[DicKy]

Originally Posted by Omkar

This is Citroen's new e-Toggle gear selector. I'd prefer the classy-looking gear lever in the outgoing car (reference image). This one is quite tiny and takes some time to get used to. You have to press the 'P' and 'M' buttons to engage the 'Park' and 'Manual' modes respectively:

Looks like I checked out the facelifted C5 on September 10th without even knowing it was the facelifted one.

Casually ambled into the Chennai Citroen showroom to check out the C3, and after the TD checked out the C5 in the showroom out of curiosity. The toggle switch for the transmission caught my attention, though it felt kinda average IMHO. Didn't feel substantial.

If it was not for this detail, I would have thought I had checked the older version that day.

[venkyhere]

What's the point of this facelift ? An excuse to raise the price even more ? Plus, I felt the old one looked better.

Seriously,
This car is meant for a family of 4/5 where everyone is thin. Might work in France, but it almost never will, in India, where atleast one of them will be 'big'.
Non-fore-aft-moving middle row (I'm sure there is an engg reason behind that) in this sort of car, is a disaster.

I can understand the idea of 'halo' car for the brand in a new market etc, etc. But the pricing is beyond 'halo car'. It's beyond stratosphere, it's in the ridiculo-sphere.

[GTO]

I echo the statements made by BHPians, especially those who have driven the C5 Aircross. It is a fantastic car, one that has left a lasting impression on me. The depth of engineering is just superb. But alas, Citroen didn't price it to sell it. Quite the contrary, in fact. The stiff pricing & lack of data on its long-term reliability are the only two factors which would hold me back from owning this marvelous car.

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

^ C5 Aircross in Citroen's mind is a competitor for a BMW X1. So they are offering you a cheaper , more comfortable and very French vehicle which suits Indian roads.

Citroen is also wondering why we aren't buying more of them given this stellar deal.

I got your joke, but on a very serious note, I consider the C5 Aircross to be a superior product to the BMW X1, last-gen Mercedes GLA (haven't driven the new one) and old Audi Q3 (haven't driven the latest 2022 version).

[Axe77]

I’m completely baffled at the Stellantis strategy here. A car that was virtually dead on arrival at launch, mostly due to pricing, has been made dearer by ~4L rupees for a cosmetic facelift, which adds little of consequence.

The shot in the arm this needed was launching the facelift and holding the price. With the recent Tucson launch (at a higher than expected price) and pricey Compass’, Meridians and Kodiaqs, that “held” price would have allowed the C5 a fighting chance to acquire some toe hold into market share. This is like administering euthanasia to a product that needed a ventilator.

Stellantis’ only other reference point on reliability for brand Citroen is Jeep - and the latter has done no favours to the broader group on this front with its track record so far. So there remains that question mark as well for potential buyers.

As competitive as the C5 may be vis a vis the X1 / GLA, those who want the big brands will still go for the latter, while the real tough questions that will be asked of Citroen are from the likes of the Kodiaq, Tiguan, Compass and even Hyundai. At this price, I don’t see any convincing answer forthcoming from the French wonder.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by GTO

I got your joke, but on a very serious note, I consider the C5 Aircross to be a superior product to the BMW X1, last-gen Mercedes GLA (haven't driven the new one) and old Audi Q3 (haven't driven the latest 2022 version).

This was my query to the forum when this vehicle was launched because dimensions and interior appointment wise it was not a competitor to Compass, naturally it wont make sense to sell it at compass price either.

The mistake of course was that Citroen sat idle while major media houses compared it against the already established yet smaller compass diminishing the vehicle`s premium positioning.

Now with ~5L increase in price Aircross appears to have high ambitions however the brand itself has released its own 'Kwid' on the other end. Good luck to early adopters is all I can say.

[Herschey]

Anyone planning to spend 45 lacs on this one should also look at the BMW X1 which is also going to cost in a similar price range post discounts being thrown in.

[McLaren Rulez]

Did Citroen mention the possibility of the Feel variant?

[RhythmOfLife]

I am completely baffled by a chat which I had with C5 sales advisor

“I'd love to quote a few lines from Harvard Business Review.”

Empathy, the important central ability to feel as the other fellow does in order to be able to sell him a product or service, must be possessed in large measure. Having empathy does not necessarily mean being sympathetic. One can know what the other fellow feels without agreeing with that feeling. But a salesman simply cannot sell well without the invaluable and irreplaceable ability to get a powerful feedback from the client through empathy.

