Citroen C5

The Citroen C5 is the latest French attempt at conquering the middle-market saloon arena, and is a surprising hit – it apes the Germans’ sense of quality but keeps a certain French flair.

• Comfort

  The Hydractive III is a joy on rough roads. Slightly firmer in ‘comfort' mode (you can adjust it at the touch of a button), the C5 manages to feel more natural than the waftacious C6 and really does ride better than anything else in class. The seats are extraordinarily comfy, and there's a massaging option.

  

• Performance

  Diesel wise, there's a 1.6-litre HDI diesel with 110bhp, an e-HDI 1.6 with slightly more torque (210lb ft) that returns 61.4mpg, a 2.0-litre with 160bhp and the range-topping 3.0-litre V6 with 240bhp, 332lb ft of torque and a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds. All this and it returns 39.2mpg. There's just one petrol, a 1.6-litre with 155bhp.

  

• Cool

  Not cool exactly, but not a default-choice VW Passat. Proves you're not dead, at least.

  

• Quality

  Citroen has made a considerable leap in quality to create a genuinely appealing interior. There's a taller, more solid dash, and the feel is generally more conventional (ie, Germanic). This car instantly feels well-made, solid and silent. The only downside is that much of it was raided from Citroen's parts bin and feels ordinary. The stalks look as if they've come direct from the humble and cheaper Berlingo.

  

• Handling

  The C5 is offered with two suspension systems - either the adjustable Hydractive 3+ hydropneumatic set-up or traditional steel springs that Citroen says give a 'more direct road feel'. The first one is the more expensive but it's also more characterful. Stick it in 'Sport' and have a cheerful old time with the generous available grip, although you'll be disappointed by the slightly dulled steering which cuts out almost any road feedback from the wheels. The trade-off, when you stick the car in 'Comfort' and stop being silly, is a Lexus-like ride quality. It's not the magic carpet that some people seem to think - a little agitation from small bumps makes it through - but you'll still be impressed.

  

• Practicality

  A big boot and plenty of room for five, this is a decent large saloon - the parking-space measuring widget sounds like a gimmick, but works well and is surprisingly useful. It stops you trying to get into too tight a spot.

  

• Running costs

  Shouldn't be too hard to run a C5, and expect it to undercut the equivalent German marques when it comes on stream fully. Hydractive is more expensive but worth it, but don't expect residuals to be very good - this may be a premium car, but it's from a sub-premium marque.