It was the last stint for the oldest model in Citroen's lineup. The company's management didn't consider enhancing the aesthetic part of the car and bringing it to those time standards. It was left to die on the market.

When Citroen introduced the XM in 1989, it won the European Car of the Year award for its styling and many innovations brought along, but it needed a refresh five years later.

Citroen finally replaced the aging CX lineup in 1989 and approached a completely new design language, carried over from the successful BX range, and also reversed the letters in the nameplate, thus resulting in the XM.