Review of the new Citroen C3 Picasso Airdream+

It might sound like something follicly-challenged cockneys experience while tucked up in bed at night but Airdream is actually Citroen's green car brand. Buyers can rest assured that models from the French manufacturer carrying the Airdream name are at the top of the pile with regards to miserly fuel economy and cleanly emissions. The C3 Picasso Airdream+ is no exception but if you're expecting a plethora of advanced efficiency technologies bundled up inside this funky supermini MPV, you may need to think again.

You might well have already encountered new cars with unusual names like ECOnetic, BlueMotion, Greenline or ecoFLEX. These are the equivalents to Citroen's Airdream+ as offered by other leading car brands. We're told that the idea is to guide customers in the direction of the most efficient vehicles with the lowest running costs but there are those who put the whole trend down as a cynical marketing ploy through which car buyers are charged extra for technology that should be fitted as standard.

Whatever the reality, the eco-brands are useful if you're after a new car that's cheap to run and don't want to waste time comparing CO2 outputs and extra-urban economy figures. It's important to remember, however, that such models go about the business of burning less fuel in subtly different ways. Where some employ brake energy regeneration, aerodynamic tweaks and stop-start technology, Citroen's C3 Picasso Airdream takes a more straightforward approach.

As usual with cars that campaign on an efficiency ticket, the C3 Picasso Airdream+ is based around a common-rail diesel engine. The 90bhp HDi 90 option is available across the Citroen model range and delivers its peak power at 4,000rpm with maximum torque of 218Nm generated at a lowly 1,750rpm. It spells sprightly performance and there's acceleration available across a wide spread of the rev range but a 14.7s time for the 0-60mph sprint won't set pulses racing. You don't find yourself snatching for another gear to maintain progress, although things are likely to get trickier when the car's prodigious interior is fully-loaded.

"Citroen doesn't charge a premium for the car and actually throws in a collection of extra equipment free of charge"

The only modification that the C3 Picasso Airdream+ receives compared to other C3 Picassos with the same HDI 90 engine is an optimised gearbox with ratios designed to improve economy. There's also a gearchange indicator on the dash that prompts the driver to change up or down for optimum economy. Otherwise the car is as standard and benefits from the C3 Picasso's rewarding driving experience.

The suspension is supple over surface imperfections but taut enough to maintain its composure through humps and dips. The car changes direction smartly with responsive steering that's light around town but grows heavier as speeds increase to inspire confidence. It corners neatly too with none of the body roll that has afflicted so many of Citroen's past MPV efforts. The gearbox action is a little loose and long throw and the stiff brake pedal feels at-odds with the long travel of throttle and clutch but otherwise, the C3 Picasso is a minor revelation to drive.

The design theme inside the car mirrors that of the exterior with corners replaced by curves. The plastics aren't of the highest quality you'll find in the supermini-MPV sector but Citroen does appear to have upped its game in terms of build quality. The gimmicky features that appear in other Citroen models like the fixed-hub steering wheel and the multiple digital displays are swapped for a much cleaner and more stylish look with a hint of the retro about it. There's also a huge amount of space.

Citroen's creation isn't particularly long compared to its direct rivals but at 1730mm, it is very wide. With the front seat adjusted for a six-footer to drive, there's still plenty of legroom behind and more headroom than anyone bar the ludicrously tall would ever need. The front seat can be raised to give commanding, almost 4x4-style driving position which many buyers will like but that does make the handbrake hard to reach. The C3 Picasso gains a further edge over its rivals with a monstrous boot of up to 500-litres that extends to 1,560 litres with the rear seats folded. Folding the seats to create a flat load floor can be done with one hand and there's even a compartment under the boot floor to stow the parcel shelf in.

The Airdream+ model is based on the specification of the VTR+. It might not feature the high tech efficiency features that are to be found on some rivals but Citroen being Citroen, the value proposition is still a compelling one. The Airdream+ is priced identically to the VTR+ with the same HDi 90 engine but it comes with extra equipment to the tune of rear parking sensors, electric rear windows, heated folding mirrors and Citroen's Connecting Box which combines Bluetooth connectivity and a USB socket for MP3 players.

Despite its optimised gear ratios, the C3 Picasso Airdream+ offers identical combined cycle fuel economy to the other models in the range that use the HDi 90 engine. The good news is that the figure in question is an impressive 62.8mpg and emissions are measured at 119g/km. Pay attention to that gearshift indicator light on the Airdream+ model and it should be possible to achieve better real world fuel economy than you'd get in a car without that feature. There's also a DPFS diesel particulate filter fitted to help clean the exhaust gases of harmful soot particles.

The green credentials of all C3 Picassos are boosted by the fact that 85% of all components used on the car are recyclable. Citroen also took great care in the design process to control the overall weight of the vehicle, reducing the workload of its engines in the process. Intelligent design makes the car resistant to the kind of minor accident damage that it's so easy to pick up and cheap to repair should the worst come to the worst. All of which contributes to a low insurance grouping.

Most mainstream car manufacturers now have an efficiency brand and never knowingly outdone, Citroen dreamt up Airdream+. Models like the C3 Picasso Airdream+ take a rather less comprehensive approach to the task of boosting fuel economy than some of the alternatives but Citroen doesn't charge a premium for the car and actually throws in a collection of extra equipment free of charge. It sounds like a deal that buyers should be taking seriously and looks like a good way of getting hold of one of the best small MPVs around.

TOP 5 C3 PICASSO DEALS

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