New Citroën C5 Aircross (2025) : 10 Years of evolution from bold concept to confident SUV

This past April, Citroën unveiled the second generation of its large SUV, the C5 Aircross, with its market launch planned for this September. The timing presents a fascinating coincidence: almost exactly ten years ago, in September 2015, the French brand presented the Aircross concept at the Shanghai Motor Show, a bold preview of what would become a bestseller. In a single decade, expectations, technology, and design have profoundly shifted. The C5 Aircross is the perfect embodiment of this, serving as a testament to the spectacular evolution of Citroën's identity.

2015: The Aircross Concept, an optimistic and uninhibited vision of the SUV

In 2015, Citroën was riding a wave of critical and commercial success with the C4 Cactus, a vehicle that dared to challenge established norms. It was from this creative momentum that the Aircross concept was born. Far from seeking to imitate its competitors, Citroën aimed to offer a unique interpretation of the SUV, a vision driven by optimism and well-being. The objective was clear: to assert an international positioning by creating a vehicle that was both protective and welcoming, breaking away from the stylistic aggression often prevalent in the segment. The Aircross concept was presented as an invitation to travel, a bubble of serenity. Its design, characterized by fluidity and organic lines, drew inspiration from the C4 Cactus but adapted its stylistic cues to the larger proportions of an SUV. It featured strong, differentiating graphic elements, such as the robust "Alloy Bumps" for side protection and the "Air Signs," distinctive rear quarter windows that lightened the silhouette. The vibrant and warm orange-red hue symbolized this positive energy. The interior was an ode to comfort, with wide, inviting seats, premium materials, and a clean dashboard featuring two large screens, one of which was mobile and shareable, enhancing onboard conviviality.

A ten-year gap, a revolution in style and approach

The launch of the second-generation C5 Aircross, a decade after the reveal of the original concept, highlights a striking stylistic rupture. While the first generation had softened the concept's lines to appeal to a broader audience, it retained that initial softness and roundness. The new C5 Aircross, however, adopts a radically different stance. The design is more assertive, more technological, and more precise. The smooth, gentle forms have given way to tauter lines, sharper angles, and a more muscular posture. The front end, in particular, embodies this change: it integrates the brand's new logo into a gloss black band that stretches to the Matrix LED headlights, creating a modern and statutory visual signature. This perceived upmarket shift does not come at the expense of comfort, the brand's DNA, but it conveys a new confidence. Where the 2015 concept sought to differentiate itself through gentleness, the 2025 model does so through quiet assurance and visible technological sophistication. It reflects a decade that has seen the SUV market mature and customer expectations evolve towards more character and technology.

Ten years ago, the Aircross concept offered a fresh and almost playful vision of the SUV, emphasizing soft lines and a benevolent sense of protection inherited from the C4 Cactus. Today, the second-generation C5 Aircross changes the game with a more raw, more mature design, without ever falling into aggression. This evolution is fascinating because it narrates, through two vehicles, the journey Citroën has undertaken. The brand has successfully preserved its fundamentals, especially its unparalleled comfort, while evolving its design language to meet the new aspirations of its global clientele. The C5 Aircross is no longer just the SUV of well-being; it has also become the SUV of self-assurance, a vehicle that confidently owns its status and modernity. In one decade, Citroën has proven its remarkable ability to reinvent itself, transitioning from a quirky, offbeat audacity to an assured, technological elegance.