Used Citroën C5 Aircross 2019-present review

Citroën historically specialised in designing cars with a comfortable ride above all else. This is perhaps why the Citroën C5 Aircross has such supple suspension: to tie in with that tradition. Plus, those quirky looks could only really come from a company that arguably knows more than any other carmaker about avant-garde design.

Under its skin, you’ll find engines and mechanicals that are less radical, but that's not such a bad thing. It shares its underpinnings with the Peugeot 3008, Peugeot 5008 and Vauxhall Grandland of the same era.

Engines: Of course, an SUV needs a decent engine, and fortunately the C5 Aircross has two petrol and two diesel options that are perfectly adept at hauling around a large car. The perky 128bhp 1.2-litre petrol is a great all-rounder, while those who demand a bit more urge can always go for the additional punch of the 178bhp 1.6-litre unit. Or if fuel economy is more of a concern, there's the torque-laden diesels.

If hybrid power is your thing, there are two of these to choose from. There's a 134bhp mild hybrid (added with the 2022 facelift) and a 222bhp plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The PHEV can travel up to 41 miles on electric-only power, according to official tests, which is similar to the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage PHEVs.

Ride and handling: Unlike some five-seat large SUVs, such as the Mazda CX-5, the C5 Aircross isn’t one for attacking the bends, because its soft suspension leads to unusually pronounced body lean for a modern pseudo-off-roader. The feather-light steering isn’t the most communicative out there, either. Grip is still strong enough for you to maintain decent progress down a twisty road, although you might get complaints of nausea from your passengers due to the amount it can sway through corners.

Interior and practicality: Speaking of passengers, there shouldn’t be any quarrels over the amount of space inside, unless you go for the Feel Plus model, which gets a panoramic glass roof. Those in front shouldn’t have any issues, but taller people in the back will have to slouch slightly to clear the lower roof lining. The rear bench is made of three separate seats that fold individually and can even slide fore and aft to allow passengers to stretch their legs or increase boot space. The boot in question isn’t the biggest in the class, but it is tall and square and has a wide opening to help loading bulky items.

One note of disappointment is that for a car aimed at families, the glovebox is very small, because the fusebox behind it takes up space. There is a large centre console and decent door pocket space to make up for this, though.

Trims and equipment: Entry-level Feel trim brings a comprehensive list of standard equipment that includes 17in alloy wheels, dual-zone climate, rear parking sensors, a 12.3in digital instrument display and an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. Mid-range Flair adds 18in alloys, sat-nav, a height-adjustable boot floor, cruise control, front parking sensors and a rear-view camera, while Flair Plus gets 19in alloys, a powered tailgate, adaptive cruise control, a panoramic glass roof and keyless entry.

Citroën has a habit for updating trim levels, so you'll find a variety of different trims on later, post-2022 models. Initially, there were just two: C-Series Edition and Shine. But from 2024 onwards, you'll find Plus, Max and ë-series.

Entry-level Plus trim comes with 18in alloy wheels, automatic windscreen wipers, dual-zone climate control, an automatically dimming rear-view mirror, keyless start and privacy glass, while Max adds a few more niceties, including keyless entry, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, roof bars, a black roof and a few other styling tweaks. If you want one of the hybrid engines, you’ll need to upgrade to at least Max trim.

Top-spec ë-series trim is only available with the two hybrid engines and gets bigger 19in wheels, electric driver’s seat, bespoke styling, laminated front side windows and the panoramic roof.

If you're interested in buying a used Citroen C5 Aircross, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site here.

Prices for a used Citroën C5 Aircross start at around £8000 for high mileage 2019 1.5-litre diesel models in mid-spec Flair trim. Expect to spend around £9000 for a similar 1.2-litre petrol, while prices rise to around £14,000 for 2019, 2020 and 2021 examples with around 50,000 miles on the clock. Plug-in hybrid cars cost upwards of £14,000.

Most 2022 C5 Aircrosses are between £14,000 and £18,000 depending on trim, with facelift models starting from around £16,000. Spend between £16,000 and £24,000 on 2023 and 2024 models, depending on trim, and a little more on the latest 2025 ones.

