Citroen C4 Picasso (2016 -) Reviews 'Auto Amar Update'

A rival for the Renault Scenic and Grand C4 Picasso baby sister, the C4 Picasso is as practical as it is distinctive-looking.

The Auto Trader expert verdict:  3.6

The C4 Picasso has a combination of style and practicality that makes it one of the best five-seat MPVs

Pros

Plenty of space inside for five

Light, airy and practical cabin

Excellent fuel economy across the range

Cons

Touch-screen system awkward to use

Ride occasionally feels a little firm

Many features not available on most basic models

People used to accuse MPV only be 'van with windows', but the C4 Picasso is such a thing. It stands out a mile from other similar cars, largely thanks to a sleek front end, with a slim lights and LED daytime running lights linked with chrome details that incorporate chevrons company.

Each model in the range is equipped with alloy wheels as standard, and as long as you avoid the basic model Touch Edition, you will also get the chrome trim on the lower bumper and around the side windows. Top-spec models Flair also get a '3D' LED taillights, and each model can be smartened further with the addition of optional 'Style Pack', the exact contents of which vary from trim to trim.

The panoramic windscreen extends further than in other cars – almost over the heads of the front-seat occupants – and that helps to make the cabin light and airy. If you want even more light, the panoramic glass sunroof (optional with Feel trim and standard on Flair) is worth having.

The two-tone dashboard is made of good-quality materials and its unusual design is dominated by two large screens in the centre, set one above the other. The lower one is a touch-screen infotainment unit that is standard on every model, while the upper screen contains your instruments. This is an LCD display on basic Touch Edition models, but on Feel and Flair models, it’s a full-colour HD unit, with a display that can be personalised by choosing from three different ‘themes’. Either way, it all adds up to a very modern-looking cabin, although it’s not quite so impressive in use. The touch-screen system, in particular, is a little awkward to use, requiring a firm prod to operate.

In terms of passenger space, there’s no faulting the C4 Picasso: not only is there plenty of room (and a wide range of adjustments) in the front seats, each one of the three individual rear seats can fold and recline, as well as providing plenty of head- and leg-room, and having Isofix mounting points. For the ultimate in practicality, avoid the basic Touch Edition, as it’s the only one of the three trims to miss out on a fold-down front passenger seat (which allows items up to 2.5-metres long to be carried), sliding rear seats and underfloor stowage in the rear.

With all the seats upright, the boot capacity is 537 litres – more than in a Ford C-Max – and it grows by almost 100 litres when you push the rear seats right forward. Fold all the seats down, and you have 1851 litres to play with, making this bigger than a Renault Scenic. On top of that, there are also several other useful storage compartments dotted around the cabin.

You might expect the MPV became quite wet in the way it drives, but the C4 Picasso is certainly not. In fact, Citroen has a surprisingly stiff suspension - sometimes a little too stiff - but the benefits of that does not curl too much round the corner, handle very tidy and felt very composed on the motorway. Admittedly, the steering is rather light on speed, which would be a bit confusing for the driver sharper, but it at least means that the car is very easy to maneuver around town.

So far, we’ve only driven one version of the C4 Picasso – the BlueHDi 120. With peak torque coming at less than 2000rpm, it makes for refined and easy progress, as long as you don’t let the revs drop below 1,500rpm, when the engine responds much more slowly. The changes from the standard six-speed manual gearbox are also rather slow, but happily the low-rev strength of the engine means you can usually rely on its pull rather than a gearchange to keep up with traffic.

Right across the range, the C4 Picasso has impressive fuel economy, and every model – including the petrol-engined versions – averages more than 55mpg. Most economical of all are the BlueHDi 100 and 120 models, with average economy of well over 70mpg, and almost all of them have CO2 emissions of 100g/km or less, qualifying for zero road tax.

It’s fair to say that reliability has never been one of Citroen’s strong points, and the company sits only mid-table in Warranty Direct’s manufacturer listings. Scan the results for the previous C4 Picasso and you’ll see it was below average, but more recent Citroens have been more impressive and according to owner reviews of this latest model, it’s proving very reliable.

Even the most basic Touch Edition models come with remote central locking, alloy wheels, four electric windows, air-conditioning, DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and a touch-screen control system. However, we recommend you upgrade to Feel, which adds front and rear parking sensors, massaging front seats, sat-nav and the 12-inch panoramic central HD display. Top-spec Flair models come with a panoramic sunroof, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, and a hands-free opening tailgate. Beyond that, there are several option packs, which bundle together various options, although most are available only on one trim level rather than across the full range.

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