Citroen C4 Picasso

The mid-sized Citroen C4 Picasso combines style, practicality, efficiency and comfort in a very tempting, family friendly package. The C4 Picasso is a fine example of Citroen doing MPVs well. It’s one of the most spacious and economical mid-sized people carriers on the market and it’s also an interesting looking car with a futuristic interior.

The most efficient model in the range, the BlueHDi 100 diesel, claims 74.3mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 99g/km – astonishing figures for a car of this size. The Citroen is also impeccably refined and comfortable, so if you take all of that into account, it does everything a family car should do well.

Also available is a seven-seat Grand C4 Picasso, which will appeal to larger families who need more space.

Citroen used the Picasso name for the first time in 1999 when it launched its big-selling original compact people carrier, called the Xsara Picasso. The model then became part of the C4 family car range in 2006, when it was badged as the C4 Picasso.

That car remained on sale for seven years, with both the five-seater C4 Picasso and seven-seater C4 Grand Picasso proving popular, and was only replaced by an all-new model in 2013. The seven-seater version of the latest car, the Grand C4 Picasso, went on to be crowned Best MPV at the Auto Express New Car Awards 2014.

Citroen offers a wide range of efficient petrol and diesel engines in the current car, and the entry-level PureTech 130 model has a small, three-cylinder petrol turbo that delivers low running costs and strong performance. It’s only available with the basic VTR and VTR+ trims, but it’s a great little engine and also comes fitted with Citroen’s S&S stop/start system as standard.

Elsewhere in the range you’ll find a 98bhp BlueHDi 100 diesel, with emissions as low as 99g/km for free road tax, as well as a more powerful 118bhp version, which is a great all-rounder. Top-spec cars also get the option of a 148bhp HDi diesel and a 163bhp THP petrol engine. The latter is only available with Citroen’s EAT6 automatic gearbox.

Trims range from the basic VTR, through VTR+, Exclusive and Exclusive+, while the mid-spec Picasso Selection is a special edition that comes loaded with extra standard kit such as a panoramic roof.

The latest C4 Picasso was the first car to be based on PSA Peugeot-Citroen’s EMP2 platform. This new technology helps reduce the car’s weight by 140kg to a total of just 1,252kg – the same as the smaller C3 Picasso, which sits below the C4 Picasso in Citroen’s range.

In recent years, Citroen has undergone something of a rebirth, and is once again producing quirky cars that receive widespread acclaim. The C4 Picasso is a fine example of this. The egg shape of the original remains, but the distinctive front end sets the latest car apart from more conservative alternatives in the MPV class.

And inside, there’s a high-quality finish that allows the C4 Picasso to take on upmarket rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf SV and Ford C-MAX, although it also occupies a similar area of the market to the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer, the Renault Scenic, the Mazda 5 and the Toyota Verso.

Citroen’s cars have always tended to be comfortable, and the C4 Picasso upholds that reputation. There’s very little road, engine or wind noise at any speed – even on the motorway – and the soft, supportive seats make it an even more relaxed car to drive.

It suffers from a fair amount of body roll in corners, which is to be expected from a big MPV with soft suspension, but the C4 Picasso isn’t what you’d call an engaging car to drive. There’s not much feedback from the steering, while the five and six-speed manual gearboxes (it varies depending on the model) are a bit on the notchy side and don’t have a particularly fluid action. The Ford C-MAX is way ahead in terms of fun, but the Citroen serves up plenty of grip and is easy and relaxed to drive.

Elsewhere, the panoramic windscreen and thin A-pillars offer unparalleled visibility, although the multitude of controls on the steering wheel can be a touch confusing. 

The basic 128bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine is actually one of the best. Even though it has only three cylinders, it’s hushed around town and punchy enough on the open road – making overtaking simple and straightforward. Specify this PureTech model in VTR trim, and it’s also the cheapest C4 Picasso to buy, plus it’s quicker from 0-62mph than all but the most powerful diesel and petrol versions, taking 10.1 seconds.

Although the 98bhp 1.6-litre BlueHDi 100 diesel has the lowest CO2 emissions and best fuel economy in the range, it isn’t much of a performer. It’s quite sluggish in comparison to the other models in the range, covering 0-62mph in 12.7 seconds, and as you have to push the engine a bit to get the car moving, this takes the edge off the Citroen’s otherwise excellent refinement.

