Citroen was once known for massive discounts and cashback incentives. Thankfully that’s a thing of the past – it drove down values and left owners of the previous C5 with cars that were worth less than they expected when they came to sell. Predicted residuals are better on this car – more on a par with the Ford Mondeo. The diesels all return decent fuel consumption figures, parts are cheap and it’s reasonably priced to service.

Fuel economy is good across the range and the diesels particularly impress. The CO2 output is also good for a car of this size. The C5 will also run on biodiesel (diesel derived from plants – which is becoming increasingly popular on forecourts). It’s a greener alternative to conventional diesel and helps to future-proof the car. The best model is the 1.6HDi which emits 140g/km of CO2 and returns 50mpg.

The original C5 launched in 2001 did not have a good reputation for reliability. A significant facelift in 2004 brought improvements in build quality, but overall it lagged behind the competition. The latest version feels much better built, uses proven diesel engines and is far better trimmed inside. This should translate into improved reliability, though time will tell if this is actually the case.