In the fiercely competitive world of electric SUVs, carving out a niche against segment leaders like the Tesla Model Y, Renault Scénic E-Tech, and its counterpart, the Peugeot e-3008, is no small feat. The Citroën ë-C5 Aircross enters the market somewhat belatedly, but it brings compelling selling points: a more affordable price, greater comfort, and a range close to 700 km, comparable to its main rivals. We have taken this family electric vehicle for a test drive, and here are our thoughts.
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Fresh Model, Strong Rivalries
Citroën has been busy over the past two years, almost completely renewing its lineup. The latest addition is the Citroën C5 Aircross, available both as a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric vehicle. As expected, the synergies between Stellantis brands have worked well once again, as this model shares the same platform as the Peugeot e-3008 and Opel Grandland Electric.
However, Stellantis has a knack for photocopying with a twist. Despite the technical similarities, it’s hard to spot any family resemblance between the new C5 Aircross and the aforementioned models, both inside and out.
Even better, the C5 Aircross manages to establish a distinct identity thanks to Citroën engineers who have reworked certain elements to differentiate it from its technical cousins. This strategy allows Stellantis to offer a more comfortable alternative to something like a 3008, using the same platform and nearly identical powertrains.
Citroën emphasizes “comfort and spaciousness” for the new C5. We set out to explore and test this model to see if it lives up to its promises, all while being less expensive than its two siblings.
Technical Specifications
The Citroën ë-C5 Aircross measures 4.65 m in length, 1.90 m in width, and 1.66 m in height. It offers 230 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9 seconds. It features semi-autonomous driving (level 2), a maximum speed of 170 km/h, and a main screen size of 13 inches. The vehicle’s charging port is a Type 2 Combo (CCS).
Design: True to the Concept
The design of the new ë-C5 Aircross closely follows the concept revealed at the Paris Motor Show in October 2024. While the prototype’s flashy green color didn’t make it to production, the main design elements did.
The vehicle sports Citroën’s new visual identity, first introduced with the ë-C3, aimed at elevating the model’s status within the brand’s lineup. Larger, more imposing, and less rounded than its predecessor, the new model aims to project a more “prestigious” and “upmarket” image, according to Citroën.
The vehicle has grown approximately 15 cm longer than its predecessor, including a 6 cm increase in wheelbase. Designers have also complicated some shapes, particularly the rear lights, which are now positioned almost at the level of the quarter windows.
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A major focus for the designers was optimizing airflow, crucial for maximizing range in the electric version. This required creative solutions to achieve a suitable drag coefficient, all within Citroën’s SUV design specifications.
At the rear, the roof slopes gently and ends with a spoiler. The “Citroën Light Wings” tail lights not only create a striking visual impact but also enhance airflow and the perception of width. The bumper also incorporates lower deflectors, similar to the Renault Scénic E-Tech.
As a result, the drag coefficient has improved to 0.75, compared to 0.84 in the previous generation, although it is slightly less efficient than the 0.743 of the more sharply designed Peugeot e-3008, which is also less spacious.
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The increase in size translates to more space inside the vehicle. Upon entering, we immediately noticed the spaciousness, a rare and welcome feature in modern vehicles. The ë-C5 Aircross feels welcoming both for the driver and passengers.
The SUV features a very horizontal dashboard structured on two levels. The lower part, resembling a “sofa,” includes a fabric insert, while the upper part is made of a rather ordinary rigid black plastic.
The same fabric covers the door panels, which also feature large panels at both the front and the rear. However, other plastics are hard, and some succumb to the trend of using glossy black material, which gets dirty easily and shows fingerprints and scratches.
Fortunately, like its previous generation, the new model includes the “Advanced Comfort” seats as standard across all trims. These seats, with a padded surface, include a 15 mm thick foam layer reminiscent of the seating in the Citroën CX or Xantia, offering a living room chair-like experience.