The 118bhp version of the same engine is a much better bet – it’s still very economical but is much more flexible, with a lot more pulling power, and is capable of 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds.

At the top of the range is a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine, known as the BlueHDi 150. Although this isn’t quite as frugal as the 1.6-litre versions, it’s still very cheap to run and quite a bit faster, with plenty of mid-range pull and a 0-62mph time of 9.7 seconds.

The fastest C4 Picasso of the lot is the 163bhp 1.6-litre THP petrol, which claims 8.4 seconds for the benchmark sprint. But it’s only available as an automatic and is by far the most expensive version to run, so it doesn’t make a great deal of sense in an MPV such as this.

The most efficient C4 Picasso is the BlueHDi 100. According to Citroen’s official figures, this model returns 74.3mpg fuel economy and emits just 99g/km of CO2 – no mean feat for such a large car.

Our choice would be the BlueHDi 120, though – this more powerful diesel model is still exempt from road tax as it emits 100g/km of CO2, yet it feels much faster day-to-day and promises an identical 74.3mpg. The most potent diesel C4 Picasso, the BlueHDi 150, is barely any less efficient, as it’s capable of 70.6mpg and 102g/km. That puts it in tax band B, which means annual road tax bills of just £20.

Buyers who are watching the pennies on running costs shouldn’t discount the petrol models, though. Even the brilliant PureTech 130 will return 56.5mpg and emits just 115g/km of CO2; that means road tax band C, which costs £30 a year. If you spend most your time in town, this is the car we’d go for.

The most expensive and most powerful C4 Picasso THP 165 emits 130g/km or 134g/km depending on the trim, and claims 50.4mpg or 48.7mpg fuel economy, so it’s the least efficient model by a long way.

If you thought MPVs were boring, the C4 Picasso might just change your mind, as Citroen has adopted a bold, modern look for the car.

The high-set chevron grille and LED running lights are combined with small headlamps and a wide lower air intake that give the C4 Picasso’s rounded nose a futuristic appearance that certainly stands out compared to some of the less adventurous choices in this market. Think of the front end of any of Citroen’s recent concept cars, and you’ll be half right.

The C4 Picasso’s rear end is a little less avant-garde – it’s not that dissimilar to the previous-generation model’s – but overall it fits well with the rest of the car.

Citroen’s smart use of glass on the C4 Picasso adds to the space-aged feel established by the front end, and the C-shaped silver window trim looks like something from one of the upmarket DS models.

Styling cues from the DS range have also been carried over to the interior of the C4 Picasso. The dashboard is a simple mixture of curves and angles, and has a centrally mounted instrument binnacle.

The touchscreen centre console has a high-quality feel that helps the C4 Picasso take the fight to rivals from Ford and Volkswagen, and it ensures the dash stays clutter-free. The steering wheel, however, can seem a little complex, as it has a lot of buttons to navigate.

In general, the C4 Picasso is well screwed together, while it features decent-quality plastics and comfortable seats. All models come with a panoramic windscreen that extends to just above the front seats, although blinds can be used to block out intrusive sunlight.

Citroen adds to the car’s airy and relaxed atmosphere by making good use of a large glass area that includes quarterlight windows in the A-pillars; these give the car a sense of space its rivals can’t match.

The space-aged look continues inside the C4 Picasso, and the central touchscreen system is large and clear. Exclusive and Exclusive+ models also get a bigger screen set into the top of the dash that displays other information such as speed and range. The only frustration is that the touchscreen is fiddly and can occasionally be unresponsive – so despite its clarity, it isn’t the most intuitive system and can take a while to navigate.

All models from the basic VTR upwards come with Bluetooth, plus auxiliary and USB connections, and while standard sat-nav is reserved for Exclusive and Exclusive+ models, it’s an option on the VTR+, which is the second rung on the spec ladder.

Interior storage is yet another strong point for the Citroen. There’s a large bin under the centre console, complete with a 12V power supply and USB socket, as well as underfloor cubbyholes in the rear footwells, drawers under the front seats, deep door bins and lots of cup-holders. Unfortunately, as with many Citroen models (and French cars in general), a big fusebox renders the glove compartment almost useless.

Top-spec Exclusive+ models get individual climate controls in the rear, built-in roller blinds in the back doors and an extra ‘conversation mirror’ that allows the driver and front passenger to keep an eye on children seated behind them. Also included are picnic tables that fold out of the front seatbacks.

