Citroen refreshed the first C5 generation in 2004, and the changes went further than just new wheels and paints for the bodywork.

The expansion of the midsize car market in the late '90s convinced French manufacturer Citroen to launch the C5 range in 2001. It was built to replace two vehicles from Citroen's range: the Xantia and the bigger XM. Big enough to host five adults and a big trunk, it offered 8 engine variants developing between 90 hp and 207 hp. It was only front-wheel-drive and its main advantage was the air suspension.