Tuesday 24th March 2015

Citroen DS5: Guilty Pleasures

The cars we like that we know we shouldn't - Matt kicks us off with the Citroen DS5

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How would you define a PH car in a sentence? Tough one, isn't it? For me it's something that's driver focused, a car that places an emphasis on fun and enjoyment for the person behind the wheel. Amongst a deluge of automotive white goods the engineers have ensured driving this car will put a smile on your face. From Suzuki Swift Sport to McLaren P1, I think that's what piques the collective PH interest.

Not like anything else and that's why it's great!

Moreover, we as PHers are willing to compromise for a dynamic thrill. That exhaust that booms on the motorway but sings on a Sunday morning, the pads that squeal when cold but withstand lap after lap and the new dampers that hate that speed bump at work but excel on B-roads. We don't mind, because the good drives easily make up for it. I did 8,000 miles over seven months in a Caterham last year; the lows were horrendous but the highs were simply spectacular.

Anyway, the point in these blogs is to celebrate the cars we admire that would never, ever otherwise grace the pages of PH. Because we all love some things we shouldn't, right? There are no real criteria; indeed they could even be performance cars that flopped but we like anyway (the Rover 25 GTI, for example). They are simply cars we like for reasons other than usual PH hitlist. As always, it would be great to hear your thoughts on them, experiences and suggestions for similar cars we may not have considered.

Where to begin? The Citroen DS5. In at the deep end... Having never driven one it's impossible to be authoritative but the big DS is hardly renowned as a Citroen great. Too harsh to be relaxing in the big Citroen way but too vague to be sporting like a DS3, it's rather in no man's land as a dynamic prospect. And the reviews on the Hybrid4 powertrain, aimed at fleet buyers with its low CO2 emission, aren't exactly glowing. It must surely depreciate at a terrifying rate too.

When did you last see one?

And yet I find myself drawn to the DS5 again and again. Simply put, it's the Frenchness of it that appeals. It's defiantly individual and I love it for that. An MPV/estate/coupe really shouldn't work as a design prospect but the DS5 pulls it off. The French have done it before with the Renault Avantime, of course. Luxurious without being grotesque, funky but not weird, handsome yet without any aggression; I think it's marvellous.

The interior too is a treat, making for just the car for long distances while ensconced futuristic luxury. If it wasn't for the ride. And the apparently jerky changes in the hybrid.

No matter. Even as a more resolved overall package I suspect the DS5 would struggle. Unfortunately the French making overtly French cars aren't as popular as their German or Japanese counterparts. Shamefully I suspect more 3 Series GTs have been sold than DS5s.

What a way to travel

Hopefully the DS5 and the DS brand can prosper though. Individuality should be celebrated, because the world would be a jolly dull place without it. Unfortunately tedious competence is what sells cars rather than style and eccentricity.

So yes, I'm rather fond of the Citroen DS5. I'd have a plain diesel one actually, on big wheels because it will look best like that. Some of you may agree, some of you may not, but that's entirely the point. Dan will be along with his first four-wheeled confession in due course but in the meantime I feel like some PH credibility might need to be reasserted. Where's that Caterham gone?

Matt

[j90gta]

Totally agree. I think as a piece of automotive design it is quite superb. A big French car that I wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen in. I do hope that the depreciation is epic as there will be some bargains to be had. Sometimes they do manage to do large quirky cars like the Avantime and the C6 quite brilliantly, but they are also capable of utter dross such as the Vel Satis and the Peugeot 607.

[ChrisR99]

EI really like these, a bit different to the the boring German cars of similar class.

[Krikkit]

I'm a fan of these as well, I had a good poke about and a sit in one at Geneva last year and it felt magnificent, the quality of the interior was really nice too, easily as good as the generic german stuff about.

[HorneyMX5]

I worked with a guy in France a while back and he had one of these, I was dead impressed. Thee styling is really very good, the inside was almost Audi like in finish and it was very comfortable out on the road. Not pulse racer but as a big, comfortable car it was pretty much perfect.

[J B L]

My company car's a Pug 508SW and whilst it's definitely not the last word in terms of dynamics, they certainly have vastly improved on interior quality compared to the previous 408/C5.

30,000 miles and nothing to report including from the myriad of electronic systems incorporated in the car. I think PSA really are trying to shake their old image off.

Little trivia that I found out recently: Citroën's CEO is a British lady. http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/citroen/86923/citroen...

[Hammerhead]

I've actually got one as a courtesy car at the moment - a 2.0 TDI auto. Feels very solid for a Frenchie (door hinges are weak/have little resistance though). It won't win any awards for handling finesse (feels heavy/inert at times) but it does feel a comfortable thing to while away the miles. Auto box not the smoothest between shifts but it generally seems to work well with the engine. Feels quicker than the official stats claim. I quite like the styling inside and out. Would I buy one? Not new, that's for sure! £32k for a new loaded Dsport - £15k at 12 months old = eek! I'd also be circumspect of the long term reliability. Citroens aren't really up there in that respect as yet.

Brave looks, leftfield choice, non-conformist = pretty cool car.

