Citroen C5 Aircross

C5 Aircross at a glance

How the C5 Aircross came about

Citroën previewed the model with the Aircross concept at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show, a 4,580 mm SUV on 22-inch wheels. The production model made its debut at the Shanghai show in 2017, where Dongfeng Citroën began selling it in late 2017. The European version followed in 2018, and production started at the Rennes plant in France, in which Groupe PSA invested €100 million for the model.

In Europe the C5 Aircross took over from the C4 Aircross and, for many buyers, from the C5 estate. Its predecessor is covered on our Citroën C4 Aircross page, and the brand's background in our history of Citroën. Assembly from kits began in India in January 2021.

Engines of the first generation (Europe)

Every version drove the front wheels and had a 53-litre tank. The old version of this page listed engines with 130 and 177 hp for the diesels and called the 1.6 petrol a "1.6 TNR"; the figures above are the official outputs. Chinese cars used 1.6 and 1.8 turbo petrol engines with 123 kW and 150 kW and a six-speed automatic.

The plug-in hybrid arrived in November 2019, combining the 1.6 petrol with an 80 kW electric motor for about 50 km of electric range under WLTP. In November 2022 Citroën added a 180 hp (130 kW) plug-in version alongside it. There was never a four-wheel-drive C5 Aircross; for loose surfaces Citroën offered Grip Control, a traction system with selectable modes, used with mud-and-snow tyres.

Advanced Comfort: suspension and cabin

The C5 Aircross was the flagship of Citroën's "Advanced Comfort" programme. Its suspension uses Progressive Hydraulic Cushions: small hydraulic stops inside each damper that slow the wheel gradually at the end of its travel instead of letting it hit a rubber bump stop. The old version of this page explained this well: on small bumps the spring and damper work alone, while on large movements the hydraulic stop absorbs and dissipates the energy, which reduces rebound.

The cabin offered three separate, sliding and folding rear seats, a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and an 8-inch touchscreen. Options included a panoramic sunroof, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control with a stop function. The old version of this page also noted heated front seats with an eight-pocket massage function and five programmes on top versions, and a hands-free electric tailgate.

The length and wheelbase follow from the second generation's official figures: it is 160 mm longer and has a 60 mm longer wheelbase than its predecessor. Our size comparison tool sets these figures against other SUVs.

The 2022 facelift and the first generation's safety

In January 2022 the European C5 Aircross received a new front with slimmer lights, minor changes at the rear and new interior features. China followed in July 2022 with the "Tianyi Beyond" name, and India in September 2022. Euro NCAP tested a 1.5 diesel in 2019 and scored it at 87 % for adult occupants, 86 % for children, 58 % for vulnerable road users and 75 % for safety assist. The weakest area, pedestrian protection, is typical of tall SUVs of that period.

First-generation sales

The first full European year, 2019, was the best, with 79,533 cars. By our calculation, European sales fell by about 43 % between 2019 and 2022, while the C5 Aircross faced newer rivals inside and outside Stellantis.

Second generation (2025–): longer, and electric

Citroën showed the next C5 Aircross as a concept at the Paris Motor Show on 14 October 2024 and revealed the production car on 29 April 2025. It is the fifth model on Stellantis's STLA Medium platform, shared with the Peugeot 3008 and 5008, the Opel Grandland and the Jeep Compass, and it is still built in Rennes. Orders opened in June 2025, and the car went on sale in Europe in October 2025 in You, Plus, Business and Max trims.

The electric versions charge at up to 160 kW DC and have a heat pump and a route planner; other battery SUVs are collected in our electric cars section. The body is 4,652 mm long with a 2,784 mm wheelbase, 200 mm of ground clearance and a boot of 565 to 1,668 litres. It is the first Citroën offered with 20-inch wheels and heated rear seats, and the rear bench folds 40/20/40 with reclining backrests.

Prices of the second generation

By our calculation, the electric version cost only €1,500 more than the mild hybrid in each trim. The first-generation price of "about €27,000" in the old version of this page was a pre-launch estimate and has been removed.