Symbolically: this year began with a Citroen C4 car test – and it also ends with a Citroen car test. Not an ordinary, but an exclusive PHEV-hybrid! And let the year seem difficult, but similar to the Citroen C4, the crossover Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid allows you to look into a bright future. What am I talking about? Now I will tell you everything in detail.
Crossover Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid: the future that can already be bought
Fans of the Citroen brand will immediately recognize the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid test car as the pre-updated version. How so, if the prices have already been announced in Ukraine and orders for the updated crossover Citroen C5 Aircross have started?! In the range of which, by the way, there is a PHEV version of the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid.
The bottom line is that we owe the appearance of the updated Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid crossover to this particular car, which became the hero of the article. The Citroen importer brought it to Ukraine about a year ago. Let’s say, to study and understand “for yourself personally”, what is a PHEV-hybrid in the form of Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid. We studied, understood – and decided to start supplying the hybrid with the launch of the planned update of the Citroen C5 Aircross model.
Updated car Citroën C5 Aircross is already coming to Ukrainian dealers, orders are open, the first cars have appeared. The main changes are the exterior (front end, lights, wheels) and the interior (enlarged display, center console). But now it is more important for us that a 225-horsepower crossover has appeared in the price of the model Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid.
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The price of such a car in the maximum configuration SHINE PACK is from UAH 1.85 million; for comparison – a 2-liter 180-horsepower diesel Citroën C5 Aircross in a similar configuration costs from 1.32 million hryvnias. And in general, the price tag for the updated crossover Citroën C5 Aircross starts from a mark slightly below 1.18 million hryvnias (1.5-liter diesel engine with 130 hp and equipment) FEEL PACK). However, about the updated car Citroën C5 Aircross I will write later, but for now let’s focus on the technique PHEV-hybrid.
How the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid charging hybrid is arranged.
Talking about the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid model, I immediately want to remember the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 and DS 7 Crossback E-Tense cars: gasoline 1.6-liter EP6FADTXD engine, 8-speed automatic transmission, 13.2 kW battery, all-wheel drive. Stop!
The main difference between the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid and its relatives is that it has front-wheel drive. Accordingly, there is no electric motor in the back. And there is no 300 hp. power However, the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid crossover offers 225 hp, which still makes it the most powerful in the Citroen C5 Aircross model line. But in terms of torque (360 Nm), the hybrid is still slightly inferior to the 2-liter diesel version of the Citroen C5 Aircross (400 Nm).
These power and torque figures are achieved by summing up the output of a 1.6-liter PureTech gasoline “turbo” (180 hp) and an electric motor (80 kW or 109 hp), which is installed at the junction of the diesel engine and the gearbox. By the way, an 8-speed “automatic” was used as a gearbox, but also with a slightly changed design: the torque converter was replaced by a clutch pack in an oil bath; but the traditional planetary gear set remained.
These are the changes that lie on the surface. But there are still hidden changes inside. For example – where to place the battery of the hybrid? At first glance and taking into account the declared reduced volume of the trunk (460-600 liters against 550-690 liters in conventional versions), the battery was located at the back – in the underground luggage compartment. But it is not so.
The battery is installed within the wheelbase, it is only slightly offset to the rear seats. However, this required a relocation of the fuel tank – it was pushed back. And this, in turn, required a change in the car’s suspension: if the regular versions of the Citroen C5 Aircross have a semi-independent rear suspension based on a U-shaped beam, the hybrid gets a fully independent suspension on transverse arms.
At first glance – a hybrid version Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid differs only in the corresponding markings on the body and the charging port. By the way, the power of the charger is 7.4 kW, which allows you to fully charge the battery in two hours from a station of this type Wallbox or 5-7 hours from a regular outlet. They dug deeper and found a gasoline engine, an electric motor paired with an e-EAT8 automatic transmission, a battery of the type “Li–Ion» with an operating voltage of about 200 V, as well as a changed rear suspension – which caused a change in the underground trunk and a decrease in its total volume. What else has changed inside?
But there is a lot in the cabin as before: a powerful front panel, a central 8-inch screen is “embraced” by ventilation deflectors, the front and rear seats are stitched “in a square”. By the way, about the seat: there is a massage in the front, independent adjustment in the back.
