Citroen c5 diesel 2.0. Reviews of the owners of Citroen C5 (Citroen C5). The suspension won't let you down
In Europe, there is such a thing as “business class diesel”. It means a multi-cylinder (more than four cylinders) large-capacity engine, which is equipped with expensive and prestigious models. Recently, Citroen offered Russian customers a new modification of the C5, under the hood of which is a three-liter V6 diesel engine with twin turbocharging. This, by the way, is the most expensive and most powerful option in the Citroen C5 line.
BEHIND were more than 300 km. Most of them are very energetic driving around Moscow (clean asphalt and deserted streets during the New Year holidays made it possible to drive fast like in summer). Plus a small, about fifty miles, mileage on a suburban highway at speeds beyond which you can remain without a license. Do you know what bribed me the most in the “Citroen C5 3.0 HDi”? Average fuel consumption was only 9.2 l/100 km. But under the hood - three liters of working volume and an impressive herd of 240 "stallions". Looking at the car from the side, it's hard to guess. The French cultivate modesty, flaunting their wealth is considered bad manners, so there are no V6 nameplates on the car body, or even numbers indicating displacement. Two massive chrome exhaust pipes peeking out from under the rear bumper are the only external nuance that distinguishes the flagship version of the 3.0 HDi from other Citroen C5s.
We also recommend test drives of competing cars Hyundai I40
(4-door sedan)
Generation II Test Drives 6
(4-door sedan)
V6 incorporates the latest achievements of diesel engineering. In addition to twin turbocharging, the engine is equipped with an advanced third-generation “Common Rail” fuel system, in which the fuel is under ultra-high pressure (2.000 bar). Compared to diesels of previous years, the engine has a lower compression ratio - 16: 1, which reduces harmful emissions and makes the V6 less noisy. In general, it is possible to feel that it is a diesel engine that is hiding under the hood only in the first moments of the engine operation. In all other cases, it is silent and smooth, even if the tachometer needle approaches the red zone.
The Citroen C5 3.0 HDi is supplied to the Russian market only in the highest configuration “Exclusive”, which meets business class standards: “automatic”, navigator, full power accessories, up to the front seats with built-in massagers. By the way, one mistake in ergonomics is connected with the latter. The massager activation button is installed on a tiny panel built into the seat cushion. Sitting behind the wheel in winter clothes, willy-nilly, you often touch the button. Then, already on the move, cursing, you grope for it with your hand in order to stop the annoying “body movements” of the back of the chair.
In the standard mode of operation, the six-speed hydromechanical “automatic” is very comfortable, its switching is noticeable only by the vibrations of the tachometer needle. But as soon as you press the “Sport” button, the character of the car becomes more energetic: the speeds change faster and sharper, the control electronics “keeps” a low gear longer without switching to a higher one, so that the car maintains a reserve of dynamics. However, "Citroёn" in any case quickly gaining momentum, even at low speeds. After all, in terms of torque - a maximum of 450 Nm is already produced by the engine from 1,600 rpm - the three-liter V6 competes with the large-capacity petrol V8.
| Brief technical characteristics“CitroenC5 3.0HDi” |
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| dimensions | 478x186x145 cm |
| Wheelbase | |
| Curb weight | |
| Engine | V6, 2.993cc see, turbodiesel |
| Power | 240 HP at 3,800 rpm |
| Torque | |
Diesels of the PSA concern have long been considered one of the best on the market. In Western Europe, more than half of Peugeot and Citroen buyers choose just such modifications. In our country, diesel engines are completely unpopular, although the demand for them is gradually growing. In 2007, it amounted to 2.2% of Citroen's total sales in Russia, but this year, according to marketers' forecasts, it will reach 5.7%. And for the upgraded C5, this figure should be as much as 20%!
Such bold plans are explained by the fact that the manufacturer has expanded the offer of diesel engines: now there are three of them. As before, the largest demand (81% of the total) is expected for the base 2-liter 140-horsepower unit. The remainder will come from the flagship 240bhp 3.0-litre V6. and a new 2.2-liter twin supercharged engine that develops 204 horsepower. The last option became the object of my interest.
Outside, by the sound of a running engine, it is difficult to understand whether it is gasoline or diesel. Already good! By the way, the external updates of the C5 are almost invisible: LED running lights appeared in front, and the taillights are now covered with a dark haze. And it's all.
When I slam the door, it's like I'm in an expensive office.
Leather helps to maintain a respectable atmosphere (even the front panel is covered with it), suede, lining for corrugated titanium. And most importantly - even with the engine running, absolute silence reigns here! Changes inside zero whole, one tenth. Of the visible innovations - only the SOS button, which allows the driver to contact the Citroen dispatch service in an emergency. But in Russia this option will not be available - at least not now.
I will not call the interior design obsolete, but its equipment is already lagging behind the current level. For example, it is high time to make the central display touch-sensitive, otherwise the buttons on the center console are indecently many for 2011. There is also a rear-view camera, which has become commonplace on cheaper models.
