Car Reviews

Honest John Reviews Citroen

Citroen C6 (2005 – 2012) Review

Citroen C6 (2005 – 2012) At A Glance

3/5

+It looks and drives like a big Citroen should - idiomatic, smooth and very hushed. Plenty of high-tech gadgets. Excellent crash safety ratings.

-German rivals hold their value better.

Insurance Groups are between 41–43
On average it achieves 94% of the official MPG figure

Until now, if you wanted a prestigious £30,000 - £40,000 saloon car you could choose between an Audi, a BMW or a Mercedes.

Or a Jaguar or a Lexus if you didn't want to give your money to the Germans.

Now Citroen offers the sort of genuine alternative that only Citroen ever could. A big car in the tradition of the DS, the SM, the CX, and the XM, so authentically Citroen that if they weren't into numbers (and Renault hadn't nicked the name) they could have called it the ‘Authentique'.

Citroen doesn't expect to sell many C6s. Apart from dealer demonstrators, cars are only available to factory order. So discounts are only likely on ex-demos and rare cancelled orders. Citroen sees the car as the choice of an advertising agency creative director rather than an account director or financial director. People who think as individuals, don't follow convention and appreciate that with the C6 Citroen offers them something genuinely different.

Reviews for Citroen C6 (2005 – 2012)'s top 3 rivals

Honda Legend
3/5
Plush and crammed full of advanced technology. Five-star crash test rating. Capable of driving itself....
Chrysler 300C
3/5
Mean looks. A lot of car for the money. 3.0 CRD popular and offers strong performance.
Cadillac STS
2/5
V8 NorthStar or V6 powered rear drive Cadillac on sale in the UK with right hand drive.

Citroen C6 (2005 – 2012) handling and engines

It's long and low with Citroen's unique ‘Hydractive' suspension and offers a completely different driving experience from anything with ‘fourspring coil technique'. (There's a rather rude joke about that.)

It's actually more like a modern DS or an SM than a CX or an XM. You don't turn into a corner as you would in a BMW. Instead you turn the wheel and wait a fraction of a second while the car responds. It then tackles the corner reasonably competently with decent steering ‘feel' and grip, but isn't too happy about a second change of direction. Attempting to drive it as you imagine a rally driver would isn't really on and will probably make your passengers sick. The car is actually much better at ‘wafting', when it isolates both you and your passengers from the cruelly potholed outside world, and the complete absence of wind noise makes it especially good on motorways.

Like the Peugeot 407 Coupe that shares the same floorpan, engines and transmissions, there simply isn't any point in bothering with the slower, thirstier petrol version so I didn't. (I had driven the 407 3.0iV6 coupe, so I knew for sure.)

The car has the best pedestrian protection of any car in the world. Run someone over and the bonnet pops up to collect them and cushion the blow. As well as 4 NCAP stars for pedestrian protection it also scored 5 for occupant protection and 4 for child protection.

Engine MPG 0-62 CO2
2.2 HDi 43 mpg 9.5 s 199 g/km
3.0 HDi V6 Automatic 39 mpg 8.9 s 190 g/km

Real MPG average for the Citroen C6 (2005 – 2012)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

94%

Real MPG

27–44 mpg

MPGs submitted

39

Citroen C6 (2005 – 2012) interior

Dimensions
Length 4908 mm
Width 1860 mm
Height 1464 mm
Wheelbase 2900 mm

Full specifications

You'd expect a few Citroen gimmicks, and the C6 has them. Directional Xenon headlights that see their way round corners. Optional electric semi-reclining rear seats. Lane departure warning system. Automatic hazard warning lights if you brake hard. Self raising and lowering Hydractive suspension. Laminated side windows. Voice control. Head up speed display. Huge opening door pockets. Automatic wipers and headlamps. Cruise control with speed limiter. Electric parking brake. Active anti whiplash front head restraints.

Citroen C6 (2005 – 2012) models and specs

Dimensions
Length 4908 mm
Width 1860 mm
Height 1464 mm
Wheelbase 2900 mm
Miscellaneous
Kerb Weight 1816–1895 kg
Boot Space 488 L
Warranty 3 years
Servicing 20000 miles
Costs
List Price £28,795–£40,160
Insurance Groups 41–43
Road Tax Bands J
Official MPG 25.2–42.8 mpg
Euro NCAP Safety Ratings
Adult 5
Child 4
Pedestrian 4
Overall -

On sale until May 2012

Saloon
Version List Price MPG 0-62
3.0 HDi V6 Exclusive 4dr Auto £40,160 38.7 mpg 8.9 s

On sale until April 2010

Saloon
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.2 HDi Exclusive £34,995 42.8 mpg 9.5 s

On sale until May 2009

Saloon
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.2 HDi £28,795 42.8 mpg 9.5 s
2.7 HDi V6 Exclusive Auto £35,395 - -
2.7 HDi V6 Lignage Auto £32,295 - -

On sale until February 2009

Saloon
Version List Price MPG 0-62
3.0i V6 Exclusive Auto £34,195 - -

On sale until May 2008

Saloon
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.2 HDi Lignage £28,895 - -

On sale until October 2007

Saloon
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.7 HDi V6 £31,895 - -
3.0i V6 Auto £29,995 - -
3.0i V6 Lignage Auto £33,095 - -

Model History

March 2005

Officially launched

Big Citroen following the wheels of the DS, CX and XM. Built on stretched C5 platform with Hydractive IV suspension and with the sort of looks a big Citroen should have.

