Citroen C5 Aircross review

Combustion crossovers easily broach £40k, and electric ones can be way more. Not here.

There are three trims, You!, Plus and Max. MHEV You! opens at £30,495. The 74kWh electric is £32,565, including the £1,500 electric car grant. The 97kWh electric is £32,935, again with £3,750 electric car grant. Yes, just £370 extra as things stand.

The PHEV is in Max trim only. It costs £38,855, which makes it truly hard to see the point. You'd only get a PHEV if you had home charging, and if you had home charging you'd be vastly better off with the electric.

Even the company car tax saving on the PHEV isn't huge; in Max trim a 40 per cent tax payer gets docked £353 a month for the mild hybrid, £232 for the PHEV and a much more palatable £30 for the EV.

What are the kit levels like?

You! gets metallic paint surprisingly, and the connected big screen system and wireless charging pad, LED lights all round, and adaptive cruise. Its ADAS consists of little more than the legal minimum auto-brake, and warning systems for driver inattention, lane departure and speed limits.

Plus adds cosmetic touches outside and a wheel upgrade, auto-fold mirrors and the reclining rear bench. Not a vast upgrade for the price step.

Max has the HUD and a much plumper pack of driver assist, full surround cameras, matrix LED headlights, electric driver's seat, heated seats and wheel, and a heat pump for the EV (a £700 single option otherwise).

What’s the best spec?

Honestly, we think the electric powertrain suits the C5 Aircross best. And it’s a bit of a no-brainer to go for the long range version while the government grant boosters are imbalanced. We’d likely spec the You! trim, but add the £700 heat pump. You’ll thank yourself in winter.

Warranty is three years, plus eight years/100,000 miles for the battery to 70 per cent state of health.