But overclocking gave a lot of positive emotions. Engine thrust is brutal! Already from 1800 rpm, the massive carcass of the C5 is picked up by a hurricane of acceleration. The sensations are confirmed by official data: the car exchanges a hundred in just 8.3 seconds after the start. For a 2.2-liter car weighing well over one and a half tons, this is an excellent result.
The six-speed automatic that comes standard on this version works roughly, shifting smoothly and on time. There was no need to grieve about the lack of paddle shifters. Although the sport mode in the transmission turned out to be not at all superfluous - in a hurry, I used it. Then the gear change took place at higher speeds, allowing you to drive more dynamically. By the way, even after two hours of fairly active driving, the on-board computer reported an average fuel consumption of 7.7 l/100 km. Agree, the appetite for such a machine is modest.
But I would not argue that diesel C5s will cost less than gasoline ones to operate. They are noticeably more expensive when buying, the interservice mileage is reduced to 10,000 km. In addition, recently the price of diesel fuel has practically caught up with the cost of the A95. Against this background, the prospects for diesel "Citroen" in Russia do not seem rosy...
The car was sold with all-wheel drive and with five engines: petrol "fours" with a turbocharger of 2 liters (180 and 211 hp) and a 3.2-liter V6 with a capacity of 270 forces, as well as turbodiesels: a 2-liter 170- strong and 3.2-liter 239-horsepower V6. After restyling in 2012, diesel engines began to produce 177 and 245 hp, respectively, and a gasoline 2-liter “four” - 180 and 225 hp. Gasoline V6 decreased in volume to 3 liters, but its power increased to 272 forces.
SURPRISES OF OUR WINTER
The Q5 body is reliably protected from rust, but the paintwork let us down - on the first cars, the paint peeled off from the area under the license plate. It seems to be a trifle, but they change the part along with the radiator grill - the price from the dealer is 42,000 rubles. However, chrome often swelled on the “grill” after the first winter, and in any case it had to be changed. The rest of the chrome parts in our conditions also do not differ in resistance.There are also enough complaints about the interior equipment - the multimedia system is often buggy, the dashboard may partially or completely go out, ABS and ESP, rear door and power window servos fail. True, it should be noted that all these defects are not of a mass nature and, of course, they are not drawn to statistics.
MONITOR OIL LEVEL
But with motors, troubles happen with an enviable frequency. The most problematic are the 2-liter petrol “fours”, which account for approximately 80% of the total number of all Q5s on our market. These units eat oil with pleasure - up to 500 grams per 1000 km and even more. Moreover, servicemen quite officially allow its consumption to be up to 300 grams. However, even these "tolerances" could not stop the mass appeals of customers to technical centers, as a result of which the officials had to change engines under warranty. The situation changed only after restyling in 2012, when Audi engineers changed the design of oil scraper and compression rings, and also improved the pistons themselves. Oil consumption on these engines has noticeably decreased, although it was not possible to completely reduce it to “no” - gasoline “fours” continue to devour the “motorboat”, albeit not in the same volumes as before. Therefore, when buying a Q5 older than 2012, ask the seller if the motor has been overhauled or replaced by an authorized dealer. Otherwise, it is likely that you will have to repair the engine at your own expense, and this is about 100,000 rubles.By the way, after restyling, Q5 engines did not become absolutely reliable. On 2-liter ones, the timing chain stretches over time (8,500 rubles), engine mounts wear out ahead of time (from 5,000 to 12,000 rubles), oxygen sensors “burn” (7,200 rubles each) and ignition coils (3,500 rubles each) , the EGR valve fails. Yes, and oil consumption, as already mentioned, remained. Moreover, it is not so easy to control its level - there is no probe in the engine, the information is hardwired into the MMI. The sensor after each topping up of oil may fail, not showing its real level.
But gasoline V6s do not suffer from gluttony, and in terms of reliability it is preferable. At risk, they have ignition coils, an exhaust gas recirculation valve and oxygen sensors, which are demanding on fuel quality.
But turbodiesels have proven themselves from the best side. Only on long runs, closer to 180,000-200,000 km, can a high-pressure fuel pump (from 50,000 rubles) and a turbocharger (from 75,000 rubles) sweat. By this time, as a rule, they will require updating the injection nozzle (11,500-22,000 rubles each) and glow plugs (an average of 6,000 rubles each).
IRON GAMES
All motors were first combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-band robotic S-Tronic. If there were practically no problems with the "mechanics", then the robot made a lot of noise in the Q5 case history. This box could "kick" for a modest 20,000-30,000 km of run. We must pay tribute to official dealers - on warranty machines, the box was repaired for free, and after the end of the warranty, the dealer often took on a partial or full cost of replacing the mechatronics unit and the clutch assembly. Moreover, with all the consumables, the repair of the box cost the officials 250,000 rubles!Apparently, the Germans quickly got tired of such charity, and after restyling, the robot was replaced by an 8-speed hydromechanical “automatic” ZF. True, he only worked in tandem with gasoline engines - turbodiesels were still equipped with S-Tronic. By the way, the classic automatic transmission turned out to be quite reliable. At least, there have been no mass complaints about her yet. Also hassle-free and all-wheel drive transmission, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in a year. During this time, specialists from Ingolstadt have brought the Quattro design almost to perfection.
