Citroen’s all new C5 X has landed in Ireland and made a huge impact already

​We can only say ‘flair’ play to French brand Citroen in the recent Irish Car of the Year awards.

Its new C5 X, which we will describe a little later on’, scooped the top gong in a very competitive ‘Large Crossover’ segment, that also featured models like the Ford Mustang Mach E, the Range Rover Sport and Tesla’s Model Y.

And we both feel that it was a worthy winner in this section with a model that is a breath of fresh air for the rejuvenated French brand.

So what exactly is the C5 X you might ask?

Well, when Citroen launched the new model earlier this year, even the car company’s bosses weren’t sure which segment it sat in.

Its stylish design means it overlaps the vague lines between an estate, a saloon and even a coupé-styled crossover.

On the outside, the new C5 X is both a celebration of Citroen’s past, and a look into the future for the brand. Described by the company as its new ‘flagship model’, the C5 X incorporates design features from iconic models, such as the DS, CX, and XM, into a new shape that has never been seen before.

It’s a bit like a very-stylish estate car on stilts, but it works extremely well somehow.

It’s absolutely enormous too, with ample amounts of space everywhere you look – including the boot which offers 545 litres.

However, with the plug-in hybrid model, that is reduced by less than 100 litres to 485 to make space for the lithium-ion battery.

On the inside, there is certainly a premium feel to the model and the French brand has certainly upped the ante with the materials used.

The new C5 X features Citroen’s enhanced infotainment system. An ultra-wide, 12-inch HD touch-screen with ambient back-lighting is home to ‘My Citroen Drive Plus’, which features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard in the range.

Users can customise their preferred shortcuts as key functions, whilst setting their own user profile and preferred screen ambiance.

A new head-up display system adds to the user-friendly nature of the car and helps to improve safety and driver comfort. So what do you get for your money?

Well, with car prices sky-rocketing these days, Citroen has introduced the C5 X at a very appetising entry-level asking price of €42,370.

This price is for the 1.2 Puretech petrol turbo three-cylinder engine.

There are other engines available too, with a 180bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol and a 225bhp plug-in hybrid (which uses that same 1.6-litre turbo engine).

A fully-charged 13.2kWh battery (around two hours at home) offers you a claimed 55km electric-only range.

The PHEV model — our favourite — also comes with delayed charging and cabin pre-conditioning via the MyCitroën app so you can heat up your car on these freezing-cold mornings while you have your cuppa before hitting the road.

All models are only offered with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

There are four trim lines being released consisting of Feel, Feel Pack, Flair, and Flair Pack, all with additional features and tech.

The standard base-level model includes a 10-inch touch-screen with smart-phone connectivity and keyless entry; while the Feel Pack introduces the hybrid versions with new Citroen Advanced Comfort Active Suspension, which uses a windscreen-mounted camera to scan the road ahead for bumps and adjusts accordingly.

Flair brings an upgraded 12-inch touch-screen paired with the new eHUD Head-Up Display projected directly onto the windscreen.

Overall, we were both very impressed with the new Citroen C5 X and this is an extremely spacious family car that is well worth a look.