Citroën C5 X: the comfort-led flagship crossover returns

Gareth J. Hargreaves • August 28, 2026 09:26

Citroën now offers almost no cars in conventional, “traditional” shapes (the C1, which is about to disappear, is the last of them). The arrival of the C5 X, its new range-topper with a “hybrid” body style (a crossover that blends several vehicle types), underlines that shift. The alphanumeric C5 badge returns, but this time it is paired with an X - a kind of defining chromosome that has been spreading through car brands with no sign of stopping.

Across the industry, the letter is everywhere: at BMW, anything SUV-related is an X; Fiat sells the 500X; Mitsubishi turns Eclipse into Cross (cross, or X, in English); Opel has the Crossland; and Citroën itself already uses AirCross on the C3 and C5. The list goes on, but it is long enough without labouring the point.

Car makers seem to agree that X is the quickest way to communicate a genetic mash-up of SUV, estate and crossover (another “cross”…) and, in some cases, a hint of light off-road ability and an outdoors, leisure-oriented lifestyle.

That brings us to the latest example: the new Citroën C5 X. It signals the French brand’s return to a segment D flagship, but - naturally - with slightly increased ground clearance, a longer tailgate, and above all a higher seating position than a traditional saloon. In other words: X.

Comfort as the overriding priority

Underneath, it uses the C5 Aircross platform (EMP2), but stretched, with a 2,785 m wheelbase - 5,5 cm longer than the C5 Aircross and the same amount shorter than the Peugeot 5008 (2,84 m). As you would expect from the brand, the focus is on key selling points such as ride comfort and generous cabin space.

On the chassis side, every version comes as standard with the familiar progressive hydraulic cushions (built into the dampers). Above that sits a more advanced plug-in hybrid variant, adding variable damping response so the C5 X can adjust its behaviour to the driver’s mood and the type of road it is travelling on.

Inside, Citroën says it aims to set new benchmarks in the segment D mainstream class, helped by seats trimmed and engineered for extra comfort - designed to create a body-contact feel akin to a quality mattress. Acoustic comfort has also been given proper attention, with laminated glass used for the windscreen and the rear window, a solution more commonly associated with premium manufacturers.

Practicality follows the same family-friendly brief. The boot offers 545 litres of capacity, matching the Citroën C5 X’s role as a practical car (its overall length is 4,80 m). It is also suited to carrying surfboards or other bulky equipment, particularly with the second-row seatbacks folded, which opens up a load space of up to 1640 litres. The tailgate can be opened and closed electrically, and the loading floor is low and flat - all intended to make loading and unloading easier.

A step forward in technological sophistication

A key update is the infotainment interface, now with stronger connectivity: Android and Apple phones can be connected, charged and mirrored wirelessly. The system is operated via a new 12” touchscreen.

Citroën also promises a new operating system with voice recognition that understands natural speech and expressions, plus a large new head-up display (including some augmented-reality functions). It is colour and projected onto the windscreen - a first for the French brand. Until now, information was projected onto a plastic blade that rose from the top of the dashboard, a simpler, cheaper and less pleasant solution to use.

The end of Diesel

For the first time in a Citroën above the entry segment (above the C1), there will be no Diesel engine option. Vincent Cobée, CEO of the French brand, puts it like this: “demand for diesel engines is falling off a cliff across all segments and, because the C5 X is a car that will be sold mainly to company buyers, that makes the plug-in hybrid powertrain more attractive thanks to a lower Total Cost of Ownership”.

That 225 hp plug-in hybrid - more than 50 km in 100% electric mode, consumption around 1,5 l/100 km, a top speed close to 225 km/h and 0 to 100 km/h in just over 9 seconds - pairs a 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 180 hp with a 109 hp front-mounted electric motor.

Alongside it, there will also be combustion-only engines: the same 1.6 PureTech unit with 180 hp (on its own, without an electric motor) and a second, less powerful option, the 1.2 PureTech with 130 hp.