Review of the new Citroen C5 3.0 HDI

Six-cylinder engines aren't the force they once were in the medium range family car market. As the attention of buyers in this sector has been focused more intently on running costs, a smooth, powerful 2.5 or 3.0 powerplant has become a harder thing to justify. On the petrol side, manufacturers have also found that they can achieve similar results much more cheaply with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Larger diesels have more to be said for them but they do tend to increase prices to a point where an entry-level compact executive car becomes an attractive alternative. Against this challenging background, Citroen has kept faith with the big six by developing a 3.0-litre HDi V6 diesel for its C5.

Citroen cars with executive pretensions sell well in France but UK customers have a tendency to look to the German brands when they're spending close to £30,000 on a family saloon or estate. It's this trend that the C5 3.0 HDi models will need to battle. You certainly couldn't get a BMW 3-Series or Audi A4 with a six-cylinder diesel engine for the money Citroen is asking for its alternative but you could get quite a nice four-cylinder diesel from one of these premium marques and it's these cars that this flagship C5 will need to outclass as well as the powerful oil-burning models from its own, less salubrious sector of the market. It's not an easy task but Citroen's engineers will be confident they've given it a fighting chance.

Citroen has consistently impressed with its diesel engines down the years. Its HDi badge has come to stand for clever technology, sound engineering and a thrifty approach to fuel consumption. It hasn't always spelt dramatic performance but with a full 240bhp available, the 3.0 HDi engine could change that. The engine uses third generation common-rail fuel injection technology that is said to enhance refinement and efficiency as well as serving up a satisfying hit of torque.

"The 3.0 V6 HDi engine in the C5 is an attractive option in isolation"

The C5 This still isn't the sharpest steer in its sector - think Peugeot 407 rather than Ford Mondeo - but it's now there or thereabouts. It's also far better suited to the kind of driving that most of the time, these kinds of cars actually do, thanks, rather unusually, to a selection of suspension set-ups - an important choice for buyers to make.

The first option is a conventional arrangement that uses double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link system at the rear - but that won't deliver you the proper Citroen driving experience. Much better to go for the Hydractive 3 Plus self levelling suspension that adapts to the road surface in order to deliver a magic carpet ride. This system lets the driver to select from three modes that offer progressively firmer suspension settings for a sportier driving experience or a more comfortable one, as required.

Styling was not a strong suit of the original C5 but today's car appears to have banished the frumpiness that scuppered its predecessor. The huge headlamps joined by the double chevron grille produce a distinctive front end and the highlight at the rear is the concave glass area as seen on the C6. The deep swage lines that run down the flanks just below the line of the door handles are very BMW, while the sculpted wheelarches help produce a dynamic stance. If anything, the estate version is an even better looking car than the saloon with its sloping roofline and rear light clusters that curve right round the corners of the vehicle.

The interior sets out to mirror the high quality feel of the C6 and although the centre console looks a little overloaded with buttons, the clean lines of the fascia and the chrome detailing create an upmarket effect. Citroen is well known for including high levels of gadgetry in its vehicles and a further cluster of controls on the fixed-hub steering wheel will help the driver access the more important features without diverting attention from the road. Space for rear seat passengers is helped by the flat floor. Go for the Tourer estate and the 439 litres of bootspace offered by the saloon rises to 505 litres with all the seats in place and nearly 1500 litres with the seats flat folded. When placing heavy items into the car, a button located on the rear lowers or raises the car's suspension, bringing the boot floor to a more convenient height. Simply closing the tailgate automatically returns the rear suspension to the correct level.

Four-door saloon and Sports Tourer estate versions of the C5 are available and all the 3.0-litre HDi V6 models get an automatic gearbox. All C5 variants are extremely well specified. Cruise control and a speed limiter, air-conditioning, external roof bars, an acoustic windscreen and an adaptive front-lighting system (AFS) are all fitted as standard, whilst most versions are equipped with an automatic electric parking-brake and hill-start assist. For ease of parking and pedestrian safety, the C5 is also available with front and rear parking sensors, as well as a parking gap assistance system.

The 3.0 HDI version doesn't have too many direct rivals in the medium range class as leading contenders like Ford's Mondeo, Renault's Laguna, Vauxhall's Insignia and Toyota's Avensis don't have a diesel engine that can approach the power output of the flagship C5. This pushes the C5 3.0 V6 up onto a different pricing plain and cars like BMW's 320d or the Mercedes C200 CDI are going to be tough competition for Citroen's finest. Equipment levels, interior space, outright power and possible dealer discounts will be its main points of leverage against these premium brand rivals.

The company car users who have a say in such a large proportion of medium range sector sales will be enticed by the prospect of a C5 with a 240bhp V6 diesel engine but their interest will quickly evaporate if running costs aren't up to snuff. Fortunately, economy looks relatively strong with 38mpg achievable on the combined cycle and emissions of 195g/km help ease the tax burden. It won't have escaped any fleet manager's attention that such returns will make the 3.0 HDi C5 a lot more expensive to run than a 2.2 HDi one (43mpg and 172g/km) so a lot will depend on how much people are willing to pay for the extra urge of a V6 diesel and the convenience of its automatic gearbox.

Citroen is persevering with V6 power in a market where it isn't as integral a part of the mix as it once was. The 3.0 V6 HDi engine in the C5 is an attractive option in isolation but there are some desirable compact executive cars available for similar money and owners will pay at the pumps for their 240bhp of fun. Putting this C5's tough market positioning to one side, Citroen's effort is an impressively comfortable, spacious and well-specified medium range car. It's good-looking too, particularly in Sport Tourer form. Just the sort of product that would benefit from a barnstorming V6 diesel engine, or so you'd think.

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