Review of the new Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Range

Citroen's 7-seater Grand C4 Picasso brought a new level of sophistication to the mini-MPV market at its launch in 2007 - and still does. Today's improved version features sharper styling, extra equipment and more powerful, efficient engines. And it's just as powerful and avant garde as ever.

Light and space, that's what Citroen say they're pedalling where their Grand C4 Picasso is concerned. Don't panic though. Customers who sign on the dotted line will still receive over a tonne and a half of metal, glass, plastic and fabric. It's just that Citroen are relying on less tangible elements to give their compact MPV the edge in the marketplace. From a marque with a longstanding tradition of doing things differently, the Grand C4 Picasso is definitely different and if airy fairy concepts like ambient illumination and panoramic glasswork don't do it for you, there's a solid range of good, honest oil-burning engines to provide some balance.

This is a car that's done pretty well for its French makers, selling over 650,000 examples worldwide in five and seven-seat forms. It's the 7-seat 'Grand' version we're looking at here, a model lately improved with sharper styling and more efficient engines, plus extra specification. All of which it will need in a sector which includes even tougher competition these days with fresh arrivals from Ford, Mazda and Peugeot.

With a choice of a 120bhp VTi or 155bhp THP 1.6-litre petrol engines or 110bhp 1.6 or 150 or 160bhp 2.0-litre HDi diesel units, C4 Grand Picasso drivers won't be wanting for decent powerplants. The driving experience is, as was its predecessor, geared towards comfort and safety rather than outright handling prowess. The car is extremely refined on the road but the diesel engines do betray their presence by sending more vibrations through the cabin at idle than their petrol counterparts. The suspension soaks up the bumps in a very composed manner and performs well enough through corners, although this isn't a vehicle that you feel like pressing on in with its light steering and mild performance. It makes far more sense to sit back and enjoy what is a very relaxed driving experience and the highly original interior.

"This car really can compete on equal terms with the newest of its rivals.."

Climbing aboard the Grand C4 Picasso for the first time may leave you a little taken aback. The glass area is huge. The panoramic windscreen arcs overhead and after just a short interruption for the panel holding the extendable sun visors, an optional full length sunroof can extend all the way back to the third row. Wishbone-shaped windscreen pillars have glazed centre sections to further boost visibility and the sun visors can slide forward when needed to shield the eyes of front seat occupants on sunny days. Factor in the low window line and Citroen have created a kind of greenhouse for the growing family where all seven occupants get an unhindered view out.

Styling tweaks on the latest models are relatively minor: Citroen's new chevron design on the front grille and tailgate, a revised front bumper and smarter headlights and rear light clusters. Otherwise, things are as practical as before, the Grand C4 Picasso certainly feeling big. This is partly due to all that glass - you're never quite sure where the inside ends and the outside begins - but the sheer quantity of room inside the cabin is no illusion. There are seven seats in all 'Grand' models and, unusually in this class of vehicle, there's even room for a little bit of luggage when the third row is in use.

Even if you're tall, getting into the rearmost row of seats isn't too taxing, thanks to the clever way the outside seats in the middle row fold up like cinema seating and slide forward with the tug of a handle for easier access. You wouldn't want to stay cooped up in the back for long though. It's far better to leave these berths for the kids or fold them under the floor to take advantage of 672-litre capacity that's then created. Fold all of the seats down, a feat which can be performed in an impressive 20 seconds by a well-drilled PR man, and there's a massive 1,951 litres to play with.

There's no handbrake in the C4 Picasso, at least not in the traditional sense, and the gearlever is either dash-mounted or completely absent in the case of the EGS-equipped automatic models which use a column-mounted stalk and paddle shifters to operate the transmission. This creates a wide space between the front seat and a feeling of openness around the whole front of cabin area. The dashboard is cleanly designed and remarkably uncluttered with many of the controls relocated to the Citroen trademark fixed hub steering wheel and separate air-con buttons for driver and passenger at the fascia's extremities. Some acclimatisation will be required before you can access all the Picasso's myriad functions through the complicated-looking helm but the large colour information display will help. Storage bins pop-up at every turn in this vehicle, including a particularly neat air-conditioned one beneath the dash to keep drinks cool.

Prices for this model reside in the £18,000 to £25,000 bracket and you're looking at a premium of around £1,400 over comparable examples of the 5-seat C4 Picasso model that'll suit smaller families better. Automatic and sequential manual gearboxes are offered to free up floorspace. The Grand C4 Picasso goes head to head with cars like Ford's Grand C-MAX, Peugeot's 5008 and the Mazda5. As such it'll need more than just a pretty face to succeed.

The latest models feature enhanced levels of standard equipment. From VTR+ upwards, you can expect to find rear parking sensors, electrically folding mirrors, a USB socket and Bluetooth connectivity. Similarly, all Exclusive models now benefit from 17" alloy wheels, smarter upholstery; USB and Bluetooth connectivity and Citroen's eTouch Emergency & Assistance System.

Citroen's latest e-HDi micro-hybrid technology combines a second-generation Stop & Start system, a reversible alternator that recovers energy during braking, an e-booster function that re-starts the engine instantly (in 0.4 seconds) and a refined Euro 5 HDi 110bhp DPFS engine with a 6-speed EGS transmission. This advanced powertrain delivers combined cycle economy of 57.6mpg for the Grand C4 Picasso, with CO2 emissions of 132g/km. In built-up, urban environments, this innovative technology can lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by as much as 15%.

If you opt for a more powerful diesel, the 2.0HDi 150bhp engine comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox, which delivers combined cycle fuel economy of 49.6mpg. A 2.0HDi 160bhp variant with a 6-speed automatic gearbox is also available on top Exclusive models. Citroen's Picasso brand has a good reputation on the used market and it holds its value better that many of the marque's other products. Insurance is between groups 6 and 11.

Citroen have long been key players in the compact MPV market but their C4 Picasso models had become a little overlooked until this latest package of changes. Now that things have been brought up to date under the bonnet, this car really can compete on equal terms with the newest of its rivals.

Refinement is extremely impressive and although some of the plastics seem less than robust in places, the build quality is impressive. Perhaps most significantly, the striking design and attention to detail ensure that the Grand C4 Picasso is a vehicle that people can form an emotional attachment to, just like the best Citroens of the past. Pick out a model with an HDi engine and the EGS gearbox and you'll have a frugal and functional new member of the family.

TOP 5 C4 GRAND PICASSO DEALS

The results below show the top C4 GRAND PICASSO deals on buyacar

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 1.6 e-HDi Airdream VTR+ 5dr EGS6 diesel estate
Price £15,898 Read C4 Grand Picasso Reviews	Save £6,140
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 1.6 e-HDi Airdream Exclusive 5dr EGS6 diesel estate
Price £17,365 Read C4 Grand Picasso Reviews	Save £6,325
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 1.6 HDi VTR+ 5dr diesel estate
Price £15,446 Read C4 Grand Picasso Reviews	Save £5,794
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 1.6 HDi VTR 5dr diesel estate
Price £14,618 Read C4 Grand Picasso Reviews	Save £5,422
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 1.6 VTi VTR 5dr estate
Price £13,528 Read C4 Grand Picasso Reviews	Save £4,912
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