The C4 Picasso is a five-seater, but if you need to carry more passengers then there’s always the Grand C4 Picasso, which is essentially a seven-seat version of the same car.

The C4 Picasso is 4,428mm long, 1,826mm wide and 1,625mm tall. That makes it significantly longer than the Ford C-MAX, and about as wide and tall. It’s also longer and wider than the Volkswagen Touran.

Unlike many of its rivals, the Picasso gets a trio of identically sized seats in the back rather than a smaller central seat, so it can accommodate three Isofix child seat mountings. Adults will find plenty of leg and headroom, while the completely flat floor means more space for feet, so it’s very roomy, even for an MPV.

At the rear, the clamshell tailgate lifts out of the way (electrically on all but the basic VTR) to reveal a wide opening and low load lip. Boot space can be extended from 537 to 630 litres by sliding the rear bench forward, while folding the seats down presents a completely flat load area and a vast, 1,851-litre capacity. The boot light also doubles as a neat, handheld rechargeable torch.

The Citroen comfortably outdoes the Ford C-MAX in terms of boot space, as that provides 432 litres, although the Volkswagen Touran offers 695 litres and a huge 1,989 litres with its rear seats folded flat.

Citroen finished in 20th place overall in the manufacturers’ chart of our Driver Power 2015 satisfaction survey. While that doesn’t sound great, it’s six places up on its 2014 ranking. Owners praised the brand’s brilliant running costs, with poor scores for build quality, performance, road handling and ease of driving letting the side down.

The C4 Picasso placed 77^th in the Driver Power top 200 – comfortably in the top half of the individual model chart – with owners ranking it highly for practicality, ride quality, seat comfort and, of course, running costs.

Euro NCAP awarded the car five stars in its independent crash tests, and all models have six airbags, stability control and a speed limiter. The top-spec Exclusive+ trim level adds the likes of adaptive cruise control, forward collision alert and blind-spot monitoring. Lane-departure warning and adaptive headlamps are part of the £300 optional Serenity Pack, while surround-view cameras are £450 more.

The Citroen C4 Picasso comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. That’s the same level of cover as you get with direct rivals such as the Ford C-MAX and Volkswagen Touran, but the Renault Scenic and Toyota Verso MPVs offer longer warranties. You get a four-year/100,000-mile package with the Renault and a five-year/unlimited mileage guarantee with the Toyota.

Citroen recommends servicing petrol versions of the C4 Picasso every year or 20,000 miles. Diesels also need attention annually, with the 1.6-litre HDi models’ service intervals set at 16,000 miles and the 2.0-litre versions’ at 20,000 miles.

Pre-paid maintenance plans for new Citroens or models up to a year old that have yet to have their first service cost £400 or £11.11 a month. That buys the scheduled services for three years and up to 35,000 miles. For cars over three years old, a basic check-up costs £115 and a full service sets you back £195. Citroen also offers bundle deals with annual MoT tests, so owners can pay £149 for a basic service with an MoT or £229 for a full service and an MoT.

Citroen C3

In essence, the Citroen C3 is designed to do most of what you'd want a modern supermini to do. It looks decent enough, has a varied and economical engine range, and offers plenty of space. But it's getting on in years now and feels it, lagging behind the class best in terms of handling, tech and cabin quality. It isn't particularly cheap either, which would have gone some way to making up for the shortcomings.

Those needing more space and practical features should look at the Citroen C3 Picasso, while the upmarket DS 3 supermini and DS 3 Cabrio convertible should satisfy buyers looking for more individuality, performance and a better drive.

Citroen's historic reputation has been based on its ability to do something a little bit different from the class norm. The C3 doesn’t take that off-beat approach, and instead aims to be a more conservative and competent rival to the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Hyundai i20.

The Citroen C3 is also only available with a practical five door body. That’s because Citroen has developed the three-door DS 3 range separately to attract buyers looking for a more premium feel, extra character - and a more dynamic drive. The DS 3 shares the C3’s platform and certain components such as headlamps and bonnet.

The first C3 was introduced in 2002 when you could also get a convertible version called the Pluriel, but that option disappeared when the second generation C3 appeared in 2009. One of the new car’s key features is the wide and tall windscreen with its large quarter-lights and heavily curved profile.

