Citroen first appeared on the Australian landscape in 1920, the year after the French maker was founded by Andre Citroen.

And while the brand has mustered a solid core of devotees over the years, it remains something of a niche brand with Aussie buyers.

The facelifted and improved C5 Aircross, now available in a single well-specified front-wheel-drive Sport variant, is the latest new model in Citroen Australia’s stables.

It joins a revitalised range alongside the recently launched C5 X large cross-over wagon and the updated C4 small SUV.

The French maker’s local importer is confident this latest iteration of the C5 Aircross will appeal to both existing and new Citroen customers, citing its style and French flair as major drawcards.

The C5 Aircross wades into a crowded and very competitive market segment with a list price of $54,990, which is $2,690 more than the superseded C5 Aircross Shine.

The updated model brings an upgraded powertrain, more features, enhanced safety, and revised styling to offset the modest price rise.

A slew of more popular mainstream brands undercut the Citroen’s price tag, however, including the Mazda CX-5 in top-of-the-range Akera 2.5-litre turbo petrol AWD spec.

Kia’s top spec Sportage GT-Line turbo-petrol AWD is also available for under $50,000, while Hyundai’s high-end Tucson Highlander asks $46,900 in FWD form and $50,900 in AWD.

The list also extends to Nissan’s X-Trail which is $2,000 cheaper in flagship Ti-L AWD grade, or a tad over $43,000 for the FWD.

And let’s not forget Subaru’s 2.5-litre Forester AWD which tops out at $46,340, and Toyota’s best-selling RAV4 which maxes out at $49,700 for a petrol 2WD.

Suffice to say, there’s plenty of competition but the Aircross Sport puts its best foot forward with a new 133kW/250Nm PureTech  1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine married to an eight-speed automatic.

The previous model drove through a six-speed auto and its 1.6-litre turbo engine delivered maximum outputs of 121kW/240Nm of torque, so the new model boasts a handy increase in both power and torque.

Increased engine outputs are always welcome, but with high fuel prices impacting household budgets, buyers are likely to welcome fuel efficiency improvements even more.

Here, the new Aircross also comes up trumps with official combined cycle consumption dropping from the old model’s 7.9 litres/100km to a frugal 5.7 litres/100km.

That also makes it cleaner with a consequent reduction in CO₂ emissions and the only negative being a minimum requirement of 95RON premium unleaded.

Around town or out on the open road, the updated powertrain feels responsive and punchy, willingly getting the Aircross up to speed.

The new transmission shifts smoothly and there’s steering wheel-mounted paddles for drivers who fancy taking manual control.

Externally, the updated model features a new design language with curves giving way to more structured lines and what Citroen describes as a more vertical and modern face.

There’s a new interpretation of the brand’s chevron badging now in black lacquer and it’s nicely set off by chrome adorning the updated grille which also houses new LED lighting and V-shaped DRLs.

At the rear, changes include new three-dimensional LED lamps, while the updated side panels wear the brand’s innovative Airbump cladding system that helps protect panels from minor dents and scratches.

A sunroof is also now standard fit and there’s a stylish new ‘black pack’ that includes 19-inch black alloy wheels, gloss black mirror shells, matte black roof rails, a black roof and black colouring for the Airbumps and fog light surrounds.

The C5 Aircross interior has also come in for a work-over with a new centre console finished in a black leather-effect fabric, a large storage box with clamshell lid, and a flat e-Toggle style gear selector.

The centre console also regroups connectivity features and features two USB ports and a wireless device charging pad.

The Aircross also gets new Citroen Advanced Comfort seating with revised design and construction including special foams to ensure superior comfort, greater longevity and better sag resistance.

The seats also wear a soft Paloma Nappa leather trim incorporating a perforated chevron design.

The revised seats are impressively comfortable with front-row heating and a multi-mode massage function for the driver’s seat.

Missing in action is a memory function for the power-adjustable driver’s seat.

The dash incorporates a fully customisable 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, upgraded 10-inch infotainment touchscreen (previously eight-inch), and redesigned and relocated air vents.

The new hype black interior is set off with blue stitch detail on the dash, doors, central armrest, and console.

The cabin design is modern, distinctively styled, and neatly finished.

The infotainment features list extends to 3D satnav, DAB+ radio, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth and voice recognition, but the latest connected services technology such as that found in its stablemate C5 X hasn’t made the cut.

In the rear, Citroen fits three individual sliding seats that all flat fold to expand the generous-by-class-standards 580 litres of cargo space to a maximum of 1,630 litres.

The cargo area is accessed via a smart power tailgate and the floor can be repositioned to a lower level for carrying taller items.

A space-saver spare is supplied rather than a full-size wheel.

Rear passengers enjoy good headroom, although leg and foot space are less generous and taller individuals will likely find this a challenge.

Rear air vents and a single USB port are fitted, but there are no cup holders.

Safety and driver assistance systems include autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot detection, lane departure warning, active lane positioning assist, traffic sign/speed limit recognition, speed limiter function, adaptive cruise control with stop/go function, tyre pressure monitoring, advanced driver attention alert, auto high beam function, front and rear park sensors, reversing camera and six airbags.

There’s no ANCAP rating available yet. The previous model C5 Aircross was assessed by ANCAP in 2019 and achieved a four-star safety rating, but the new model’s updated safety suite may help it land an improved rating.

The stablemate C5 X was tested in 2022 and achieved five stars, while the updated C4 tested in late 2021 rated four stars.

Citroen’s Advanced Comfort Suspension system is one of this car’s strengths, affording a plush and compliant ride that under most conditions does a good job of isolating occupants from lumps and bumps.

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The suspension prioritises comfort but the softish tune takes the edge off the handling, somewhat.

Road holding is entirely safe and comfortable, but the driving experience is more relaxed than engaging.

This fact makes the Sport moniker seem a little out of place, especially through twists and turns where there’s a modicum of initial body roll and a tendency to lean on the tyres on the outside of the turn.

The steering is accurate enough but lacks sufficient road feel for our liking.

The C5 Aircross comes with Citroen’s standard five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, five years of roadside assistance and Citroen Assured Service Pricing.

A 12-month/20,000km service interval applies for the first five services under the Assured Service Pricing, totalling $2,760.

here’s also the option to purchase three- or five-year pre-paid service plans at a cost of $1,100 and $2,000 respectively.

There’s no doubt the new C5 Aircross has upped its game to meet the competition.

The extra power of the new engine, a comfortable ride, spacious boot and French styling are among its key attributes.

But times are tough and buyers in this segment are spoilt for choice, so asking buyers to open their wallets wider for this niche model means it is likely to remain just that, which might be exactly what Citroen and its afficionados prefer.

Key stats

• MLP: $54,990
• ENGINE: 1.6-litre PureTech turbo-petrol four-cylinder
• ANCAP CRASH RATING: Four stars (2019)
• FUEL CONSUMPTION (combined cycle): 5.7 litres/100km (130g/km CO₂)
• FOR: Plush ride, punchy engine performance, updates help offset price rise, relaxed drive experience, generous boot, fuel efficiency.
• AGAINST: Requires premium fuel, space-saver spare, no driver’s seat memory function, steering needs more road feel, soft suspension tune takes edge off handling, rear occupant space limitations.