[3059hp]

I seriously considered buying one of these a couple of years back, an ex demo diesel auto with lots of toys and a very competitive price. Absolutely loved everything about it, particularly the interior, but the ride was shocking. Even on a smooth motorway I was bounced around, and around town it was totally unacceptable.
Shame because I really wanted to like it, and my experience with other Citroens is that supposed unreliability is vastly overstated.

[Dannbodge]

I drove one as a Hire car a year or so ago.

Ridiculously comfy and very well specc'd but horrible to drive.

[Roo]

Got a Hybrid4 version at work at the moment. I think they're a great looking car.

[Gorbyrev]

Glad it exists, great road presence - shame about the ride - should be C6 smooth.

[StefanVXR8]

J B L said:

...............Little trivia that I found out recently: Citroën's CEO is a British lady. http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/citroen/86923/citroen...

Yes, and she's as ******* useless as all the other knuckle dragging piss poor excuses for human beings at Clitroën UK!

Stef

[kuro]

Test drove a 2 litre diesel last year with a view to buying a nearly new one as there was a significant saving on new prices. Very comfortable and well put together and drove nicely. The interior is fantastic and it looks interesting compared to other current cars.

Might revisit one of these when the novelty of running 2 cars wears off.

[kuro]

StefanVXR8 said:

Yes, and she's as ******* useless as all the other knuckle dragging piss poor excuses for human beings at Clitroën UK!

Stef

Must admit thats probably why I ended up not buying one. The salesman seemed totally uninterested in selling me a car for £18k.

[Chris Stott]

I've got a DS5 as a company car. I’ve had it since September 2012, and I've done 75k miles in it so far.

Mine is a mid spec DStyle, 2l diesel, manual 'box, with the leather (and leccy seats) upgrade.

I chose it as pretty much everything else on the list was a low/mid spec 3er, A4/5 or C Class, and wanted something different (ideally, I’d have had a Volvo V60, but the only version I could have got was a 115bhp D2 – which is just too slow). The interior is fantastic, and it’s got loads of kit (sat nav, panoramic roof, reversing camera, keyless entry, heated memory seats etc).

So far, it’s been 100% reliable (once Citroen sorted the entertainment system out, which was fubar on delivery), and it still feels 100% solid – no rattles/sqeaks, nothing has fallen off/broken.

For the most part, it’s OK to drive – it’s VERY stiffly suspended, and will bat along A roads at a very decent pace. And it’s good on the motorway (quiet and comfortable). But the ride is absolutely shocking on rough urban roads – it sometimes feels like it has no rear suspension at all. It would be a much, much nicer car with more compliant suspension.

Would I have another one? Probably not now. I still love the interior, and how it looks, but when I 1st got it the vast majority of my mileage was motorway. Now, after a role change, I’m primarily office based and I notice how rubbish the ride is a lot more.

[J B L]

kuro said:

StefanVXR8 said:

Yes, and she's as ******* useless as all the other knuckle dragging piss poor excuses for human beings at Clitroën UK!

Stef

Must admit thats probably why I ended up not buying one. The salesman seemed totally uninterested in selling me a car for £18k.

oh dear

Must admit, I went into a Citroen garage to look at cars before replacing my comp car with the Peugeot and the Citroen salesman couldn't have been more helpful. Knew his stuff and options, polite, offered test ride, took the time, courtesy call a couple of weeks later... much better than other 'upmarket' brands garages. I guess it depends of the shop and how it's managed.

So StefVXR8, have you had dealings with her?

[soad]

Dannbodge said:

I drove one as a Hire car a year or so ago.

Ridiculously comfy and very well specc'd but horrible to drive.

Tell us more. Not very involving?

[Chris Stott]

J B L said:

kuro said:

StefanVXR8 said:

Yes, and she's as ******* useless as all the other knuckle dragging piss poor excuses for human beings at Clitroën UK!

Stef

Must admit thats probably why I ended up not buying one. The salesman seemed totally uninterested in selling me a car for £18k.

oh dear

Must admit, I went into a Citroen garage to look at cars before replacing my comp car with the Peugeot and the Citroen salesman couldn't have been more helpful. Knew his stuff and options, polite, offered test ride, took the time, courtesy call a couple of weeks later... much better than other 'upmarket' brands garages. I guess it depends of the shop and how it's managed.

So StefVXR8, have you had dealings with her?

Both dealers I've used over the past 2.5 years have been excellent... as good as BMW/Audi/Ford I've had over the past 10 years, and a load better than the Alfa dealers I had to put up with when I ran a 156.

[DoctorX]

Sat in one at a motorshow - interior was fabulous. In fact, I think that's one of the nicest interiors of any car on sale at the moment. The roof console is very cool, the pop up HUD less so.

[Roo]

kuro said:

StefanVXR8 said:

Yes, and she's as ******* useless as all the other knuckle dragging piss poor excuses for human beings at Clitroën UK!

Stef

Must admit thats probably why I ended up not buying one. The salesman seemed totally uninterested in selling me a car for £18k.

I rang their customer services last week to find out which dealer in Kent can work on a C-Zero. I stopped her from just reading out a list of dealers and specifically asked, again, who could work on a C-Zero.

"You can try our specialist electric car dealer in Kidderminster called All Electric Garages"

[itcaptainslow]

The DS5 is the car I always used to associated with the arrival of the posh bod suits at work, usually to give us a grilling. So it's not my favourite in the range...!