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MPG

The C5 Aircross is actually pretty economical as far as large SUVs go. If you go for our preferred 1.2-litre petrol version, you should be able to get close to it’s official (WLTP) economy figure of 44.2mpg, while the mild hybrid version manages 53.3mpg. The more powerful 1.6-litre petrol isn’t quite so frugal at 39.6mpg, but then it is lumbered with an automatic gearbox.

For those who do lots of motorway miles, the 1.5-litre diesel has the best economy at 55.1mpg, while the more powerful 2.0-litre diesel gets 47.1mpg. The plug-in hybrid version available in later post-2022 cars has a WLTP official figure of 222.3mpg. This will be only anywhere near attainable if you charge it up regularly and most of your journeys are short ones.

Road tax

Road tax for all models will be the same flat rate fee applied to every car registered after 1 April 2017. The current road tax cost is £195. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here.

Insurance and servicing

The C5 Aircross falls into insurance groups 19 to 21, depending on the version, while the PHEV model sits in group 28 (out of 50). This puts it on par with rivals like the Ford Kuga and Mazda CX-5, meaning insurance costs should be fairly reasonable for most buyers.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000 miles. The first visit will cost £199, while the second will be £249; thereafter, a minor service is £179 and a major one £299 - exactly the same as it is for the closely related Peugeot 5008.

Warranty

From new, the C5 Aircross comes with a two-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and an additional one year’s cover provided by the dealer (up to 60,000 miles). That’s pretty standard for the class, but it doesn’t come close to Kia’s seven-year cover or Toyota’s offering (up to 10 years). Citroën allows you to extend the warranty for a fee.

Safety

The C5 Aircross scored a full five-star rating when it was tested by the experts at Euro NCAP in 2019. Every model comes with automatic emergency braking as standard, along with blindspot monitoring and lane departure warning, while the optional Safety Pack adds lane-keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition. Later models get the Safety Pack as standard.

Reliability

The Citroën C5 Aircross delivered mixed reliability, according to owners in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey.

Electrical problems were the most common complaint, with unexplained warning lights and infotainment glitches cropping up. Diesel versions were prone to parking sensor issues, sometimes needing repeated dealer visits to sort. Some hybrid owners also reported battery-related faults, but these were less frequent.

Experiences with dealer support varied. While some drivers praised helpful service, others faced long waits and poor communication – especially when it came to getting parts.

Learn more about used Citroën C5 Aircross reliability on our dedicated reliability page.

Engine

Unless you do plenty of miles and need the extra fuel economy of a diesel, chances are you’ll find the 1.2-litre petrol will provide plenty of performance and be pleasantly surprised with its respectable fuel economy. It's a popular choice among buyers too, so there are plenty of these available on the used market.

Specification

We'd recommend going for the mid-spec Flair trim, because it's similar money to the entry-level Feel trim when buying used. It adds 18in alloys, sat-nav, a height-adjustable boot floor, cruise control, front parking sensors and a rear-view camera over the already generous list of kit with Feel. Flair Plus is definitely worth a look if you can get a good deal on one, because it adds useful kit such as adaptive cruise control and a powered tailgate.

Our favourite Citroën C5 Aircross: 1.2 Puretech 130 Flair

The Peugeot 3008 is a highly regarded used family SUV, because it has a great interior with a generous level of standard equipment. It shares much of its mechanicals with the C5 Aircross so offers the same range of impressive engines. Used prices are competitive, too.

The Nissan Qashqai is a very popular family SUV, so it's widely available on the used market. While it is a bit more expensive than the C5 Aircross, it's a smart inside and comfortable to drive. It comes with plenty of standard safety kit as well.

The Mazda CX-5 is good choice if you prefer a more sporty driving experience. It's fun to drive for a family SUV, with tidy handling and direct steering. The interior is plush for the money too, while the infotainment system is easy to use. We'd recommend going for the petrol versions, which have a better reputation for reliability.

The T0yota RAV4 is an expensive choice, but it's worth a look. It has a very good reputation for reliability and running costs should be reasonable (thanks to its hybrid engine options).

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If you're interested in buying a used Citroen C5 Aircross, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site here.