So what has changed? For example, the layout of the central console: the Drive Mode button has appeared – it controls the switching between driving modes and operation of the hybrid system. A button to go to the hybrid settings menu was also added: you can view fuel or energy consumption, you can set the desired level of power reserve on electric traction. And the graphics of the virtual instrument panel based on the 12.3-inch monitor have also changed – from now on, all elements are made in a rectangular design.
There are not many changes in the cabin, but they are there: a button for selecting driving modes, switching to the hybrid system control menu, new dashboard graphics. There is still a lot of space in the back, and the seats can be adjusted independently. The nominal reduction of the trunk practically did not affect the perceived volume: the luggage compartment is large, at the bottom there is a place for a convenient organizer with a compartment for a charging cable.
How the PHEV-hybrid Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid drives
If we talk about the chassis, any Citroen C5 Aircross crossover – whether it’s normal or in the Hybrid version – emphasizes the softness of RNS shock absorbers and general comfort. Any road is perceived in the “rolled-swimmed” style, irregularities are softened as much as possible, the body sways moderately. Of course, all this leads to tilts in turns and rocking during acceleration and braking. But still: for fans of comfort, the crossover Citroen C5 Aircross is an excellent option and a candidate for purchase.
And fans of dynamic drive? After all, power in the style of “good for 200 horses” and the presence of SPORT mode promise us something! For example, good acceleration: quick start from a standstill, continuous acceleration on the move – not bad. And the numbers of acceleration to “hundreds” are encouraging: a decent result of 8.3-8.7 seconds. However, in fact, the element of the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid crossover is a combination of drive and economy.
My minimum fuel consumption in the city was around 4.5 liters. Of course, subject to periodic battery recharging – why else would you buy a PHEV-hybrid? However, if you charge on the go from a working gasoline engine, the consumption increases approximately twice: in the city 8-10 liters per hundred. Moreover, it is desirable to charge up to 50-70% of the battery capacity, so that there is still a reserve for energy storage – then the “B” recuperation mode will work much more actively than with a fully charged battery.
A couple of interesting numbers: the total power of the hybrid system is 225 hp, the torque is 360 Nm, you can reach 135 km/h and drive up to 50 km – this is in theory. And in practice, the range meter in winter gave about 26 km on the electric drive; but on the electric drive you can dial even more than promised. Car Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid heavier than regular versions Citroën C5 Aircross by about 200 kg, but everything is compensated by the increased power: a hundred is given in 8.3-8.7 seconds, depending on the battery charge level and the selected mode.
My optimum is a combination SPORTS– mode and “B»-Recovery: full power, quick responses, constantly running gasoline engine; but the hybrid system always tries to collect maximum energy. The result is dynamic driving, while frequent use of the electric motor allows to reduce fuel consumption – as a result, I drive more actively around the city than on the 180-horsepower diesel version. Citroën C5 Aircross, But with less expense! However, miracles no longer happen on the track – at a speed of 100-120 km/h, consumption is 5.5-6 liters per hundred.
As a result: this is the future that already exists today
Once upon a time at the debut of this very car Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid, the Citroen brand talked about its plans for electrification. Most importantly, starting in 2020, every new Citroen model must have an electrified version: either a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or a full electric vehicle (BEV).
These plans are turning into reality now. In addition, as we can see, it is also for Ukraine: modern, advanced, innovative technologies are coming to us. On the example of the crossover Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid, we can see the future, which becomes the present already today and now.
With this material, I conclude my articles for 2022. One can only hope that the next 2023 will be as white and light as this Citroen. As soft and comfortable as this Citroen. As advanced and modern as this Citroen. I wish this for all of us. And our common Ukraine, first of all.
Specifications Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid
The body is a crossover, 5 doors, 5 seats
Dimensions – 4.5 x 1.87 x 1.69 m
The wheelbase is 2.73 m
Trunk – 460-600 l (5 places)
The curb weight is 1750 kg
The motor is a PHEV-hybrid, R4 1.6 L gasoline turbo engine plus an electric motor
The total capacity of the hybrid system is 225 liters.
The total torque is 360 Nm
Specific power and torque – 129 hp. for 1 ton; 206 Nm per 1 ton
The drive is front-wheel drive
Transmission – 8-st. “automatic” e-EAT8
Acceleration from 0-100 km/h – 8.7 seconds
The maximum speed is 225 km/h
The battery capacity is 13.2 kWh
The minimum price of the Citroen C5 Aircross NEW car is from UAH 1.18 million. or $29.5 thousand
The minimum price of the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid NEW car is from UAH 1.85 million. or $46 thousand
