Used 2012 Citroen C5 Saloon Sedan Review & Ratings

All through their long history, Citroen have earned themselves a strong reputation for being innovators in design and production turning out some fantastic cars, with two of them that really stand out being the utilitarian but highly functional 2CV and the breathtakingly beautiful DS series. When the first DS saloon was launched in 1955, auto reviewers positively drooled, stating that the car was at least ten years ahead of its time, while the effects of the DS design revolution can still be felt in the Citroen cars of today.

The latest in their series of luxury family saloons is the C5, first introduced in 2001 to replace their less than successful Xantra. The Citroen C5 could be described as a direct descendant of the DS1. The Series Two C5, a four door, five seater, was launched in 2007 and remains in roughly the same format till today, with its rounded sloping front offset by oversized LED highlights and elegantly tailored chrome grille. Overall the Series Two has much more of a saloon car look it than its predecessor.

The petrol run engines available for the Citroen C5 kick off with a 1.6 liter four cylinder generating 125 horsepower, followed by another 1.6 liter four cylinder with 140 horsepower to call on. After these two less powerful options, the next petrol engine that Citroen offers is the 1.8 liter four cylinder with 125 horsepower generating capabilities, followed by a two liter option that also has just 140 horses under the hood. Last of the petrol engines is a more powerful beast, a three liter, six cylinder beauty producing 211 horsepower and capable of hitting close to 140 miles per hour. All of the petrol engines come paired with a five speed manual transmission as standard, except for the six cylinder engine which earns a six speed automatic gearbox.

Diesel engines for the 2012 Citroen C5 start again from the very bottom of the power scale with a 1.6 liter generating just 109 horsepower, through to the 2.0 liter, 2.2 liter and 3.0 liter version which harnesses the power of 240 horses, capable of reaching a maximum speed of one hundred and fifty miles per hour. Again, dependant on the model, the diesel engines will come paired with either a five or six speed manual transmission with the exception of the 3.0 liter engine which earns the right to a six speed sequential and auto adaptive automatic gearbox.

To ensure as smooth a ride as possible, Citroen have equipped the top of the range C5 with their famous in- house developed "Hydractive," hydraulic suspension. This revolutionary new system has earned special mention for perfectly combining road-holding with supreme ride comfort. The lower level C5s are appointed with conventional steel spring suspension.

At 188.1 inches long by 72.9 inches wide, the Citroen C5 Sedan will seat three back seat passengers in comfort, with more than enough leg room. Carrying luggage will also not represent too much of a problem, as the C5 comes with around 25 cubic feet of space luggage space.