Citroën C5 Tourer (2008 - 2018) 2.0 HDI 16V Exclusive (160bhp) (Techno Pack) 5d Owner Review

This is my second C5 estate. The first ( 2001) I bought new and kept for 14 years ( and 300,000 miles) with almost no problems and I loved it. I am perfectly happy with this newer one but it is not as good a car in many ways - for normal people ! Although they both had top of the range diesel engines, this 2014 model seems more sluggish to drive - and greedier. But my main concern is that it feels as though the car was designed by boffins who never consider that, for example, one might want to have the window open and not just rely on air conditioning. The noise and buffeting take away all pleasure - and the window is too high to rest your arm on it comfortably. The automatic boot opener is such a pain I would disconnect it if possible. It was FAR easier to simply open and close the tailgate manually. If you leave it open while parked, as I often do, it lapses into economy mode and then you cannot close it without turning on engine. It is dangerous when dogs get in the back - tails can get caught very easily. The electronics on the dashboard are incomprehensible. And I am not a technophobe. It warns you ad infinitum about having turned off the automatic locking - then flashes an important message ( eg. tyre pressure warning) so fast you can't read it. And as for the seat positioner - so complicated - what was wrong with the old manual way ? Then we get to the handbrake - or rather the non handbrake. If you stop and try to get out without turning off the engine, you have to remember to manually put the switch up. And if you drive a different car, you have to remember to always put the hand brake on !! The storage boxes in the front are not nearly as good as the older model. The adjustable height ( which is why I wanted the car in the first place - I live up a bumpy track but often drive on motorways) has better switches ( dogs used to step on the old ones) but it doesn't appear that the car goes as high as before - though I could be wrong. So, in my view, the car has not been improved for my purposes. However, I still like this car better than any others ( bought a Passat Alltrack in between the Citroens and hated it so much I sold it after 6 months) and therefore have no hesitation in recommending it for anyone who needs a large, very comfortable, reliable and pretty economical workhorse without stooping to the ubiquitous 4WD brigade.