A parallel might be drawn in this connection between the old antiaircraft weapons and the new heat-attracted missiles. With the old type of ballistic weapon, the gunner would take aim at an airplane, correcting as best he could for windage and driftage, and then fire. If the shell missed by just a few inches because of a slight error in calculation or because the plane took evasive action, the miss might just as well have been by hundreds of yards for all the good it did.
This is the salesman with poor empathy.
He aims at the target as best he can and proceeds along his sales track; but if his target—the customer—fails to perform as predicted, the sale is missed.

On the other hand, the new missiles, if they are anywhere near the target, become attracted to the heat of the target’s engine, and regardless of its evasive action, they finally home in and hit their mark.
This is the salesman with good empathy.
He senses the reactions of the customer and is able to adjust to these reactions. He is not simply bound by a prepared sales track, but he functions in terms of the real interaction between himself and the customer. Sensing what the customer is feeling, he is able to change pace, double back on his track, and make whatever creative modifications might be necessary to home in on the target and close the sale.

[abhoumick]

@RhythmOfLife I empathise with you, I have had a different kind of experience with the Citroen India team(s). Let me put that down for the benefit of everyone in the forum.

I'm currently a Jeep Compass Limited, 4x2, MT owner, very happy with the car, extremely unhappy with the impending termination of registration in another 4 years. I love to drive & like a responsive zippy car that behaves 'tightly', know what I mean

I started evaluating a replacement for the Compass so I took TD of the next best thing(s). Whereas the Beamers, Audis, Volvos & Mercs are a pleasure to drive, have immense badge value, I feel that said companies fleece the customers too much post-sales, during maintenance.

So it boiled down to me to either trade in the old Compass for the new one or maybe Citroen C5, which, reviews suggest, probably has a better suspension with a trifle more sedate driving experience. But 'The proof of the pie is in the eating' so I expressed interest for a TD on the Citroen website.

It's been a month since my expression of Interest, since then I have received a number of phone calls from a number of ladies claiming from Citroen India, a few from the local dealership promising me a TD, but unfortunately that has not happened.

Then, I reached out to Citroen through Twitter, FB & WhatsApp, hoping that someone somewhere will sit up & take notice & probably act on it.
So 8th Nov evening a lady from Citroen called me & apologised, promised that my situation has been 'escalated' to the 'relevant team' & that I'm definitely going to receive the TD in the next couple of days.
Later in the evening of the 8th the local dealership guy called me & promised that next morning he's going to call me from office & schedule a TD at the earliest which would be max in the next couple of days. I sincerely believed this time things are moving

Unfortunately that next morning call is yet to come & today is the 12th of Nov '22!

[RhythmOfLife]

Originally Posted by abhoumick

Then, I reached out to Citroen through Twitter, FB & WhatsApp, hoping that someone somewhere will sit up & take notice & probably act on it.
So 8th Nov evening a lady from Citroen called me & apologised, promised that my situation has been 'escalated' to the 'relevant team' & that I'm definitely going to receive the TD in the next couple of days.
Later in the evening of the 8th the local dealership guy called me & promised that next morning he's going to call me from office & schedule a TD at the earliest which would be max in the next couple of days. I sincerely believed this time things are moving

Unfortunately that next morning call is yet to come & today is the 12th of Nov '22!

Now you have reached the level where the interactions will start with the SA. And during this process you may also feel that “This is the attitude that makes all the difference”
And now the news !!! “Citroen C5 Aircross sold 15 in October 2022 which has resulted in 53.13 percent MoM decline.”

[barefeetdriver]

Saw a C-5 Aircross for the first time in the wild yesterday in Chennai. Has a diminutive stance but in a good way. Initially thought it was an Xuv 300 but as I got closer realized it was the elusive Aircross. Not a bad looking car.

[Bicycle7385]

Is there a significant difference in lights in the facelift version. Reason for question is , in users review, I see complaints about quality of lights , which is essential for night driving in India.I am not very comfortable during night , specially if lights are of poor quality. Somehow, I can not think of any other car other than C5, due to appreciation I see for it’s engineering aspects.

[acsandeep]

Originally Posted by Bicycle7385

Somehow, I can not think of any other car other than C5, due to appreciation I see for it’s engineering aspects.

I am in a similar situation as you. Want to upgrade from my 2016 Linea. Took a TD of Tiguan but found it to be a fast but boring car, lacks road manners. Reached out to Citroen and they said there is no stock available with them, there is a demo car available for sale though. Fiat has spoiled me and no car in my budget looks half decent or capable. What other cars are you looking at?