Citroen have, through their long history, earned a deserved reputation for being innovators – though it’s true you can also pinpoint more conservative times, particularly towards the end of the last century – and their current crop of automobiles certainly bear all the hallmarks of a firm full of confidence.

The C5 Aircross is a prime example of the French firm’s confidence and flair. It’s almost impossible to find a panel that isn’t curved, or creased, and consequently big SUV manages to avoid the slab-sided aesthetic of most of its rivals. It’s looks may well be divisive initially but, given time, I defy anyone not to become a little enamoured with its bold, brave and deliberately quirky styling.

Gallery1

What Citroen have managed to do is create an SUV that largely eschews the bluff styling normally associated with cars in this class while still building a car that looks, at least, as if it can still handle the rough stuff. The high bonnet, short overhangs and strong, flowing lines give it a robust, muscular appearance while it is adorned with plastic cladding and the latest interpretation of the firm’s Airbumps.

That theme continues inside, with lots of rectangles and a glove box that vaguely resembles a satchel. The seats look flat, but they are surprisingly comfortable. Settle down and you’ll find yourself relaxing into a soft layer of foam but you don’t need to worry about sinking up to your hips because there’s firmer materials just below to stop you long before you do.

The rear seats slide for and aft individually, freeing up legroom when needed, or boot space when it isn’t. You have 580 litres minimum and that rises to 720 with the seats is their most forward position. Fold them flat and that rises further still to 1,630 litres. There’s a hidden compartment beneath the boot floor so you can squirrel away your valuables.

Multimedia services are served up via a **in touchscreen mounted high in the centre of the dashboard. Phone mirroring is standard across the range but it isn’t particularly well integrated. Citroen have also opted to not include physical controls for the air con – with the exception of a demist button – which means flipping through the menu to adjust cabin temperature, something that’s never an easy task when you’re on the go.

The driver’s instruments are all virtual too, and you can flick through various displays that focus on the trip computer, navigation instructions or driving assist information.

Citroen’s built-in dashcam is also available, recording automatically when there’s a major braking even and sending it to your mobile phone.

Outside and in, the C5 Aircross isn’t subtle about what it’s primary concern is, namely transporting you, and your passengers, to wherever you’re going as comfortably as it possibly can. And it really can.

It sits on some clever suspension that uses extra hydraulic reservoirs that bleed through progressively smaller holes as the damper reached the end of its travel and means that the Aircross can rely on very soft springs in the centre of travel to keep things nice and relaxed on normal surfaces but retain control when it starts to get really rough.

The majority of the time the Aircross will waft you along effortlessly. Sharp-edged potholes can send a bit of a clang through the body accompanied by a bit of steering column quiver.

The steering is, perhaps unsurprisingly, light and that that doesn’t bode well if you’re route takes you down more challenging roads but the Aircross manages to acquit itself reasonably well, provided you adopt a smooth, flowing style. It will roll in corners but not as much as you might expect.

There’s an eight-speed automatic gearbox fitted as standard and it can be a little indecisive when more pertinent questions are posed but, drive accordingly, and it flits between ratios smoothly.

It’s quiet as well, even under hard acceleration – which produces a surprisingly keen response with the sprint to 62mph taking just 10.4sec – the noise from the diesel engine is very well suppressed. Even at speed the cabin remains an oasis of calm and tranquillity thanks to excellent sound-proofing.

If you’re a keen driver and you’re still reading this, I have to ask why? This car is not for you and nor does it want to be. Dynamically there are plenty of more competent machines in this class but, that’s okay, because the C5 Aircross is totally comfortable in its own skin. It was built to carry a family in quiet comfort and with the minimum of fuss and fanfare, and it achieves its ambitions with considerable aplomb.

Citroen C5 Aircross FLAIR BlueHDi 130 6-speed manual

Price: £26,830

As tested: £27,375

Engine: 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 129hp

Max torque: 300Nm @ 1,750rpm

Max speed: 117mph

0 – 62mph: 10.4sec

WLTP Low-High Fuel Economy

Low: 41.3 – 48mpg

Mid: 49.6 – 58.7mpg

High: 56.1 – 64.1mpg

Ex High: 44.8 – 50mpg

Combined: 48.2 – 55.1mpg

Emissions (CO2): 108 – 110g/km

For more information visit www.citroen.co.uk