What are you driving?
This is Citroen's Grand C4 Picasso MPV, which was given a mild facelift in 2016, though you'll have to look hard to notice any real differences to the exterior. As seven-seat people carriers go, the Citroen has one of the more striking designs in the segment, delivering form and function in equal measure.
Powered, in this case, by a 120hp 1.6-litre diesel engine, it can prove to be quite economical on longer journeys. Around town or on a school run the six-speed manual gearbox can become a bit tiresome to use as the engine is setup more for fuel economy than performance, so you may find yourself shifting gears more frequently than you'd like. If your budget can stretch the €1,600 extra to the automatic, we feel it's worth doing. It may have a less traditional stalk-mounted gear selector, but in our experience, it shifts through gears smoothly.
The driving position is slightly elevated, and the view ahead is good thanks to that large windscreen and the split A-pillar design, which is especially useful when pulling out from junctions. Given its overall size, the Grand C4 Picasso is quite manoeuvrable. Its steering is light, but you always feel in control at speed.
Name its best bits
Citroen deserves some credit for how the exterior of the Grand C4 Picasso looks, but it is the interior that is most impressive. The panoramic windscreen and dashboard that features two large display screens give the cabin a spacious and modern look. Equally fitting are the materials that Citroen has chosen for the interior. Instead of acres of hard black plastic, the French company has utilised soft-touch materials that are nicely textured, although we do wonder what it will be like when you're trying to scrape whatever food has been inadvertently mashed into it by one of the younger passengers...
There is lots of storage space within easy reach, including a centre console area that acts much like a mini glove box. This section also has USB ports, allowing it to become a convenient place to leave your phone when it's charging.
When it comes to passenger seating, the Grand C4 Picasso scores highly. The fact that all five rear chairs are individual seats is a plus and the layout offers a good degree of versatility. If you don't need the two rearmost seats they can quickly and easily be folded flat into the boot floor, which then flips over them with a cover to provide an entirely flat space. When they are required, you just have to fold back the cover and pull them up by their rear fabric handle, and they simply click into position. You can also fold all five rear seats flat resulting in a huge cargo volume.
Anything that bugs you?
While the dual-screen setup of the dashboard looks good, it does make some everyday tasks, such as changing the temperature a bit less convenient, as you can only access these by the lower touchscreen. Not only does this increase the chances of you taking your eye off the road, but the system can also lag a bit from input, meaning it's never as fast as just turning a dial.
And why have you given it this rating?
The Citroen Grand C4 Picasso is a full-size seven-seat MPV that doesn't sacrifice functionality for its style. It remains one of the best-looking cars in its segment, and its range of engines provides low running costs. There are some minor niggles, but overall it is a car that should prove versatile enough to suit most family requirements.
I want to know more
Go to our Ask Us Anything page, send us a question and we'll give you as much detail as you need on any specific aspect of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso.
