Subscribe to our email newsletter »
Diesel hybrid Citroen: great looks and tres tax-efficient
Story: Sam Hardy | Posted 27 June 2012 | In Car Reviews, Car Tests, Cars, Citroen, Featured Posts
New Citroen DS5 uses diesel hybrid technology – and escapes 3% diesel company car tax surcharge
Citroen DS5 2.0 HDi 16V Hybrid4 200hp DSport Airdream EGS6
Car review: Sam Hardy
What is it?
A new flagship Citroen – the car that sits above the DS3 and DS4 in the reborn DS lineup. Striking crossover is designed to tempt Audi, BMW and Mercedes drivers out of models like the A4, 3 Series and C-Class with a wide range of petrol and diesels and a price tag that starts at around £23,000.
The Citroen DS5 Hybrid4 tested here in top-spec diesel hybrid trim with a 163bhp engine at the front and 37bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels. High-tech – and with a £32,000 price to match.
- How low is the Citroen’s company car tax? Find out here
What’s hot?
- The way it looks. It’s basically the DS Sportlounge concept car from a few years ago put into production
- Inside it’s aeroplane-inspired with an overhead centre console, head-up display and impressive wraparound dash with a bank of switches
- The diesel hybrid can return up to 74mpg and emits just 99g/km…
- …yet with 200bhp it’s fast and responsive too
- In town it runs almost silenty on electric power alone
- This Hybrid4 DSport is very well equipped with Bluetooth music streaming, road sign recognition, lane departure warning and a multimedia satnav
- Major company car benefits as there’s no 3% diesel surcharge on a hybrid
- Sub-110 g/km emissions means it qualifies for 100% first year allowance (FYA)
Choose your mode, from ZEV (zero emissions) to auto and let the car decide
What’s not?
- The ride is firm and fidgety; potholes send thumps through the cabin
- The six-speed auto is jerky when accelerating hard
- The steering has strange weighting; it’s light then heavy and needs constant correction on the motorway
- As the DS5 is based on the smaller C4 platform, it’s a bit of a squeeze for tall rear passengers. The rear hybrid electric motor takes up boot space too
- Only cars with 17-inch wheels are road tax free: 18/19 inch wheels score 107g/km
- Even in 4×4 mode the front wheels can slip and spin
Pages: 1 2
Share
£7.5 million invested in Ford BlueService after-sales experience
New entry level Ssangyong Korando boosts appeal
Will the new Mercedes S-Class be the best car in the world?
Hybrids must clean up their act on mpg claims
Driver assessment and training needn’t break the bank
Compliance with the law on driving at work – a five point plan