Click to read the full Citroen C5 X review
It’s been a few years, but Citroen has finally returned to its roots and built a big, comfortable barge. The C5 X is an excellent family car with a range of economical engines, a cosseting ride, comfortable seats and a practical interior that’s large enough to easily accommodate your average family.
We can’t stress enough just how comfortable the C5 X is. It features clever progressive bump stops and deeply padded seats to lower both the car and you into bumps gently. Sure, it isn’t that sharp to drive, but that’s not the point – there are cars which cost five times as much that struggle to achieve the same level of refinement. It’s reasonably priced, too.
We also like that Citroen has done something different with the large family car class. The C5 X’s styling is unlike anything else on sale today, occupying the unusual space between a traditional estate and an SUV. That makes it an interesting and individualistic choice among the sea of SUVs.
Based on a 43year old Male the Skoda Fabia would cost £523.24 to insure
*Insurance quotes are from mustard.co.uk in September 2022 and are based on a 43-year-old, employed married male living in Stowmarket with 9 years NCD and no claims or convictions. Insurance quotes will vary depending on individual circumstances.
RUNNERS UP
Click to read the full Lexus NX review
The Lexus NX is an excellent car. It’s very well made, relaxing to drive and comfortable – and because it’s a Lexus, you can rest assured that it’ll keep running reliably long after Hell has frozen over. We also like the car’s enormous and futuristic 14-inch infotainment system, which is much easier to use now the company has ditched its old joystick controller.
Its plug-in hybrid system works a treat, too. It has 309hp, which makes the NX feel sprightly. Lexus also says that it can cover 42 miles on electric power alone, which is up there with the best in class. Also, unlike some PHEV family cars, your eardrums don’t get battered by road noise once the NX’s petrol engine disengages. The cabin stays quiet in both hybrid and pure electric motor.
Click to read the full BMW X5 review
Since it was launched, the BMW X5 has gone from strength to strength – and the company addition of a plug-in hybrid model (with its 60-mile electric only range) to the line-up in 2020 only increased its appeal. We say that it’s one of the most complete large SUVs on the market. The only reason it lost out to the Citroen is that it hasn’t really moved the game on. It’s good, but it’s conventional.
Look past its humdrum nature, though, and you’ll find a sharp-driving, well-equipped and comfortable family SUV. Providing you don’t opt for the largest wheels, that is. Its interior also feels far more special than its main German rival, the Mercedes GLE, with plush leather seats, high-quality materials and pin-sharp dual-screen infotainment system.