The core of the seats incorporates high-density foam, ensuring long-term comfort and preventing sagging after extended periods of driving. Citroën has also paid close attention to postural comfort, with wide seats and enhanced back support.
While the previous generation featured a large trunk and three independent, sliding, and folding rear seats, the new model opts for fixed rear seats, although legroom has increased by 51 mm over the previous model, and headroom has increased by 68 mm.
This configuration is gradually disappearing, already abandoned by the Peugeot E-5008 and Renault Scénic E-Tech, which is unfortunate as it removes one of the vehicle’s main selling points, even though the seatbacks are still adjustable in terms of recline.
Rear space remains excellent, and at 1.82 meters tall, I had no issues sitting behind a driver’s seat adjusted to my size.
The trunk capacity is 651 liters (565 liters VDA), although the loading threshold is somewhat high, and the new design has eliminated vertical bulges that previously hindered storage.
Despite these changes, the vehicle remains practical, with numerous storage spaces. The C5 Aircross continues the idea from the previous C3, with white compartments that make it easy to see their contents, made from 20% recycled vine shoots from Burgundy.
Storage behind the central screen and in the central console is ample for emptying one’s pockets, including USB ports and cup holders. However, as is often the case with Stellantis, there is no front trunk.
Infotainment: Significant and Welcome Improvements
While Stellantis usually prefers horizontal screens, the C5 Aircross features a unique vertical screen, similar to those found in Mercedes and Tesla vehicles.
The large 13-inch screen is divided into several sections. At the top, a fixed band displays essential information like the date and temperature. Below that is a large customizable area with widgets, capable of displaying up to 16 widgets per page, followed by a shortcut section for media, navigation, or the main menu. The bottom section, always visible, is dedicated to climate control settings. The system supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wirelessly.
Below the screen, a row of physical buttons provides quick access to key ventilation and driving aid functions, which can be turned off by pressing a dedicated button for about 3 seconds. Unfortunately, there is no customizable profile, like in Renault, to choose whether to keep or deactivate certain driving aids with a single press of this button.
Unusually for Stellantis, the system features high-quality graphics and offers both good ergonomics and responsiveness. The Stellantis operating system (based on AOSP) doesn’t revolutionize the user experience compared to Renault and Volvo models running Android Automotive, but the interface is intuitive enough not to confuse the user.
The connected navigation system includes a route planner to optimize trips, including charging stops, and can pre-condition the battery.
The driver also benefits from a 10.25-inch display behind the steering wheel for all driving information, and can enjoy an enhanced head-up display, with the projection area on the windshield increased by 30% compared to the previous generation.
Driving: Comfort Preserved
A Citroën’s main forte is usually comfort. Nearly the entire range, if not the entire range, can boast of being among the most comfortable models in their respective segments, largely because they all feature the famous double hydraulic bump-stop suspension.
At the rear, the C5 Aircross settles for a simple bump-stop due to the use of a flexible axle, except in our 100% electric test version where the multi-link axle contributes to the vehicle’s overall excellent comfort. Speed bumps and the rougher patches of Spanish roads, where we tested the model, are handled smoothly.
Typically, with such soft suspension, one might expect a vehicle that leans heavily and dips during more aggressive braking. This is indeed the case at times, where handling can be quite basic during dynamic driving, and decent under more normal conditions. The front end is not very responsive, and body roll can be noticeable on tight turns, while the steering contrasts with this dynamic setup by being quite firm, especially around the center point, even in comfort mode.
We will delve deeper later, but the ë-C5 Aircross benefits from two different battery capacities and two different power outputs, with 210 hp for the model with the smaller battery and 230 hp for the larger one.
With a weight between 2.1 and 2.3 tons depending on the battery size, this power is quite necessary. Acceleration is adequate, and the electric vehicle effects gradually fade, adding even more comfort and enjoyment to the drive. The 0 to 100 km/h time is not shabby at 8.9 seconds announced, with a maximum speed of 170 km/h.
