Citroen C4 Picasso MPV (2007 – ) expert review

1. Exterior

The Citroen C4 Picasso has to be one of the most stylish MPVs on sale at the moment, with its curvy roof line and rising kinked waistline. Design highlights include the massive panoramic front windscreen, wraparound glass and angular rear light clusters. Considering the styling is over four years old, we think it still looks quite futuristic when compared with rivals such as the latest Ford C-MAX and SEAT Altea.

Our rating: 4

2. Interior

The inside of the C4 Picasso is as futuristic as the exterior, with features such as centre-mounted digital instruments and the steering wheel with its fixed central hub. The dashboard design is attractive and the quality of the textured plastics and seat trim are  a pleasant surprise too, making the C4 Picasso appear much more expensive than you might expect. The panoramic windscreen and glass roof make the interior a very light, airy place to be. We are not a fan of some of the switchgear or the oddly placed air-con controls on the driver’s side of the car.  The shiny chromed plastic around the interior gives the  car a cheaper feel and will scratch easily.

Our rating: 4

3. Practicality

Sadly, an excellent driving position in the C4 Picasso is spoilt by too little foot room. This, along with a clutch rest that’s mounted too high, can make for an uncomfortable drive. Still, headroom in the front is fine for taller drivers and the seats are both supportive and comfortable. There is plenty of headroom and legroom for the three individual rear seats and these move forward and back to increase practicality. The 550-litre boot is a practical shape and compares well to its rivals. The three rear seats fold down easily to increase space to 1,734 litres. The C4 Picasso’s short front and rear overhangs make it difficult to judge distance when parking and manoeuvring. Parking sensors are an option.

Our rating: 3

4. Ride and handling

The C4 Picasso’s ride is always refined, but the imprecise steering and wallowy handling mean it is not as satisfying or as much fun to drive as either the C-MAX or Altea. However, grip is generally good and the C4 Picasso is easy to drive, with light controls.

Our rating 4

5. Performance

Top speed for the 120bhp 1.6-litre petrol VTR+ test car we had was 116mph, with the dash to 62mph taking 12.1 seconds. This is far slower than the Ford (9.4 seconds) or the SEAT (10.3 seconds). The C4 Picasso’s 1.6-litre petrol engine is best described as adequate, but for a more frugal performance, the HDi diesels are probably a better proposition. Our test car was fitted with the notchy five-speed manual transmission. A semi-automatic EGS gearbox is also available, but we can’t really recommend it, as it feels jerky and performance from the 1.6-litre is even more lacklustre.

Our rating: 3

6. Running costs

The C4 Picasso’s running costs should be no worse than rivals and you can expect 40mpg from the 1.6-litre petrol and a 159 g/km CO2 figure. Expect HDi diesel models to be more frugal but more expensive to service.

Our rating: 3

7. Reliability

Quality seems to be good, but the C4 on which it’s based has suffered electrical and mechanical problems. So buy with care. There have been several recalls for issues including the handbrake, braking system and panoramic sunroof.

Our rating: 3

8. Safety

The C4 Picasso is a top performer in Euro NCAP crash tests, with a five-star rating. All cars have seven airbags (dual front, side, curtain and driver’s knee), anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD), electronic stability programme (ESP) four Isofix child seat anchor points and hill start assist. Options on top models include a lane departure system.

Our rating: 5

9. Equipment

All C4 Picasso models are well-equipped with cruise control, electric mirrors, electric front windows and remote central locking. On top of this, our test car also had a CD player and air-con.

Our rating: 4

10. Why buy?

It might be a MPV, but where the C4 Picasso scores over the C-Max and Altea, is that it looks stylish, has a really practical interior with plenty stowage space and is well-equipped.

Our rating: 4