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Citroen C5 Aircross

All generations and engines together · 3,918 MOT tests in the 2025 data

How this model wears

Citroen C5 AircrossClass average, all tracked models

Known issues

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 3,893 tests in this band.

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
Minor
1.6%class 0.2%
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
Advisory
0.8%class 0.1%
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
Advisory
0.7%class 0.2%
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
0.5%class 0.1%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
0.4%class 1.2%
Vehicles internal headlight adjuster altered to recheck lights
Advisory
0.4%class 0.1%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
30.9%class 18.8%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
12.8%class 13.1%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
11.9%class 7.0%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
10.5%class 7.2%
Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Advisory
5.0%class 2.1%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
2.9%class 2.3%
A tyre seriously damaged
Fail
2.9%class 1.9%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
2.7%class 1.9%

Unconfirmed issues

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

1.2 PureTech wet belt failure

1.2 PureTech petrol only

The 1.2 PureTech petrol runs its timing belt inside the engine oil rather than dry, and that belt can shed rubber fragments that block the oil pickup and starve the engine of oil. Owners report it from around 50-60k miles rather than the 100k-plus the official service schedule implies, especially on cars used mostly for short trips. Stellantis (PSA) has run recall and inspection campaigns on the wider PureTech family since 2021, and a full belt-and-oil-pump job runs into four figures if it's caught late.

Reported from 50-60k miles · repair £600-1,800 if belt has already shed · sources: Honest John forum, Aircross Forums

Diesel DPF blockage and cracking

Confirmed pattern

BlueHDi diesel owners report DPF warning lights and forced regenerations on cars used mainly for short journeys, with soot building up faster than it burns off. Separately, an official EU safety recall covers 2018-2022 2.0 diesel C5 Aircross and C4 Picasso models where the filter itself could overheat and crack. A clean can be a couple of hundred pounds, but a full DPF replacement runs to £500-1,200.

Reported 25-60k miles · sources: RAPEX/EU recall record (car-recalls.eu), Aircross Forums, WhoCanFixMyCar

EAT8 automatic gearbox judder and hesitation

Automatics only

Owners of the 8-speed EAT8 and PHEV e-EAT8 automatic describe hesitation and jerky low-speed shifts, particularly when slowing towards a junction and dropping through the gears. Dealers have been inconsistent about whether they'll acknowledge it as a fault, and some owners have had no resolution after raising it. No confirmed fix beyond software updates has surfaced; where a valve body or clutch pack is genuinely worn, repairs can run to £1,000-2,000.

Reported at various mileages, no clear pattern yet · sources: French Car Forum, Facebook C5 Aircross Owners UK group

PHEV high-voltage battery cover and capacity loss

PHEV only

Plug-in hybrid owners report the traction battery losing usable range earlier than expected, sometimes within the first couple of years. There's also an official DVSA recall (announced 2023) on 2020-2023 PHEV models covering a risk that the high-voltage battery cover could be perforated. Battery-related repairs on an out-of-warranty PHEV are expensive, quoted from a few hundred pounds for software fixes up into four figures for pack work.

Range loss reported within 2-3 years · sources: DVSA recall record, Aircross Forums, Autodoc

Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension degradation

Emerging

The C5 Aircross's party trick, hydraulic bump-stops instead of conventional bump-stops, is reported to lose its cushioning effect over time, leaving the ride harder and thuddier over sharp ridges and potholes than when new. It's not officially treated as a fault by Citroen and isn't in any recall, but it comes up repeatedly on owner forums and Reddit from around 30-70k miles. Replacing the units front and rear is a few hundred pounds a corner.

Reported 30-70k miles · repair roughly £400-1,200 · sources: Reddit r/Citroen, Aircross Forums

Infotainment lag and freezes

Disputed

The touchscreen system was flagged as slow and dated from launch, and some owners report freezes, slow boot-up and smartphone mirroring dropping out. Others find it fine once used to it, and it's more an annoyance than something that strands you. A software update or unit swap under warranty usually sorts it; out of warranty, expect £0-700 depending on whether it's a reset or a replacement head unit.

Reported from new through to high mileage · sources: Honest John, WhoCanFixMyCar

Viewing one? Ask this

Built from the two sections above.

Start the car cold, before you drive it, and listen closely to the engine for any rattle. A rattle on a 1.2 PureTech points at wet belt wear; walk away or get it inspected before buying.
Check the service history for a wet belt or timing belt change on 1.2 PureTech cars. No record of a belt change by 60k miles is a red flag on this engine.
On diesel models, check the dash for a DPF warning light and ask when it last did a full regen. Frequent warnings or forced regens mean expensive DPF work is likely coming.
On an automatic, pull away from a junction and brake back down through the gears. Jerky or hesitant shifts at low speed match the EAT8 judder owners report.
On a PHEV, check the recall history via the registration and ask about real-world electric range. An unactioned recall or range well under the claimed figure both point at battery issues.
Drive over a speed bump or rough patch of road and listen for a thud or knock from the suspension. A harsh, thuddy ride on a car marketed for comfort suggests the hydraulic cushions have degraded.
Use the touchscreen for a few minutes, try CarPlay or Android Auto, and check for freezes or slow response. Sluggish or freezing infotainment is a known weak point, though rarely worth walking away over on its own.

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