Five extras you should fit on a new Citroën C5 Aircross

Avant-garde in styling as well as technology

A lot of Citroën’s allure revolves around the forward-thinking cars with which they built their reputation. We’re talking about early adoption of technologies like front-wheel drive, active suspension, and disc brakes – things we take for granted nowadays, but which really rocked the motor industry when they appeared. And now, after a brief hiatus from our market, Citroën is back in South Africa, with a range of distinctive-looking and high-tech products.

Related: Get the low-down about Citroën’s return to South Africa in 2019.

 

As expected, the top-level Citroëns are equipped with a bunch of modern gadgets as standard: automatic emergency braking, active lane departure warning and blind-spot monitoring are but a few of the standard items in the high-trim C5 Aircross “Shine” derivative. 

 

But the coolest gadget you will find on the C5 Aircross is called the “ConnectedCAM Citroën”. Its name might be a bit contrived, but the functionality of this rear-view mirror-mounted camera is really brilliant. Full-HD video recording is the starting point here: it has a built-in 16 GB memory card, the contents of which can be remotely downloaded via email, and shared on social media via the touchscreen system’s smartphone mirroring. It also saves video footage in the event of an accident, and records all GPS data (built-in) at the time of the collision. Essentially, the C5 Aircross Shine has a standard dashcam with GPS and web connectivity – one of very few cars to offer this feature at the time of writing.

With this kind of in-car technology, adding extras really only sweetens the experience, but there are still some personal touches you could apply to make a C5 Aircross even better. We had a look at the United Kingdom’s Citroën website to unearth some gems, because the local website doesn’t list any accessories at all. Some of these items can only be fitted at a dealership, though, even if they can also be ordered directly from the UK.

Related: Seven useful extras you could fit to a Citroën C3

 

1. Boot storage net or a hard boot tray

To make the most of the C5 Aircross’s versatility, there are two add-ons that would make a world of difference. The first is a cargo net, which will keep smaller items from sliding around the boot. The second is a hard boot tray, which is made of ribbed plastic. The latter is especially handy to contain the chattel carried about by outdoorsy people, because it’s wear-resistant and waterproof. Protecting the standard boot mat has never looked so good, and it’s sure to improve resale value as well. 

 

2. Dog guard

This nifty removable barrier locates behind the rear seats, and closes the gap between seatback and the roof lining by means of a round-tubing grid. It will keep the pooches safely in the cargo area, while ensuring that they can still see and hear their owners. And yes, we’re talking about more than one dog here, because the C5 Aircross has a minimum luggage volume of 520-litres, or up to 720-litres with the rear seats slid forwards. There’s plenty of room for your four-legged friends!

Related: Reviewing the Citroën C5 Aircross helped us reignite our love for French cars.

 

3. Roof bars

The Citroën C5 Aircross has red-and-black roof bars as standard across the range, but they’re purely cosmetic in standard form. To put them to use, you’ll need the transverse roof bars, which can easily be clipped in place at home. Once installed, the roof bars will allow the fitment of a bicycle rack or rooftop luggage box. Perfect for those moments when the cavernous cargo area just isn’t spacious enough...

 

4. Rear window sunblinds

The C5 Aircross’s standard rear privacy glass looks good and works well, but for maximum insulation from the world outside, a set of blinds would come in handy. Fortunately, Citroën has this covered, with available roller blinds for the rear doors (sold as a set of two) and the tailgate (sold separately). The car will have to visit the dealership to have them fitted, however. 

Closing the blinds will reduce heat intrusion into the cabin on hot days, provide a little extra insulation against the cold in winter, and keep the car’s interior hidden from prying eyes.

 

5. Touchscreen cleaning kit

“Modern problems demand modern solutions”, or so the saying goes. Proving that they’re keeping track with the evolving needs of their customers, Citroën offers a nifty cleaning kit for the infotainment system’s colour touchscreen. Zipped-up in a tidy little packet (ideal for slipping into the glove compartment or centre console), owners will find a small spray bottle with cleaning solution, and a soft cloth with which to wipe off the screen. 

Because, in the C5 Aircross, almost everything is controlled by that little screen, you’ll be touching it often. Leaving finger smears on it will affect its legibility and responsiveness, and can look grubby pretty quickly, so it will have to be cleaned once in a while. Such is the price of progress.

 

 

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