We were also impressed by the noise insulation in our test version, which was quite remarkable even at highway speeds. This was not necessarily the case in the plug-in hybrid versions also available during our test drive, where the electric motor tended to be particularly noisy at low speeds with a high-pitched whine that wasn’t very pleasant.
Indeed, the C5 Aircross isn’t just available as a 100% electric vehicle. The brand also offers a plug-in hybrid version with 195 hp and an average electric range of 86 km, and over 100 km in urban settings according to the brand.
This plug-in hybrid combines a 150 hp combustion engine with a 125 hp electric motor, powered by a 21 kWh battery. The vehicle is also available with a 145 hp hybrid version. The powertrain consists of a 136 hp combustion engine and a 12 hp electric motor. No diesel engine is offered.
Driving aids include adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance, allowing for level 2 semi-autonomous driving with partially automated overtaking.
Range, Consumption, and Charging
The Citroën C5 Aircross now relies on Stellantis’s STLA Medium platform, shared with other segment C SUVs from the group.
For the first time, the C5 Aircross is available in a 100% electric version. Two configurations are available, similar to those of the Peugeot models: the main 73 kWh battery, supplied by BYD, promises a range of 520 km according to the WLTP cycle, with a consumption between 17 and 17.6 kWh/100 km.
For longer trips, the SUV can be equipped with a 97 kWh pack, manufactured at the ACC factory in Douvrin (62). This version provides a range of 680 km WLTP, slightly surpassing the 668 km of the 5008, but still behind the 701 km of the 3008 and the 750 km of the DS N°8. Currently, no all-wheel-drive version is planned.
Both batteries can be charged from 20 to 80% in 30 minutes with a maximum power of 160 kW, with the larger battery maintaining a higher average power over time. For home charging, an 11 kW charger is provided as standard, allowing for a 20 to 80% charge in 4h30 for the 73 kWh and 6h30 for the 97 kWh. Starting in 2026, a 22 kW charger will be offered, significantly reducing charging time and offering V2L (vehicle to load) functionality to power external devices.
The SUV features paddles on the steering wheel to adjust the intensity of the regeneration on three levels, but does not offer a complete “one-pedal” mode that stops the vehicle. The car stabilizes at about 10 km/h. A heat pump is also available to improve comfort in winter.
During our test drive, we tried the high-range version of nearly 700 km. On a route of about one hundred kilometers, with little city driving but mainly winding roads and some highway, our consumption stabilized around 17.6 kWh/100 km, suggesting a range of about 550 km on this type of route with the larger battery.
Pricing, Availability, and Competition
Good news: the electric Citroën C5 Aircross is priced below 40,000 euros with the ecological bonus for the entry-level model. It features a 73 kWh battery and a 210 hp motor, common with the Peugeot e-3008.
Prices range from 40,290 euros for the “You” trim to 46,290 euros for the top-of-the-line “Max” model, excluding bonuses. This is more affordable than its Stellantis cousins equipped with the same motor: the Peugeot e-3008 starts at 45,090 euros before discounts, and the Opel Grandland Electric at 44,490 euros.
Prices for the version with the larger battery have not yet been announced, but they should be under 47,000 euros in the base version to still qualify for the bonus. Its order book will open later, as Stellantis still has some adjustments to make to the reliability of this French battery pack.
Between the Renault Scénic E-Tech, all the electric SUVs from the Volkswagen group (VW ID.4/ID.5, Skoda Enyaq/Elroq, Cupra Tavascan), not to mention the arrival of Chinese brands (MG S5 EV, Leapmotor C10, Zeekr 7X in Europe) and, of course, the Tesla Model Y, which has become even more formidable following its update, the ë-C5 Aircross does not enter a conquered territory. However, its pricing should certainly attract the curiosity of many customers.
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Maya Singh is a senior editor covering tablets and hybrid devices. Her work explores how these tools reshape digital productivity and learning. She also contributes to feature editorials on emerging tech.