REGISTRATION statistics show the new C5 range is already underpinning Citroen's position as the fastest-growing brand in both the fleet and diesel sectors.

So why did the French company think it was necessary to pare back the cost of its upper-medium saloon and estate line-up by as much as £995?

The answer is competition. When Citroen introduced pricing action on the Xsara Picasso compact MPV some months ago, critics were confused because the car was already the most popular in the sector.

Yet only a few weeks later, the move had paid handsome dividends by winning the Xsara Picasso an even greater share of the market.

So now the formula is being applied to the C5, the replacement for the Xantia that also straddles the executive sector.

Offering the biggest load platform at its price even before the reduction, it is no surprise that the estate version of the C5 is proving to be a popular choice with fleets, particularly with the PSA Peugeot-Citroen group's 2.0-litre common rail turbodiesel HDi engine under its bonnet.

Our long term test model is equipped in SX trim level and is a load lugger that manages to treat its occupants to luxury travel thanks to soft velour trim and a generous comfort specification that includes folding armrests on the front seats and digital air conditioning with individual control for the driver and front passenger - which all makes for a car to rack up the miles with in ease.