Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 78%

The Citroen C5 has been on sale since 2001, when it replaced the ageing Xantia. It sold steadily, but never reached Ford Mondeo-like sales figures.

Citroen gave the C5 a comprehensive facelift in 2004, giving it a sleek new front end and a load of new technology.

Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor

1. Looks
The Citroen C5 is a massive car, and Citroen has done little to disguise the fact. It has a sleek, almost concept car-like face with a grille smoothed into the car's lines. The estate version we drove has radical rear lights which sweep up into the rear window pillars and are the only real points of interest in an otherwise dull rump. This car is more about safety and space than style.

7/10

2. Looks inside
The interior hasn't really changed since 2001, and it shows. There's none of the Germanic feel that many of its upmarket rivals ooze, and doesn't even match up to the modern technology-packed cars Citroen are renowned for. The radio has fiddly buttons which are tricky to find, especially at night, while parts of the sat-nav screen (a £1,500 option) are obscured by a curved cowling regardless of how the driver's seat is positioned. The dials are very clear, and a clever 'Dark' mode dims the sat-nav or turns it off completely while turning off the illumination for all but the speedometer. The optional £1,300 leather seats, while comfortable (if lacking in support) look cheap.

6/10

3. Practicality
The Citroen C5 estate is one of the largest in its class. Its boot is capable of carrying 563 litres of luggage, a figure which rises to a van-like 1,658 litres with the rear seats folded flat. And filling the boot is easy too, with a low sill, split-opening tailgate and Citroen's hydraulic suspension means the car can be lowered to aid access further. The system also employs a self-levelling feature to avoid nose-up driving when carrying a full load. This should come into its own when towing a caravan or heavy trailer. There's a good amount of storage in the cabin, including a pop-out compartment in each of the front doors, and another just above the driver's right leg. Sadly the cupholders are too small to safely hold anything wider than a Coke can.

10/10

4. Ride and Handling
The ride comfort is first rate, with the clever suspension soaking up bumps with aplomb, even in its Sport setting. The ride is at the expense of handling composure, with its soft suspension making the C5 wallow around bends. This, coupled with vague steering means cornering at moderate speeds is a leap of faith.

7/10

5. Performance
The engine choices are dependant on whether the saloon or estate version is chosen. The former is available with a choice of 1.8, 2-litre or 2.2-litre petrol engines or 1.6, 2.0 or 2.2 diesels. The estate only comes in a 2-litre petrol guise, or a choice of 1.6, 2.0 or 2.2 diesels. We drove the 173bhp 2.2 diesel, mated to an automatic gearbox. The engine offered massive reserves of pulling power, making overtaking easy. It should also make the ideal engine for caravanners. Headline performance figures for the 2.2 auto are 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds with a top speed of 135mph; only the 2.2 manual is faster in the range.

8/10

6. Running Costs
Depreciation is the biggest enemy of the Citroen C5 – the model we tested will retain just 25 per cent of its new list price over the first three years. However, that isn't the full story as Citroen offer a wide range of cashback and other money-off deals to tempt new car buyers, so buyers can expect to pay up to £4,000 less than the screen price. However, the considerable depreciation makes it a tremendous second hand buy. Once paid for, most C5s should be fairly painless to run. All the diesel engines offer good fuel economy (between 38.7 and 52.3mpg), and insurance groups are average for all models apart from the 2.2 diesels, which attract a group 14 rating. Depending on the model chosen, road tax falls into Bands C, D, E or F which cost between £115 and £205 per year.

7/10

7. Reliability
Citroen's reputation for niggling faults, it performs well in the Reliability Index which provides information on the cost and frequency of breakdowns. The C5 is rated slightly below Citroen as a whole, but the engines and suspension systems have been around for long enough for most problems to be ironed out. Anecdotal evidence suggest the odd electrical gremlin could be encounted.

8/10

8. Safety
The 2004-onwards C5 we tested scored a full five star rating in the EuroNCAP crash tests – one more than the previous model. All models are equipped with identical safety kit, apart from the range-topping Exclusive models which also comes with a tyre pressure warning system. Highlights include: ABS with brakeforce distribution, brake assist, ESP and traction control and driver, passenger, front side, curtain and steering column-mounted airbags. Only the £300 lane departure warning system, which vibrates the driver's seat if a lane marker is crossed, is optional.

10/10

9. Equipment
All Citroen C5s come with a good level of equipment. The entry-level VTR includes climate control, cruise control with speed limiter, trip computer and multi-function screen, front and rear electric windows, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, remote central locking and a CD player. The VTX+ adds metallic paint as standard, while the top-of-the-range Exclusive is equipped with different 16-inch alloys, unique interior trimmings, rear sunblind (hatchback only), half Alcantara seats, driver and front passenger armrests, directional xenon headlamps and front and rear park sensors.

8/10

10. X-Factor
Drivers looking for a comfortable, safe ride will find plenty to like in the Citroen C5 – as will serious caravanners, or those finding themselves towing trailers on a regular basis. There are better cars around, but for a serene ride and loads of space, the C5 takes some beating.

7/10