Citroën C5 Tourer estate (2008-2016) - Engines, drive & performance
The Citroen C5 Tourer is a superb cruiser that eats up motorway miles with ease, but it isn’t much fun in bends
Citroen wanted to make the C5 Tourer one of the most comfortable cars in the class and it’s succeeded. The top-of-the-range model comes with Citroen’s clever Hydractive 3 suspension system, which automatically adapts to your driving style and the road surface. It provides ride quality worthy of a luxury limousine and also features a firmer Sports mode if you’re feeling that way inclined. Basic models get conventional steel suspension, but remain extremely comfortable.
Driving the Citroen with any great enthusiasm isn’t something we’d recommend. It feels like a heavy, ungainly car and its soft setup means there’s plenty of body lean in corners. Its high-profile tyres are excellent for taking the edge off bumps in the road, but make the car feel imprecise. While in the Ford Mondeo or Volkswagen Passat, you might find yourself seeking out a country road just for the fun of it, the Citroen’s raison d'etre is quiet motorway cruising.
Citroen C5 diesel engines
Choosing an engine in the C5 Tourer should be simple, as Citroen only offers two. There’s a 148bhp 2.0 BlueHDi and a 178bhp 2.0 BlueHDi to choose from between the two trim levels.
Both are more than capable of carrying the car’s weight, so fuel economy shouldn’t be impacted too much. They’re refined engines, too, and the C5 is already very impressive at shutting out wind and road noise thanks to acoustic windows and plenty of sound-proofing around the car.
The C5’s diesel engines are best for motorway cruising, and there’s plenty of torque in both engines for overtaking manoeuvres. The higher-powered 2.0 BlueHDi is particularly strong, while the automatic gearbox (only available with this engine) is smooth and pretty responsive.
