I’ve got to say that for those who want to compare it to BMW and Mercedes, those German cars are not even in the race. Technologically. Citroen has done with this car what they did with the DS series – the C5 is 30 years ahead of anything else on the road. The innovations, the equipment level and the clever touches leave those German cars in the dust. And it looks better too.

The only thing I don’t like about Citroens is their depreciation and that is because the average schmuck out there doesn’t know how good these cars are. So usually being a new car buyer, this time I will not buy a new C5 and watch $25,000 go down the toilet as I drive out the showroom door, but I will wait a year or two and buy one for about $35,000 that has low miles and I will wallow in the luxury and technical innovation that only Citroen can produce. Just those beautiful seats with so many adjustments are worth the trouble.

You’d have to spend $250,000 on a Mercedes S500 or BMW &40 to come close to what the Citroen C5 Exclusive has on board.

It’s a car and wear does happen. You are making a mass generalization about these wonderful cars. Electronics these days are normally a problem, yes, but on ANY car.
Citroen engines are great and it all comes back to how it’s treated.

You tell me a car that doesn’t have it’s problems. It’s also down to how you treat it! Treat it like crap and don’t look after it and you get what you deserve.

I come from a Citroen Dealership and I can tell you that the things that I saw were nothing but normal compared to other cars.

The new C5 is a fantastic car from the pictures and the finish will be just as great.

All new C5’s in Australia will have Hydractive 3 Plus as standard and it will come in three trim levels with a variety of engines; primarily Diesels.
The C5 has had much work in noise suppression in the cabin.

Get a life gentlemen instead of putting something down that you have no idea about.

Last year my wife was allocated a new Camry for her work. I came home and barely gave it a second glance as it sat in the garage…. it has to be the most uninspiring vehicle for a car enthusiast. :D

Oh yes, it’s Head Gasket Time!

Shoulda bought a Tarago maaaate. I’m tellin ya…

You got the HDI heres a heads up for you;

1. Clutch, release bearings will start to fail around 50k, then the actuators at a 100k goodbye clutch assembly and a couple of k in repairs.

2. Avoid wet roads as water can get into the gearbox which will cause it to seize. You got the auto, right?

3. fuel leaks from rail to injector unions.

4. Door seals will split.

5. Trim will fall off.

6. Electric windows, radio, central locking, door mirrors, electrical probs…

7. 13 recalls on the last one, good luck to you, 6 months is early days btw, start to worry about 18 months from now, o yer, when the warranty is gone, you are on ya own :(

The particular vehicle that I bought included the Premium Pack 1 and the oversize sunroof. Luckily the sunroof doesn’t open, but is more like a large window with a motorised blind, so the potential water leak factor is diminished.

Just quickly, here is a summary of my thoughts and reasoning for buying this vehicle for anyone who might be interested.

Positives:

* Good looking car for a MPV, and you don’t have to live with the stigma of driving a 4WDtank/SUV to get the required space
* Great boot space when seats 6 & 7 are not being used.
* Flexibility of seating configuration is second to none in this class. Seats all fold flat… well the 2nd row are very close to flat, but not quite.
* The leather seats in the optional Premium Pack are very comfortable and supportive. Note that the standard velour front seats are actually a different seat altogether, and not very supportive.
* The 2.0 HDi engine is a bit slow off the mark, but when you’re past 1500rpm, it’s torque heaven
* Fuel Economy to date has been ok, but not as good as expected (about 8 L/100km).
* Safety credentials are excellent, suffice to say that I hope I never have to find out for myself.
* Build quality and panel fit are very good.
* The Quad-Zone Climate control aircon is very effective, and the individual controls are a nice feature.
* The seatbelt warning indicators actually tell you which seat doesn’t have their seatbelt clicked in, rather than just a general warning.
* The standard 17″ wheels and tyres (on the HDi) are very attractive and improve the handling, compared to the 16″ wheels on the petrol model.
* I’m still not sure about the electric park brake, but it least it saves space. It automatically engages when you turn off the engine, and disengages when you hit the accelerator to take off.
* Plenty of storage compartments
* The visiospace windscreen is magnificent if you’re tall like me, offering the novel ability to see traffic lights!
* Suspension is a little on the soft side, but then it is a Citroen!
* Has both cruise control and a speed limiter
* The stereo system outputs sound of an acceptable quality.

Negatives:

* No EGS gearbox, just a regular 6 speed auto. This also adds an extra 1.3L/100km to the fuel economy that the Brits get with their EGS box.
* The standard velour seats are not supportive, and both Mrs Foggy & myself found them uncomfortable after about an hour’s driving… hence why we went for the optional Premium Pack.
* I’m not a fan of the rather feminine gear shift lever on the steering column.
* The rear aircon vents are for cooling only, you must close them and use only the front vents if you’re trying to heat the car.
* The main aircon controls are not accessible to the front seat passenger. I find this a little frustrating as I’m used to my wife helping out in changing the settings to demist the windscreen when it’s raining.
* Mudflaps are an accessory, they should be standard!
* The turning circle could be better (11.85m), which makes it a little difficult to manoeuvre into a parking spot in Chatswood Chase. After driving a Honda Jazz (9.4m) for the last few years, you become spoiled in this regard!
* Bluetooth & iPod integration are expensive (and time delaying) factory options. They are both relatively low cost, and should be standard in a car of this nature today. I had the dealer install some aftermarket connectors for me.
* 4 to 6 month wait if you want to order one from the factory with all your preferred options.
* The rear tailgate opens a little too high. You need to be careful in low car parks or garages
* Poor bootspace when seats 6 & 7 are in use
* It’s a little bit expensive against it’s competitors.

We also looked at the following cars before selecting the C4 Pikachu:

1. Mitsubishi Outlander VRX V6 – Sporty handling and performance, great equipment list, good looking, cheap plasticky interior, gas guzzler, not as much cargo space.
2. C5 HDi Wagon – Does everything well, but just didn’t have the same x-factor as the Pikachu.
3. Mitsubishi Grandis – The cargo area was very useable, not really flat. Handles and drives very well, looks good, interior a bit bland, but just didn’t have the x-factor.
4. Honda Odyssey – Looks like a stretch limo (not my style), good value and plenty of kit, poor location of child restraints, not enough ground clearance for our driveway.
5. Subaru Liberty/Outback wagons – No good for tall drivers or passengers. Minimal cargo space…. too common, no flair, just another North Shore mum’s chariot.
6. Mazda 6 Wagon – Great value for money, but doesn’t offer much more cargo space than the hatchback.
7. Mazda CX-7 – Again good value, but lacks cargo space, and has poor visibility thanks to the large C pillars.
8. Mazda MPV (2nd hand) – Very flexible and practical, but also very thirsty and rather barren when it comes to safety features. Also a bit bland.
9. Ford Territory – No thanks

to all Citoen/Picasso owners, feel free to chip in some advise… ;)

The Euro opinion is the C5 looks great, All French cars sell well here in the UK.

We had a Laguna Initial (Top Spec) last model, it was the worst cars i’ve driven in years. Renault couldn’t fix it, bits fell of it…complete rubbish.

But I would consider the next C5 as its different and well stylish..but need to be better built than citroens of old.