As a liftback, Citroën had completely reversed the design philosophy from the fastback saloon era of Robert Opron.

The major change with this system was the use of electronic sensors to replace the mechanical height correctors seen in all previous hydropneumatic cars.

Another factor may be the highly responsive nature of 'traditional' Citroën brakes, which some have found hard to adjust to on other hydropneumatic cars, though it is felt by some to be superior.

[citation needed] In September 2004, the C5 underwent a major facelift (new front and rear ends; same centre section) to bring it into line with the look of the new Citroën C4.

[3] The second-generation C5 was officially unveiled in the beginning of 2008, and does not retain the liftback bodystyle, instead being a regular, three box saloon of an aerodynamic shape.

The C5 Airscape concept, which was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007, gave an outlook on the second-generation C5.

Similarly, the 2.0L 16V 143 bhp petrol engine was replaced by the 1.6L THP 155, from the DS3 mated to a six speed manual transmission.

For the Exclusive, the onboard GPS/radio head was also changed to the eMyWay unit which features full Bluetooth connectivity and iPod/USB interface.

It is observed that on these cars two technical entities, the hydropneumatic system and the double wishbone layout, are utilized in conjunction.

The system is equipped with a GPS module, and a SIM card, with no need for a call plan and unlimited over time.

The 2017 facelift for the second-generation C5 in China includes a redesign with the front end of the car completely redesigned, featuring new headlights, grilles, and bumper, and giving it an updated front face, and a slightly revised rear with new tail lamps.

The Hydractive hydropneumatic suspension won’t be available for the 2017 C5 facelift as Citroën has decided to drop it from its portfolio due to the high production costs and low customer demand.