DRIVING one of the latest Citroen C5 saloons I experienced a definite sense of déjà vu.

Back in the mid-1960s I was able to experience a spell at the wheel of one of the iconic Citroen D cars with their amazing hydraulic suspension system.

And more than half a century later there I was driving a Citroen featuring the latest version of the suspension - Hydractive III+.

This is the system that provides supreme ride comfort and is standard on the Exclusive Techno Pack HDI 160 version that I drove.

Hydractive III+ is a Citroën invention built on the company's renowned hydropneumatic sphere platform. It was designed to offer ultimate driver control and passenger comfort and this it does very well indeed.

To begin with, the car maintains a constant ride height at all times regardless of load which ensures excellent driver control. In addition, electronic sensors read the road and driving style hundreds of times a second and adapt the hydraulic damping accordingly, maintaining perfect poise.

The driver is also able to select two different suspension modes designed for varying degrees of comfort or sporty driving.

To many, these larger saloons have been overshadowed by more modern superminis and hatchbacks but the market is still strong and the C5 has some powerful opposition such as the Ford Mondeo.

But as with other areas of the market it is all down to personal choice and to a significant section the Citroen C5's relaxed way of everyday driving gets the green light.

The C5 has appeal to both the private and business and private motorist with more than 57mpg economy on the combined cycle.

Under the bonnet is Citroen's 1,997cc four-cylinder transverse high pressure direct injection tubo diesel which transmits power via a six-speed manual gearbox.

This provides 130mph performance with a 0-62mph sprint factor of 9.1 seconds.

The Techno Pack includes eMyWay satellite navigation system combined with a Connecting Box - jack socket, USB port and Bluetooth function.

The steering wheel controls are designed for ease of use and add considerably to the relaxed way of motoring this car imparts.