We recently got behind the ’wheel of the C5 and were amazed by its comfortable ride thanks to its ability to soak up bad roads even at speed. The C5 Aircross will be offered in two variants— the entry-level ‘Feel’ variant and top-end ‘Shine’ variant in India. Both variants are similar in terms of equipment, with the latter getting the addition of an LED headlamp setup instead of halogens, a panoramic sunroof and a hands-free electric tailgate open and close feature.
However, under the hood, both variants of the C5 Aircross get a 2-litre diesel engine, which is capable of hitting a ton in just 9.5 seconds. The 2-litre unit delivers a peak output of 174.5bhp and 400Nm, and comes paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission only. There is no official announcement of a manual variant coming to India any time soon. The C5 Aircross gets a terrain mode control dial that alters the traction control in the C5 for sand, mud and snow. The C5 Aircross also gets Citroen’s Progressive Hydraulic Suspension, which is an interesting suspension setup that involves two hydraulic stops — one for compression and one for rebound which works in tandem and minimises the bumps filtering into the cabin.
Speaking of which, on the inside, the C5 Aircross gets a well-designed interior with usage of high quality leather and chrome detailing complimenting them. It is equipped with a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, an 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual zone climate control and push button for engine start/stop. At the rear, the C5 Aircross gets three seats in a row with an individual function of slide, recline and fold, a USB socket and an LED reading lamp at the rear.
The pre-bookings of the C5 Aircross have already commenced on Citroen’s official website with a token amount of Rs 50,000 and official prices of the C5 Aircross will be unveiled on April 7, we expect it to launch around a price range of Rs 25 - 28 lakh ex-showroom. At that price it will be pitted directly against Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson and it will be interesting to see how a new entrant performs against two established brands in the Indian market.