| A Week at the Wheel | Stirling, Scotland | Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive saloon |

Inside & Out:

Citroen has ditched the gawkiness of the previous C5 to come up with a sleek style for the new model. It avoids being too much of a cookie cutter shape thanks to some neat detailing, such as the double chevron front grille and strong shoulder line along its flanks. It's much less of the rounded, soft shapes we've come to expect of Citroen and more modern and chic. As tested here, the C5 is a saloon in a market where hatches dominate UK sales, but the large boot is still up to the job of carrying most business and family loads and the rear seats fold flat to accommodate longer cargo.

Driver comfort is every bit as good as you'd expect from a Citroen. The driver's seat is electrically adjusted in Exclusive trim and the steering wheel moves for height and reach - so no problems finding the ideal perch. The seat itself has just the right amount of give to feel like a proper French armchair, but also offers plenty of support for all-day support. The main instruments are clear, though there's a lot of information shown in the orange-on-black display set inside the speedo that can be tricky to read at a glance. The controls clustered on the fixed steering wheel centre boss thankfully do away with having to use the multi-button centre console too often. Space in the rear is good and the slope of the roofline doesn't impinge on headroom, despite its appearance.

Engine & Transmission:

Citroen has really cracked diesel engine design. The 138bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel in our test car was smooth, flexible, refined and easy on fuel: everything you could ever want in a modern diesel-powered car. Even when worked hard, the engine keeps noise to a minimum and simply gets on with the job of making the car move a bit faster. It's no ball of fire - with 0-62mph coming up in 11.6 seconds - but a combined economy figure of 47.1mpg and carbon dioxide emissions of 157g/km will keep most owners happy. It will also keep company drivers relaxed as the CO₂ emissions will not wallop them when the tax man comes a-calling.

The only thing that drops the C5 a star in 2.0 HDi guise is the slight notchiness to the manual gearbox's shift. It's not a great problem in town or cruising on the motorway, but on country roads it could be that bit slicker. This is nit-picking, but when the gearbox's ratios are well suited to the engine's power characteristics and the nimble handling of the C5, it's something that becomes more obvious than it might in a less capable rival.

Ride & Handling:

There's been a lot of debate about the subtle differences between the standard steel springs in the C5's suspension and the oil-and-air system offered with the Hydractive 3+ system. In Exclusive guise, the Hydractive comes as standard and we reckon it's ideally suited to the long-legged cruising nature of the C5. In town, perhaps the steel springs have a slight edge in comfort, but it's not something you will feel upset about if you have a C5 with Hydractive suspension, as it still glides over bumps and ridges with supreme ease. On faster roads, the advantage is switched and the olio-pneumatic set-up makes the C5 a brilliant way to get from A to Z in complete comfort. The C5 is also marvellous at sealing out wind, road and engine noise, helped by laminated glass all-round in the top level Exclusive trim. This also has benefits for security, so the C5 is a sound choice for anyone who parks on the street.

Given its comfort levels, you could be fooled into thinking this is just another wallowy barge meant for European motorways. You'd be wrong, as the C5 has excellent levels of grip to put corners behind it with sure-footed ease. It's not as much fun to drive on twisting roads as a Ford Mondeo, but the C5 does come with ESP as standard to keep things pointing the right way.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

In the top level Exclusive trim that we have here, it's hard to pick fault with the amount of standard equipment included in the C5's asking price. For starters, there's climate control, a CD stereo, all-round electric windows, rear parking sensors and seven airbags as standard. You also get 17-inch alloy wheels that look the part. For £20,195, the C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive is bang on the money compared to its key rivals and, with far stronger used values predicted for the new C5 over its predecessor it should be cheaper for company drivers to lease. Private buyers will reap the rewards here too when they come to sell the car.

The 2.0-litre turbodiesel turns in a very respectable 47.1mpg, which is at the better end of the scale for a family car. It also produces 157g/km of carbon dioxide to be relatively clean and green for its sector.

Overall:

Citroen should have more confidence in its brand. Rather than its sniggering attempts to compare itself to the Germans, it should be flying a great big tricolour and extolling the virtues of the C5 as a French family car. It's incredibly refined, comfortable and has wallet-soothing running costs. Okay, in top spec Exclusive trim it's not the cheapest model, but it's competitive against rivals and there are less pricey alternatives within its ranks. That said, the Germans should be looking to France to learn a lesson or two about how to make cars whisper silent and relaxing to drive. The C5 is that good.