2022 Citroen C5 Aircross review, first drive

Citroen has launched the facelift for the C5 Aircross at Rs 36.67 lakh. We took it around for a spin to find out how significant the changes are.

Since Citroen made its debut in India with the C5 Aircross, its competition has increased in the form of the new Hyundai Tucson and the Volkswagen Tiguan. Now the French marque has given the C5 a facelift which brings changes to the exterior, interior and equipment list. Mechanically, however, the 2022 Citroen C5 Aircross has remained the same and uses the same diesel motor. We took the SUV for a drive and to find just how much has changed, and what these changes mean as a package for the C5, read on.

Exterior:

The SUV exudes premiumness and this facelift only ups that quotient. The front fascia features the brand's double Chevron design element, which starts at the more prominent logo in the middle of the grille and then extends to both sides in the form of two lines. The headlamps and the daytime running lights, both LEDs are in a single unit which replaces the earlier split configuration. The rectangular faux air intakes on the lower bumper have been replaced with a mesh lower grille, while the vertical slats which serve as the air intakes are larger.

The taillamps retain the overall shape but have a darker appearance and new lighting elements. The C5 does a fine job of playing to its strengths, especially with the non-polarising design that comes off as something that looks elegant and quite premium.

Interior:

Changes to the cabin include the new central console which gets a toggle switch for the gear selector instead of the conventional lever and a switch to change the drive modes. Then there is the more prominent 10-inch infotainment system which looks very premium with its graphics and customizable modes, but this new screen means that the older two-part aircon vents have been replaced with more conventional rectangular ones. To operate the dual-zone climate control one has to access the infotainment display, which isn’t the easiest to operate especially while driving but is made easier with a few shortcut buttons below the display.

The rest of the materials in the cabin, such as the plastics, are top-notch and give a very premium feel, especially with the new upholstery on the seats, armrest and central console. The rest has remained unchanged and you get the unique 33.33:33.33:33.33 split rear seat which can slide forward or backwards and recline individually. Equipment-wise, the C5 features auto wipers, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, a panoramic sunroof, an electrically-operated tailgate, and more.