends on the South Downs. My daughter in the back groans when it tips too far. So I pick straighter roads. Dual carriageways. It works for her stomach and my nerves.
Then there is the app. The My Citroen software is stubborn. I ran a Peugeot before. I knew what I was getting into. Shared backend. Same bugs. It refuses to connect. Often. I can’t check real-time charging. Can’t see exact range before a trip. I am digging into it. Will report back.
Value that sticks
Ignore the software glitches for a second. Look at the spec list. The price.
If you don’t want electric? Hybrids start just over £30,0o0. That buys a lot of car. Our EV adds only £3,555 on top of that. The basic YOU trim gets you 18-inch wheels, LED lights, automatic wipers. A 13-inch waterfall screen with navigation and phone projection. Wireless charging. Four USB-C ports. Keyless start.
Move to PLUS? Add £2,640. Privacy glass. Chrome trim. Keyless entry. Eight-colour ambient lights. A reversing camera.
We have the MAX trim. Less than £40,000. You get 20-inch black wheels. Matrix LEDs. A heat pump for efficiency. Head-up display. Heated front seats with a leather feel. Hands-free tailgate.
Who tops out at base models these days? We recommend the MAX here. It feels like a steal.
Range reality
The battery averages 3.4 miles per kWh. Total distance to charge hovers around 250 miles. Citroen claims 320 miles. Reality bites.
A larger battery variant is coming. I will hold onto the zen until then. Efficiency might improve when the weather turns truly hot or cold depending on how you manage the thermal loads. I aim for calm driving. The numbers will hopefully catch up.
Practicality?
The boot swallowed a week’s worth of luggage, bikes, and batch-cooked bolognese for Center Parcs. 565 litres. Beats the Golf. Had to leave the parcel shelf behind though. I prefer retractable roller covers anyway. The glovebox is full-size. No split by fuse boxes like old models. There are two cupholders under the console and one small one up top that fits a can but barely.
Snacks live in the center cubby. My six-year-old approves.
Here are the facts if you need them:
- Model: Citroen e-C5 Aircoss MAX 210hp
- Price new: £39,345
- Efficiency: 3.4 mi/kWh (2,265 miles tested)
- Range claim: 320 miles vs 250 miles observed
- Options cost: Roof kit (£400), Repair kit (£20)
- Insurance: Group 29 (~£1,466/year for 42yo, 3 points)
I will miss the speed of the hot hatch sometimes. The adrenaline spike. The bounce.
For now I am happy in the quiet. The burn on my thumb is already fading. The rest? Still settling in.
Useful links and ads:
– 2023 C5 Aircross: £13,915
– 2021 C5 Aircross: £11,015
– 2019 C5 Aircross: £12,955
– 2020 C5 Aircross Diesel: £13,179
Insurance quote sourced from AA for a driver in Banbury with three points.