SUSPENSION WILL NOT LET UP
There are no frankly weak points in the suspension. However, spending on it is directly proportional to the driving style - the more aggressive the driver, the more often he will have to call for a service to repair the chassis. Against the background of other elements of the chassis, wheel bearings (from 9500 rubles) and ball bearings (6500 rubles each), as well as levers with silent blocks, are the fastest to surrender. In steering, the rail was often changed under warranty (from 52,000 rubles). But even more often it was necessary to update the steering shaft cross. Officials usually changed the shaft assembly for 11,000, and the “gray” pressed out the cross (about 1,000 rubles), updating it separately. Together with the work, no more than 3000 - 4000 rubles are obtained.
To get only positive emotions from the operation of a used Audi Q5, we recommend stopping at a diesel modification of a crossover with a manual transmission. But if you hate to wield a “mixer”, we recommend later, at least post-styling, versions of the car, when the engines became more reliable, and the classic “automatic” came to the place of the problematic “robot”.
Citroen C5 HDi. Price: from 1,044,000 rubles. On sale: since 2011
What is the secret of this phenomenon, we had to find out on the roads of Bordeaux during the test of new turbodiesel versions of the C5
test pilot
Maxim Fedorov, 33 years old, automotive journalist, driving experience 7 years, personal car - Ford Focus II
“Sorry, but there will be no cars with such engines in Russia,” I have repeatedly heard a similar phrase in the European test of the next diesel novelty. It is in Europe that more than half of the cars run on diesel fuel, while in our country a diesel car, if it is not a truck or an SUV, is perceived as exotic. But not in the case of the Citroen C5. Every fifth car of this model that leaves the gates of a Russian dealer runs on heavy fuel. None of the classmates can boast of such a result!
What is the reason for such success? And the fact is that even with a two-liter turbodiesel and an automatic, due to the high torque, a large French sedan rides surprisingly cheerfully. At the same time, fuel consumption in a ragged city mode under no circumstances exceeds 10 liters per hundred. Well, outside the city you can keep within 6 liters.
Tempting? Undoubtedly. That's just a significant overpayment for diesel "eats" all fuel savings. However, cars with such an engine still have one more advantage - high mileage at one gas station. So, when I saw on the display of the on-board computer of the test Citroen C5 an inscription that said that diesel fuel would be enough for us for almost 1,500 km, I could not believe my eyes. The petrol "Focus" has taught that half a tank is enough for it for about 300 km, so four-digit power reserve figures for me are something from the realm of fantasy.
But for owners of the Citroen C5, which is now equipped with two new diesel engines, 2.2 HDi (204 hp) and 3.0 V6 HDi (241), this is not fantasy, but reality. The first unit to feature twin turbochargers and 3rd generation Common Rail injection is even more economical than the less powerful 2.0-litre HDi. On the highway, a sedan with such an engine consumes less than 5 liters per 100 km, in the combined cycle - only a liter more. And we are not talking about some small car, but about a comfortable sedan with a curb weight of two tons!
204 forces of the new (more precisely, modernized) motor are enough everywhere and always. Vigorous accelerations, overtaking on the motorway - everything that could be done on the road, without going beyond the French legislation, driving the Citroen C5 went with a bang. And even a 6‑speed automatic practically did not annoy thoughtfulness.
When I moved to a car with a 241-horsepower 3.0 V6, then, I confess, I was disappointed. Yes, the car accelerates perfectly, but there is no tangible advantage over the 2.2-liter Quartet. And all because both turbodiesels produce the same torque - 450 Nm. And the fact that a more powerful unit reaches this indicator from 1600 min-1, and a less powerful unit from 2000 min-1 does not affect in real life. The three-liter unit is better only in acoustic terms: it is a little quieter and fills the cabin with a pleasant growl during acceleration. But is it worth it to overpay 350,000 rubles?
Driving
The turbodiesel spurs on a dynamic ride, but the steering and suspension actively resist this.
Salon
The quality of the finish is five plus, and the ergonomics are three plus.
Comfort
Air suspension is the main value of the Citroen C5. And the benefits of it are not on the road, but where the road ends.
Safety
Seven airbags and ESP in the "base", 5 stars Euro NCAP.
Price
Perhaps the main disadvantage of all diesel cars.
Advantages and disadvantages
New turbodiesels allow you to go faster and use less fuel. The air suspension turns the sedan into a crossover.
The high cost of a diesel engine is not beaten off at gas stations.
Technical specifications
Dimensions - 4779x1860x1458 mm
Engine - diesel, 2179 cm3, 204 hp / 3500 min-1, 450 Nm / 2000 min-1
Transmission - automatic, 6-speed
Dynamics - 230 km / h, 8.3 s to 100 km / h
Fuel consumption - 5.9 l / 100 km mixed. cycle
Competitors - Ford Mondeo, Opel Insignia, Peugeot 508
Our opinion
Diesel Citroen C5 is a godsend for those who value their time. If you do not get carried away with "long-range driving", you will have to stop by at the gas station no more than once a month, and even less often for small runs. However, in the latter case, it is much more profitable to take the gasoline version.
