Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid - long-term review

There's a reason family holidays are the ultimate test of a car. The nursery run doesn't tell you much, nor does the weekly food shop. But load up for a week away, strap a couple of bikes to the roof and point the nose towards Cornwall, and you'll quickly find out whether you've made the right choice.

That's exactly what the C5 Aircross faced on its final outing before heading back to Citroen. Suitcases, prams, beach gear, toys and all the other things that mysteriously appear the moment a child is involved disappeared into the 565-litre boot. The underfloor storage proved its worth too, swallowing all the random bits that would otherwise spend five hours flinging around the cabin.

The drive was exactly what I'd come to expect. The seats remained superb, the suspension continued to smooth over Britain's battered roads and, despite carrying two adults, a toddler, two bikes and a week's worth of luggage, the 1.2-litre mild hybrid still averaged a respectable 40.3mpg. I couldn't really argue with that.

The engine itself, however, never quite won me over. Around town it's smooth and unobtrusive, yet ask for a quick overtake or a brisk getaway from a roundabout and there's often a moment of hesitation while the gearbox and hybrid system decide what's happening next. It's perfectly adequate. I just never found it particularly enjoyable.

By the time we'd reached Cornwall, we climbed out feeling surprisingly fresh. Better still, our holiday let sat at the end of a rough, rocky lane that proved a challenge for my brother’s Fiat 500 Abarth. The C5 on the other hand simply rolled down it without fuss. It was the first time during this test that I genuinely appreciated the extra ride height. Yes, I actually used the SUV for some off-road utility.

That's been the story of the C5 Aircross from day one. It's not going to wow you. It doesn't pretend to be sporty, nor does it chase the premium crowd. Instead, it quietly gets on with doing exactly what a family car should, carrying people and all their associated clutter in genuine comfort.

Would I spend £35,000 of my own money on one? Probably not. The problem is that it’s in one of the most competitive segments. Cars like the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson and Skoda Karoq all make a strong case for themselves, whether that's smarter interiors, slicker infotainment or more polished powertrains. Strip away the supple suspension and the C5 starts to lose its unique selling point.

Yet, over the last few months, there were little moments that made me appreciate Citroen's way of thinking. One of the most useful discoveries wasn't even intentional. The C5 has small pockets high up on the back of the front seats. I'm still not entirely sure if I used them for their intended purpose, but they turned out to be the perfect size for wedging my phone in so my two-year-old could watch Bluey on the journey down to Cornwall. It worked brilliantly.

That's why I hope Citroen starts pinching a few ideas from its own concept cars. I don't want my family SUV to look like something from The Jetsons, but I do love the idea of pulling up at the beach, unclipping the seats and using them as deckchairs while everyone eats fish and chips. Or having a retractable projector screen in the back so the kids can watch a film while you're waiting for the car to charge. Those are the kind of features nobody asked for, but most people would use.

I'd rather see more of that than another huge touchscreen or configurable ambient lighting. Give me clever packaging, huge windows and thoughtful little ideas that make everyday life better, not features added simply because everyone else has them. After six months with the C5 Aircross, one thing is clear: at this price point, nobody does comfort quite like Citroen. Now I just want them to remember that nobody does clever and quirky quite like Citroen either.