Citroën’s Most Powerful Car Ever Is This New Hybrid

The C5 Aircross sports 300 horsepower and dual electric motors.
www.thedrive.com

Share

Citroën isn’t known for making fast cars. They focus mainly on compacts and CUVs with the occasional hot(ish) hatch like the DS3, emphasizing on volume rather than performance. And that’s okay; they’ve had skin in the game for ages, and they’ve earned the right to do what they please. But now, they’ve introduced … well, yet another small crossover, actually. This time, though, it carries a special title: “Most Powerful Production Citroën Ever”. The C5 Aircross is a ute that doesn’t stray far from the company’s typical formula—except for its hybrid drivetrain, which produces 300 combined horsepower.

The clever new model takes advantage of the formula with a 200-horsepower gasoline engine and two electric motors—one each at the front and rear. That means it’s all-wheel-drive, and also that it could be surprisingly sporty.

Not only is it relatively powerful, it can travel 37 miles on electric power alone. It’s obvious that Citroën wanted to appeal to the eco-conscious crowd, so that figure certainly helps. 

Along with the new powertrain setup, the C5 Aircross features all of the quirk you’d expect from Citroën. The exterior is fitted with strange air cushions that may or may not serve a real purpose, and the interior is boxy and angular. Another feature that’s Citroën-specific is the hydraulic-suspension, though it’s not completely as it seems. It uses a traditional shock and strut design with hydraulic bump stops that expand or contracts over big bumps. If you’re looking for strange and interesting, this may be the car for you.

Like every other Citroën model, the C5 Aircross won’t make its way to the United States. It will first debut in China during fall of 2017, and the European market will get it towards the end of 2018. Regardless of availability, it shows the significance of hybrid technology and how it’ll play into consumer cars in the future.