The Stellantis group has pleasantly surprised again by revising the technical specifications of its models. Following the story with the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce, which turned out to be more powerful than claimed, it’s now the turn of the Citroën C5 Aircross hybrid SUV. The update will affect not only this model, as a similar powertrain is used in other vehicles of the group.
Significant power increase on paper
According to new data, the power of the hybrid version C5 Aircross PHEV is 222 hp, which is a full 30 horsepower more than the previously announced 192 hp. Most interestingly, the company emphasizes: this update did not require any technical changes to the engine or hardware. Under the hood remain the same turbocharged 1.6-liter petrol engine with 148 hp and one electric motor with 123 hp. Only the methods for calculating the combined power output of the two energy sources together have been changed. The drive is still front-wheel, and the gearbox is a seven-speed robotic transmission.
This new figure is more accurate in terms of the performance offered by this engine and corresponds to the claims observed on the market.
As the company explains, the power revision is also happening in anticipation of the protocols that will be applied with the entry into force of the Euro-7 standard. The updated power now matches the figures of the previous generation C5 Aircross PHEV. At the same time, Citroën emphasizes that the powertrain has been “completely reworked,” in particular, it received a larger 55-liter fuel tank and updated engine operating logic to reduce consumption and maintain high performance even with a depleted 21.5 kWh battery.
Which models will receive the update
Since Stellantis uses this hybrid system on one platform for a whole range of models, it can be expected that other vehicles of the group will also receive a similar update of technical specifications. The STLA Medium family, to which the Citroën C5 Aircross belongs, includes the Peugeot 3008 and 5008, Opel Grandland, and Jeep Compass. All of them may soon boast higher power figures without any physical intervention in the design.
The update is also likely to affect the recently modernized Peugeot 308 and Opel Astra hatchbacks. As for the Peugeot 408 crossover, it uses a slightly different hybrid system with 237 hp. The question of whether this more powerful configuration will be used in future models such as the DS No8, Lancia Gamma, or successors to the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia remains open for now.
Similar corrections of official data by manufacturers are becoming an increasingly common phenomenon in the automotive industry, especially in the era of complex hybrid systems. This may indicate both the improvement of measurement methods and tougher competitive struggle, where every additional horsepower in the specifications matters to the buyer. For owners of already released cars, this is most likely just a paper change, but for the market as a whole, such a step highlights the dynamics of technology development and the constant rethinking of standards. It is important that Stellantis transparently communicates the reasons for the revision, which adds trust to the brand among customers.