Review & Photos by Rob McSorley
If you have a family to cart around including all of their clobber MPVs make an ideal choice. With hugely practical interiors full of innovative storage solutions, different seating permutations and high levels of comfort your precious cargo couldn't be in better hands.
Citroen has been in the MPV game for quite a few years now with their aptly named Picasso models and now there is a new one. Here we review the new second generation C4 Picasso five-seat MPV that’s the first PSA Peugeot Citroen model to sit an all-new platform dubbed EMP2.
At a cost of £630 million the modular platform will eventually underpin the entire Peugeot and Citroen ranges as well as future GM models due to a recent tie-up. Constructed using the latest manufacturing techniques and high strength composite materials it weighs a lot less than before and is said to bring new levels of comfort and driving dynamics. It is also more space efficient
As a result this new C4 Picasso is smaller than the old car but bigger on the inside, has much sharper styling and packs plenty of modern technology. But how good is it? We find out.
You have to hand it to Citroen, the C4 Picasso looks fantastic especially in a class dominated by dull design. The front has been given the Nissan Juke treatment with headlights sitting much lower than the LED DRLs which are integrated neatly into the brand's double chevron bars.
The side surfacing is simple but taught with a neat chrome frame that intersects across the rear quarter window and the wheel-at-each-corner stance gives a balanced look. The rear could perhaps be compared to recent Audis with horizontal one-piece taillights and a wraparound tailgate but Citroen's cool 3D light graphics have clearly come straight from the DS3. The overall look is sharp, ultra-modern and unique in the class, we like it alot.
The cabin is as modern as the exterior. What's most striking is the lack of traditional buttons on the centre console replaced by a 7 inch touchscreen system with a handful of touch sensitive buttons either side. It works really well although some will find controlling the heating and ventilating via a sub menu more difficult than it should be. Ironically the only letdown is a steering wheel that's littered with buttons.
A second centrally mounted binnacle houses a 12 inch screen displaying the speedo and peripheral dials. It's a high quality HD unit on higher spec models such as our test car and can display sat nav instructions, trip information or a wallpaper of your choice from a USB stick. There are also different themes to choose from.
The interior design is unashamedly futuristic with very modern curves and angles and lots of gloss black and silver trim. The materials used are also high quality throughout with two-tone soft touch surfaces covering the entire dash and doors. It's easily the best non-DS interior Citroen has produced in recent years. The asymmetrical seats are also a novel idea and are as comfortable as they look.
Standard across the range is Citroen's panoramic windscreen with twin sunvisors that slide back above your head flooding the cabin with light. Along with a commanding driving position, thin pillars and huge front quarter glass forward visibility is brilliant.
As you would expect there are storage spaces aplenty including a large centre glovebox, front and rear underfloor compartments and neatly concealed cubbies under the front seats as well as picnic tables for those in the rear. Thanks to a dash mounted electronic handbrake there is also a deep bin between the front seats and the door pockets are well proportioned.
Despite being both shorter and lower than the previous model the new C4 Picasso is much bigger inside thanks to the new platform which has a much longer wheelbase. Leg, head and shoulder room for five adults is ample and the individual rear seats slide independently varying the amount of leg or boot space as needed. They also fold completely flat very easily.
Boot space is larger than before offering 537 litres with the seats all the way back and 630 litres with them forward and thanks to the clamshell tailgate access is uncompromised. With all the rear seats folded there's a competitive 1,851 litres of space which can be further extended by folding the front passenger seat down ideal for long items.
Powering our test car is Citroen's tried-and-tested 1.6-litre HDi diesel unit with 115bhp at 3,600 rpm mated to a six speed manual gearbox. As the new car weighs a staggering 140 kg less the before performance in surprisingly sprightly with impressive mid-range pull once the turbo awakens. It's also very refined with very little audible rattle even when cold.
The gearbox has a slightly notchy feel but the steering is accurate and nicely weighted although ultimately it lacks the feedback keener drivers demand but for an MPV it is perfectly acceptable. The all-new platform sticks with the same MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear setup but it has clearly been better tuned than before.
Corners are tackled with a little initial lean but beyond this the C4 Picasso grips keenly, remains composed and feels very stable. It also feels much lighter on its toes and considerably less wooden than before. The ride is what really shines managing to shrug off any imperfections in the road beautifully regardless of there size and it also does so quietly. Long journeys will fly by without any fuss thanks to high levels of refinement - wind and road noise are well suppressed at all times.
Running costs are class leading thanks again to the lightweight construction and standard stop-start technology. With emissions of just 105 g/km first year VED is free then £20 thereafter which is excellent for a car of this size. Economy is also outstanding - Citroen quote 70.6 mpg combined. We managed 60 mpg combined. It is worth noting though that a range of Blue HDI engines are in the pipeline which promise even better economy and lower emissions still.
Equipment levels across the C4 Picasso range are generous with standard equipment including the touchscreen infotainment system, panoramic windscreen, dual-zone climate control, electric front and rear windows, cruise control, alloy wheels and a host of airbags and safety kit. Stepping up to Exclusive trim brings with it the 12 inch HD display, larger 17 inch alloy wheels, sat-nav, extra chrome trim, keyless entry with engine start/stop button, rear reversing camera and parking sensors. It is however a little disappointing that the attractive LED 3D taillights aren't standard costing £250 but are a must-have in our eyes.
Our car came fitted with a number of extras. The £849 Exclusive Convenience pack represent good value for money as it includes a motorised tailgate, front parking sensors, Park Assist with 360 degree cameras, blind spot monitoring, radar-guided cruise control, auto-dipping headlights and a Lane Departure Warning Warning System. The latter vibrates the seatbelt if you leave your lane without indicating. There’s also an active seatbelt safety system that tightens the front seatbelts when setting off and does the same if a frontal impact is detected. If you wish you can also get your C4 Picasso with a passenger seat RELAX function that has an electronic footrest and massage function.
Tech Data
Price as tested: £23,999 (£21,555 excl options)Engine: 1.6 16v 115 bhp - 0-62mph: 11.8 secs - Maximum Speed: 117 mph -
Economy: 62.8 mpg (urban) 74.3 mpg (extra-urban), 70.6 mpg (combined) - Emissions: 105 g/km (Band B) - VED (12 months): £20
Dimensions: Length: 4428 mm - Width: 1829 mm - Height: 1610 mm - Wheelbase: 2785 mm
*data from Citroen UK
DriverVIBE Verdict
After a week with the new C4 Picasso its easy to appreciate its bold, futuristic design inside and out. It's a very easy car to like thanks to an alluring blend of comfort, refinement, practicality and economy. Thanks to the new platform and impressive weight loss the Citroen is also extremely good to drive. That said the Ford CMAX still has the edge in terms of handling but the C4 Picasso is much more distinctive and can be specified with plenty of impressive technology making it one of the very best MPVs money can buy right now.
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