Citroen plans to woo future C5 Aircross buyers with chunky SUV looks, striking fascias, and colorful design details. What you’re essentially looking at here is not an SUV, but the evolution of the European people carrier which Citroen chose to launch before the long overdue replacement for the C5 sedan and wagon.

First revealed for the Chinese market last year, and set to make its European debut at the Paris motor show this October, the C5 Aircross has been confirmed to arrive in showrooms by the end of 2018 with minor changes. Underpinning it is the same EMP2 platform used for the Peugeot 3008, 5008, and the Opel Grandland X - like these models from within the PSA group, the new C5 Aircross also lacks an all-wheel-drive option and only features Grip Control.

Previous C5-badged Citroens all used to feature the firm’s excellent hydropneumatic adjustable suspension, but here it’s been ditched in favor of what they call Progressive Hydraulic Cushions - basically two hydraulic stops on each corner: one for rebound and one for compression - and this is said to provide a very smooth ride, although the system is nowhere near as advanced as the previous one.

Exterior

One of the C5 Aircorss’ selling points will undoubtedly be the way it looks, thanks to good proportions and front and rear fascias that give it a lot of personality. Up front is a two-tier light cluster design with the upper DRLs integrated into the dual chevron badge that runs across the entire front edge of the bonnet.

Underneath are two slim headlights which blend into part of the grille.

There are also several styling details all around the exterior (which are red on white cars), starting with two rounded trapezoidal pieces on the lower front bumper, another two on the front door, and also on the underside of the roof rails. As the whole, the C5 Aircross pulls off the SUV look very convincingly for something not really designed to leave the tarmac.

Interior

Like many new PSA products, the C5 Aircross has a bold and upmarket-looking interior with clear premium aspirations. Higher trim models come with a part-leather covered dashboard that really drives this point home.

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are offered, but Citroen says its latest infotainment system is good enough to be used on its own, packing features like a 3D navigation system with real-time traffic and weather information, as well as a point of interest search function.

Seating comfort will be top notch, according to Citroen, thanks to what it calls Advanced Comfort seats which promise to enhance comfort and the feeling of well-being by providing an armchair-like experience. The seats are also high-set to offer a great view of the road ahead and can be clad in a wide choice of trim materials, from basic fabric all the way to Nappa leather.

Another key point about the interior is that it offers excellent visibility all around and there’s also a large, opening panoramic glass roof to add views of the sky as well.

Since this is a Citroen, there are plenty of unusual design details around the cabin: the steering wheel, for instance, doesn’t only have a flat bottom as is popular nowadays, but it also has a less common flat top. Moving down, the shifter, which is identical to that of the posh new Peugeot 508, also looks quite striking, but is actually quite comfortable to operate.

Drivetrain

Power for the C5 Aircross will come from a range of turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines with outputs ranging from 130 to 180 horsepower.

At launch, the two gasoline engine options will be the three-cylinder, 1.3-liter, PureTech 130 hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox and the four-pot, 1.6-liter, PureTech 180 that is only available with an eight-speed automatic.

Diesel fans will be able to choose from three configurations: the 1.6-liter BlueHDi 130 with either the six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic or the 2.0-liter BlueHDi 180 which can only be had with the automatic.

Citroen says its revised eight-speed automatic gearbox reduces fuel consumption by 7 percent compared to the previous six-speed unit, it provides stop and start functionality up to 12 mph or 20 km/h, and also shifts more smoothly than before. It also features steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual shift control.

Conclusion

Citroen is blurring the lines between what we think of as an SUV and how we used to perceive people carrier type vehicles. The C5 Aircross is first and foremost a style statement that will help you stand out in a crowd, but also carry you and yours around comfortably, in a pleasant, airy environment.

It will provide stress-free motoring with little chance to hit or scrape something with its underside.

Its range of engines are identical to those found in its Peugeot and Opel brethren, and there actually isn’t a single bad unit among them. Best picks are obviously the more powerful ones since they provide the best and most effortless motivation while also keeping fuel bills very reasonable.

The C5 Aircross has no reason not to become a hit as it is exactly what the market wants: stylish both inside and out, it has character, it’s brisk enough but efficient at the same time, and it provides the all-important high driving position and SUV-like experience that is all the rage now (even in vehicles which aren’t actually SUVs).

Further reading

Read our full review on the Chinese version of the Citroen C5 Aircross.