If you’re in search of an allegory for the C5 Aircoss, think about this: if you happen to nudge the windscreen wiper stalk down for a one-flick wipe of the display screen, you additionally activate – or deactivate, in the event that they had been on – the automated wipers. So to provide the windscreen a one-flick wipe however revert to the unique automated wiper state, you should push the stalk twice.
The automobile’s touchscreen infotainment system, whereas it has had some incremental enhancements over the lifecycle of the mannequin, is responsible of some comparable usability shortcomings, integrating the local weather management temperature adjustment capabilities, and making you bounce between menus a bit too usually for each little factor (though the menus themselves are a minimum of simple to entry, due to some shortcut keys decrease on the fascia).
As a rule, Citroën’s menus are extra complicated to fumble round than, say, Volvo’s all-touch model, and fairly a bit much less intuitive than Hyundai‘s newest touchscreen equivalents. All you’d need – DAB radio, navigation, personalisable 12.0in devices and so forth – are current, however the system is gradual to reply, and if you happen to’ve chosen reverse to deliver up cameras, it’s then inconceivable to deliver up one other display screen till you’ve pushed off forwards. At instances, burying the automobile’s local weather controls in one in all these menus appears borderline unforgivable.
The C5 Aircross’s cabin, then, isn’t precisely a paragon of ergonomic accomplishment, which is a disgrace as a result of there’s lots about this inside that’s simple to love. The seats are nicely positioned and cozy, although considerably flat in each cushion and squat, and infrequently missing in assist. Citroën suits Advanced Comfort seats with variably dense foam of their development they usually really feel fairly mushy, though opinions had been divided on our highway check jury as to whether or not they made for good long-distance consolation.
There are well-spaced pedals, and there is a properly aligned, smallish steering wheel that is not overburdened with controls. You get loads of area within the entrance, and three particular person sliding, folding and detachable chairs within the rear, in entrance of a boot whose capability can prolong to past 700 litres with the again seats nonetheless in place.
Funky trims abound and materials high quality feels pretty sturdy, even when it does not look explicit wealthy or costly. Plenty of various materials finishes make it a busy-looking inside, however much less so for the driving force. The mouldings really feel mushy below your arms, mushy on the sprint prime, and squidgy on the door tops, and the doorways have metallic handles.
As a driving surroundings, then, the C5 Aircross is a barely conflicted place: without delay irritating but additionally accommodating and pleasing, a theme that extends so far as the digital instrument binnacle. The huge speedo is supplemented by a retro horizontal one which scrolls alongside the highest of the show. Yet even if you happen to put the customisable panel into ‘dials’ mode, the rev counter stays a tiny, undecipherable line that provides you solely a imprecise concept of the engine pace. Both hybrid variations of the automobile get their very own instrumentation kinds, which work acceptably nicely, although they lack some helpful info.