The current model was given a light facelift in 2013 and is available with varied choice of engines. Three-cylinder 1.0-litre and 1.2-litre petrol units give a moderate turn of pace, and are supplemented by a pair of 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesels, giving great torque and economy but pushing the price up.

There are four trim levels to choose from in the latest C3 range.  Electric front windows, remote locking and a CD player are pretty much all you get in the basic VT specification, while the VTR+ (our choice) adds air-con, cruise control and a 'Zenith' windscreen, which extends even further back over the driver. Alloy wheels are included on most VTR+ models too. The range-topping Exclusive trim stands out with a full-length panoramic windscreen, climate control and Bluetooth.

If you’re looking for even more practicality than the C3 hatchback provides, it’s worth taking a look at the C3 Picasso model, which is a mini-MPV designed to take on the Vauxhall Meriva and Nissan Note.

High speeds and motorway driving are handled pretty easily in the C3. It’s a refined long-distance cruiser, with one of the most comfortable rides in the sector. It’s softly set-up approach also pays dividends around potholed urban roads. The firm knows this is a priority for its customers, and we commend them for not following the 'sportier' trend of superminis.

But the trade-off is evident when you start to push the C3 even moderately hard, as the handling leaves a lot to be desired. The compliant suspension setup means the C3 rolls around in corners and the steering is quite vague, meaning it's pretty far away from the Ford Fiesta in terms of driver appeal. Indeed, it’s fair to say that many more up-to-the-minute rivals nail the balance between ride and handling much better.

The C3's latest three-cylinder PureTech petrol engines use direct injection technology and are designed to reduce weight along with running costs.

The C3 gets an entry-level 1.0-litre, 67bhp unit which is willing but a little sluggish for a larger supermini like this.  It’s called the PureTech 68 and comes with a five-speed manual gearbox. 0-62mph takes 14.2 seconds and it’s flat out at 101mph.

Next up is the larger 1.2-litre PureTech 82 that boosts power to 81bhp and which also – in manual guise - offers 0-62mph in 14.2 seconds, but with a 108mph top speed. Its torque is higher than the 998cc unit though, so it has a little more grunt through the gears. The PureTech engine is also available with Stop & Start and an automated gearbox, but this makes little difference to the performance figures.

The most powerful petrol engine is the 109bhp PureTech 110 S&S, which only comes with five-speed manual gears and delivers 0-62mph in 10.6 seconds and a 118mph top speed.

The C3's diesel engines are impressively economical on fuel and give decent performance, but they’re considerably more expensive and we’d only recommended them for high mileage drivers. They're at least reasonably quiet units, however.

Both diesels are versions of the same turbocharged 1.6 litre engine, starting with the 74bhp BlueHDi 75, which does 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds and 106mph. The 98bhp BlueHDi 100 S&S has more grunt – 10.8 seconds and 117mph being its headline figures.

The C3 was never an unattractive car to begin with, but the 2013 facelift addition of LED daytime running lights, a body-coloured splitter in the lower air intake and a bold double chevron grille freshened up the car’s stylish design.

Updated reflectors and taillights have also been fitted to the car’s rear end and the C3 is available in several striking body colours including the bold Ink Blue. It all helps to keep the car looking modern, but it's difficult to escape the feeling that Citroen's supermini is nearing the end of its life.

Inside, it looks adequately up-to-date with deep-set dials and colourful dash trim, while a large windscreen and bright dashboard make it feel light and airy. The range-topping Exclusive grade offers the panoramic Zenith windscreen, which extends back over your head for more light and an even airier feel.

While top-spec models offer plenty of glossy material to make them appear upmarket, if you poke and prod at a lot of the touch points they feel a little flimsy. The plastics below the normal line-of-sight levels look quite cheap, too.

It’s possible to order a black leather interior on the Exclusive model, as well as luxuries like automatic lights and wipers and an auto-dimming mirror, but even without such goodies, equipment levels feel generally decent as long as you opt for more than the entry-level VT spec. It means the C3 tends not to feel like a bargain basement car – but the price reflects this, too.

The C3 finished a disappointing 163rd place in our 2015 Driver Power survey. Part of that is due to its advancing years, but handling and build quality were particularly marked out by owners as being less than adequate.

