Wheels Magazine 
April, 2001
It would have been easy to give the C5, the first model to use PSA's all-new Platform 3, conventional coils. Peugeot's Platform 3 models, the successors to the 406 and 607, will use steel springs. But after almost 50 years' experience, Citroën still believes in the inherent superiority of a fluid-sprung system. All the best Citroëns use it and it's at the heart of the C5's appeal.
Hydractive 3 is a further development of the electro-hydraulic suspension first seen in the XM and later the Xantia. More computing power and modern electronics mean it's moved on a treat, and truly has the ability to amaze. Hydractive 3 reads the road and has the ability to automatically adapt its settings, depending upon speed, driving style and surface. The driver gets to choose between normal and sport, although the system automatically switches to sport whenever the driving becomes vigorous.
Ride height is automatically adjusted, depending on speed. Up to 110km/h on a smooth road it assumes the normal position; go faster and the suspension lowers the car by 15mm at the front and 11mm at the rear, to reduce drag. On poor surfaces, up to 70km/h, the C5 lifts by 13mm. And if you want to take the car off-road (why?) you can get 40mm extra clearance.
Sounds complicated, but it works - and better than any previous Citroën. The rougher the road, the more superior the C5 is at soaking up bumps and the greater the difference between conventional springs and Hydractive 3. Attack a corner and, just when you expect the body to start rolling, it doesn't. You turn in, grip the wheel for support and, without thinking about it, expect to compensate for the car's roll.
Except it stays flat. The soft, loping ride remains, but body control becomes firm, somehow the hydraulic trickery working without impairing comfort.
As lateral forces build up, you just keep turning the wheel to counter the increasing understeer and the C5 goes around. The limiting factor is the lack of lateral support in the otherwise comfortable seats. Comfort is clearly the C5's first priority - it doesn't set out to deliver agile handling.
Where the Citroën wins is in the quality and refinement of its 2.2 HDi turbodiesel. Citroën has yet to decide if it should offer the diesel in Australia, but in my experience it's vastly superior to the new 2.0 HPi petrol. With a mighty 317Nm at just 2000rpm, the 2.2 HDi performs as well as the 152kW V6 in the gears and virtually matches the HPi in all-out acceleration while using less fuel.
PSA's alloy, stratified-charge HPi, seen here for the first time, isn't as impressive in terms of refinement or performance. But, because it's a staggering 160kg lighter than the 1485kg HDi, it understeers less. The petrol engine isn't as willing or responsive, and it's actually noisier.
It's easier to talk technicalities than styling with the C5. Citroën's new hatch was greeted with bemusement at the Paris show launch. It's not a pretty car, nor is it obviously a Citroën, apart from the anonymous grille that could come from any of the current model range.
But the C5 is a very sophisticated car, lacking for nothing in equipment. It has all the latest electronic devices including voice control for the navigation, telephone and sound system, and a brilliantly legible trip computer. One unique feature: lock the car from outside and the exterior mirrors fold in to prevent possible damage.
When the C5 goes on sale in June it's expected to run to low $40Ks for the conventional 2.0 and low $50Ks for the V6. With my money, I'd take the HDi every time.