4,910mm (16' 1") long and 1,860mm (6' 1") wide. 2,900mm wheelbase. Hydropneumatic suspension, of course.

3.0 litre V6 petrol engine has 215hp at 6,000 rpm and 290 Nm of torque at 3,752 rpm. Twin-turbo 2.7 V6 HDi diesel engine has new generation particulate filter and offers 208hp at 4,000 rpm and 440 Nm of torque at 1,900 rpm. Both engines meet Euro IV emission standards and are mated to six-speed AW automatic transmissions.

Laminated side windows to filter out exterior noise. Wood and leather inside. Head-up information display projected onto the windscreen. Electric parking brake. Lane Departure Warning System, Xenon dual function directional headlamps. Front and rear parking sensors, daytime running lights and butterfly-type, flat-blade rain sensitive wipers. NaviDrive telematics system, Bluetooth mobile phone technology and high performance JBL hi-fi system, can also be specified. Nine airbags, including one to protect the driver’s knees, as well as active head restraints which help prevent whiplash injuries. ESP and a high-performance braking system that includes ventilated discs at both front and rear. Active pop up bonnet earned it the World's first Four Star NCAP pedestrian safety award. Also Excellent five star NCAP crash safety rating; four stars for child safety.

  • 2.7HDI V6 208bhp £31,292
  • 2.7HDI V6 208bhp Lignage £33,292
  • 2.7HDI V6 208bhp Exclusive £37,592
  • 3.0i V6 215bhp £29,297
  • 3.0i V6 215bhp Lignage £31,297
  • 3.0i V6 215bhp Exclusive £35,597

173PS 2.2 HDI twin turbo 6-speed manual launched October 2006. Offers 0-60 in 9.7, top speed 135mph, 43mpg combined and CO2 of a low Group E 175g/km. Handling much sharper and more sporty than the V6 cars.

June 2009

Citroen released first details of 3.0 HDi V6

240hp engine to be introduced to the C5 and C6 ranges in summer 2009. It delivers the neat trick of offering more power and improved performance, alongside better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. The new engine improves fuel economy by 13-17% and reduces CO2 by 12-15%, compared to the current 2.7HDi V6 208hp
unit. With advanced new engine technology, the new V6 diesel incorporates the third generation of Citroën’s common-rail direct injection system and offers drivers a refined driving experience with its quiet operation and more efficient performance. Delivering an abundance of torque, the new V6 diesel provides exceptional driving pleasure for every-day motoring.

Fuel saving features in the new engine include a piloted alternator that recovers energy during deceleration and braking. The engine also fully complies with future Euro V standards, ahead of the compulsory introduction to production vehicles in January 2011. Mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, the powerful and efficient unit means drivers can now benefit from up to 38mpg on the combined cycle. Highlighting Citroën’s continuing commitment to the environment, not only does this engine come with a Diesel Particulate Filter System (DPFS) for an ultra-clean exhaust, but CO2 emissions are also reduced to 195g/km. The improved emissions also put both new C5 and C6 V6 diesel models into the lower Tax band J, creating a saving of £325 on cars registered in the 2010/11 VED period.

September 2009

240PS 3.0 HDi V6 launched

Fuel economy improved by 13-17% and CO2 emissions reduced 12-15%, compared to the outgoing 2.7HDi unit. The improved emissions put both the C5 and C6 models into a lower Tax band and the engine complies with Euro V standards.

What to watch out for

01-01-0001:

The difference between what Citroen and its dealers want for the cars and what a desperate seller will let one go for.

Can suffer wishbone bush wear at just over 3 years old and cost of replacement with new wishbones is £660 a pair.

13-09-2014:

C6 is extremely vulnerable to abrasion of the inner shoulders of their tyres by straddling 'speed cushions'. To prevent this, drive one wheel over, one on the flat.

14-09-2014:

Tyreland of Salisbury seems to be one of the few places in the UK that can align Citroen C6 successfully.

07-01-2017:

If dash lights go off, the ‘problem’ might be that the DARK button has been pushed. This switches off all the displays apart from the lights telltales and the speedo – but all the lights will illuminate when first switching on and then they will switch off.

For routine (i.e. mechanical/electrical) servicing work, any Citroen or Peugeot specialist should be able to cope. For the more arcane (hydraulics) stuff, a C6 specialist is essential.