On reliability the C3 didn’t fare too badly, with a score that ranked it 98th out of 200 cars – so just sneaking into the top 50%. Other than some trim quality issues and electrical quirks, the C3 seems to have remained relatively trouble-free mechanically. However there have been a number of recalls over its life, with issues such as fault brake servos, handbrakes and battery earthing among the most serious.

Citroen did climb 6 places as a manufacturer to 20th in 2015, but this is more likely to be because of improvements across the board in models newer than the C3. In spite of those improvements, reliability remains one of the areas that drags the manufacturer’s overall score down so there’s still work to do.
The C3’s safety rating isn’t all it might be either, having received only a four-star crash test rating from Euro NCAP when it was tested back in 2009, scoring just 40% in the safety assist category.

This is because ESP isn’t standard in the Citroen C3 range and is only an optional extra in the VTR+ and Exclusive models. The pedestrian safety score was only 33 per cent too. Driver, passenger and side airbags are included in all versions though, so at least the basics are covered, and the C3 scored quite highly for adult occupant safety at 83%. Child occupant safety was a less impressive 74%.

New Citroen DS 3 Automatic 2015

New auto gearbox aims to bring the classy DS 3 hatch in line with the top premium supermini contenders.

The DS 3’s new six-speed EAT6 automatic gearbox is a vast improvement over the old four-speed. It’s faster and smoother when shifting both up and down, plus it boosts efficiency by 36 per cent. It’s just a shame there aren’t any steering wheel-mounted paddles for when you want to flick between ratios yourself. If fun is your main priority when it comes to buying a car, the cheaper MINI Cooper is still a better bet. 

Around 13 and 18 per cent of MINI and Audi A1 sales respectively are now automatics – that’s an increase of around two per cent year-on-year. So, it’s clear that style-conscious urban drivers are placing ease of driving right at the top of their wish lists. And that trend looks set to continue.

DS, Citroen’s recently separated upmarket sub-brand, is some way behind, though. Its slow and jerky four-speed auto accounts for 4.5 per cent of DS 3 sales, with most buyers preferring the five or six-speed manual.

However, that’s all set to change later this year, when DS begins production of its new DS 3 110 PureTech turbo petrol – complete with a new six-speed automatic gearbox. 

Citroen claims it boasts 40 per cent faster shifts, plus improved economy. Compared to the old 1.6 VTi 120 auto, the 108bhp 1.2 three-cylinder turbo petrol is 28 per cent cleaner (reducing CO2 emissions by 42g/km to 108g/km) and 36 per cent better on fuel – quoting 60.1mpg versus 44mpg.

It’s faster, too, cutting the VTi’s 0-62mph time by a full second, to 9.9 seconds. Thanks to the new small turbocharger, the engine feels much more responsive than the old naturally aspirated unit, and it’s happy to cruise along at 70mph on the motorway. 

The shifts are smooth, and if you put your foot down, the DS 3 has no problem dropping a couple of cogs for a surge of acceleration. It’s not as fast as the three-cylinder MINI Cooper (0-62mph in 7.8 seconds), but it’ll feel plenty quick enough for most drivers.

Around town, the new box swaps gears seamlessly. There is a slight vibration from the three-cylinder at idle, but that’s remedied by the efficient and reliable stop/start system. As you build speed, it feels much quieter than Ford’s award-winning EcoBoost engine, as it quickly settles into rhythm.

The problem comes when you get out of the city and want to have some fun. The DS 3 is as composed as ever and finds a great compromise between ride and handling, but without steering wheel-mounted paddles, it’s hard to get the most out of this new automatic box. 

Pressing the Sport button tweaks the gearbox’s settings for shorter ratios, but if you want to shift yourself, you’re forced to use the conventional gearlever on the centre console. In this day and age, it feels quite archaic, and we preferred leaving the car to its own devices than steering with one hand through tighter bends. Still, we have no complaints about the speed at which it reacts to user input.

However, while the lengthy kit list and personalisation options will appeal to many, the near-£20,000 price tag will not. A MINI Cooper auto undercuts the DS 3 DStyle by £740 – and that’s without coughing up another £1,000 for the DStyle Nav version.

Key specs

• Price: £18,495
• Engine: 1.2-litre 3cyl turbo petrol
• Power/torque: 108bhp/205Nm
• Transmission: Six-speed auto, front-wheel drive
• 0-62mph/top speed: 9.9s/117mph
• Economy/CO2: 60.1mpg/108g/km
• On sale: Now