Although it's no longer in its first flush of youth, the Citroen C8 remains one of the best big MPVs. Factor in low price, big equipment counts and an excellent 2.2-litre HDi diesel engine and you have a formula that stands the test of time.

Like its predecessor, the Synergie, the C8 is the result of a joint collaboration between Peugeot, Citroen and Fiat, a collaboration which has also produced the very similar Peugeot 807 and Fiat Ulysse models. Citroen has always been able to trump Peugeot and Fiat when it comes to MPV sales in Britain thanks to deep dealer incentivising with zero per cent finance offers, free insurance deals, big cashbacks and no deposit sweeteners. In short, Citroen has successfully lowered the barriers to purchase and has reaped the subsequent rewards. While the C8 is a relatively common sight on British roads, the 807 and the Ulysse are rare birds indeed.

It's worth recalling quite how far ahead of the pack these vehicles were at launch, the C8 being the first large MPV to notch a five star Euro NCAP safety rating for occupant protection. Citroen hasn't been able to rest on its laurels though and a punchier 2.2-litre HDi diesel engine packing 173bhp is a strong incentive to wavering buyers.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that driving a Citroen C8 would be about as enjoyable as a long haul flight seated amongst a group of Tourettes sufferers but the C8 is surprisingly agile and the 2.2-litre HDi diesel gives it a surprising turn of pace. Sure, 0-60 in 11.4 seconds doesn't sound something to set your undercrackers ablaze but the massive 295lb/ft of torque means that this C8 is deceptively quick cross country. Blessed with great all round visibility, the C8 2.2 HDi despatches dawdling traffic with the merest flex of your right ankle. Top speed is 122mph which makes typical motorway cruising extremely relaxed.

Body roll is well contained through corners, although you're not going to mistake the C8 for an Elise. Ride quality is good on well surfaced roads although on rutted surfaces it's easy to see where the Citroen loses out in terms of chassis rigidity to the very latest MPVs and the seats lack a little lateral support when you're pushing on. What's most surprising is that there's been a genuine effort made in getting the control weights right. The pedals, the gearchange and the steering all have a uniform weighting to them which allows the driver to get in synch with the C8 very rapidly.

"The Citroen C8 2.2 HDi has overtaking punch to spare"

There's plenty to cover in terms of practicality. Check out the clever 'childview' rear-view mirror, the triple sunroofs, the swivelling front seats, the refrigerated drinks holders and the fifty or so storage compartments dotted around the cabin. There's room for up to eight adults and access for them is made easier by the flat floor and the dashboard-mounted gearlever. If luggage rather than people carrying is what you need, Citroen's patented 'Quickfix' instant anchoring system will enable you to quickly slide, fold or remove the rear seats for maximum flexibility. The boot is enormous, with a maximum load capacity of almost 3,000 litres.

The seats are mind-bogglingly adjustable in almost every direction. They spin, fold, slide, detach.. you name it they do it. Clap loudly and they even jump through a fiery hoop. Okay, so we just made that bit up, but the combinations are astonishing. Four-zone air conditioning helps combat the effect of the three (count 'em) sunroofs. Multiplex wiring allows for such electronic niceties as light sensitive headlamps, automatic windscreen wipers, and speed indexing of the stereo volume as well as rear parking sensors, guide-me-home headlights and remote control operation of the sunroofs, windows, door mirrors and the sliding doors.

Just two trim levels are offered with the 173bhp diesel engine and, rather unsurprisingly, they're the two plushest trims; SX and Exclusive. The cabins on both cars have been given a makeover with superior materials, soft-touch finishes and additional chrome inserts to brighten the ambience. Exclusive models get 16-inch Ispahan alloy wheels, leather seats and front and rear parking sensors as standard. The SX doesn't want for standard equipment either with leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear lever, a speed limiter, cruise control and revised seat trims.

Given that the 2.0-litre diesel fitted to lowlier C8s makes 136bhp, you'd be excused for thinking that Citroen would levy quite a premium on this punchy 173bhp 2.2-litre version of their people carrier but prices have been kept relatively sensible. The SX opens at £25,595 on the road while the Exclusive looks a little self conscious at £28,095.

Running any vehicle that's big enough to seat eight people isn't something you'll do on a shoestring but Citroen recognise that if you've got this many mouths to feed you probably won't want to be getting too ostentatious with your wheels. The C8 manages an extra urban fuel consumption figure of 42.8mpg with a combined figure of around 38mpg. Emissions are rated at 218g/km which is a fair figure for a vehicle of this size and with this amount of power.

Insurance is reasonable as well, with most brokers rating the C8 2.2-litre HDi at Group 14. One thing to keep an eye on is the depreciation figure for this vehicle. As a model that's been around for some time, the C8's replacement is already well under development and this will have an effect on residual values. Negotiating a healthy discount when you buy will help offset this effect.

The Citroen C8 is one of our favourite big MPVs. Why? The reasons are fairly straightforward. It's decently sized, well equipped, priced keenly, has excellent safety provision and is fairly good fun to pedal around in. The 2.2-litre-engined versions probably won't be the editor's picks as better value can be found with more modest C8 models, but they do excel at offering comfortable and relaxed long distance ground coverers.

As long as you're fully appraised as to the costs involved in running such a vehicle, with an eye devoted to what you'll get back when you come to sell your C8 2.2 HDi on, there's precious little to complain about. It's not the prettiest or the most dynamic MPV out there but when it comes to transporting your family safely and in a modicum of luxury, these Citroens take a lot of beating.