New Citroen C3 Picasso Exclusive Special Offers

The 1.6-litre VTi C3 Picasso offers more performance than the diesels most will choose. Steve Walker takes a look.

Performance isn't usually top priority for supermini MPV buyers, so the 1.6-litre VTi petrol engine is unlikely to be the strongest seller in the C3 Picasso range. To be fair, it's not particularly fast anyway, but its lack of prominence in the range is mainly down to the fact that you can buy a comparable but more frugal diesel version of this car for not a lot more. Still, if you must have a petrol-engined C3 Picasso, this unit is well up to the job of powering an impressively designed package.

The last thing that an MPV should be doing is trading its ability to fit lots of stuff inside for slick styling or sparky driving dynamics. If, however, a vehicle can retain space for a family and its accoutrements while attracting admiring glances from pedestrians and thrilling the brow-beaten parent behind the wheel, well, that would be something close to people carrier nirvana. Citroen's C3 Picasso is one supermini-based MPV that tries to go beyond the call of duty in this way but has it spread itself too thinly? Here, we'll take a look at the 1.6-litre VTi models that aim to introduce a little more zip into this practical package.

Citroen's Picasso series has been the cornerstone of its MPV success over recent years. It all started with the phenomenally popular and curiously egg-shaped Xsara Picasso, a car that was subsequently replaced by the C4 Picasso. Both of these models are based on Citroen's family hatchback underpinnings but the C3 Picasso is fashioned around a smaller supermini platform and slots into the range below the C4 Picasso range. It also adopts a more adventurous design approach than we've become used to seeing on Citroen's people carrying products.

The highlight of the C3 Picasso's performance on the road is its ride comfort. The suspension is supple over surface imperfections but taut enough to maintain its composure through humps and dips. The car changes direction smartly with responsive steering that's light around town but grows heavier as speeds. For really pressing on, a little more heft in the helm would be preferable but that may be asking too much from a supermini MPV.

It corners neatly too with none of the body roll that has afflicted so many of Citroen's past efforts. The gearbox action is a little loose and long throw and the stiff brake pedal feels at-odds with the long travel of throttle and clutch but otherwise, the C3 Picasso is a minor revelation to drive.

The 1.6-litre VTi engine has 120bhp at its disposal and that equates to a healthy turn of pace for a supermini-based MPV. The 0-60mph sprint isn't going to worry the hot hatch fraternity but it's respectable and drivers won't be left frantically swapping gears when they need to overtake or a hill presents itself. It's a sweet engine that uses variable valve timing technology to optimise its performance and it's used in numerous models across the Citroen and Peugeot ranges as well as in BMW's MINI.

MPVs need lots of interior space which necessitates boxy exterior dimensions. There isn't really any getting away from this but an astute designer can disguise the fact that the car is the shape of a garden shed. On the C3 Picasso, this trick has been achieved with some style. It's a box but the rounded edges and circular detailing successfully draw attention away from that fact. There's barely a straight line on the thing and it seems likely that the people behind it had at least a passing familiarity with Nissan's Cube. The three-piece windscreen with its split side pillars enhances an already excellent view out at the front and access through the wide door and tailgate apertures is easy. Thick C-pillars can be a problem when reversing.

The design theme inside the car mirrors that of the exterior with corners replaced by curves. The plastics aren't of the highest quality you'll find in the supermini-MPV sector but Citroen does appear to have upped its game in terms of build quality. The gimmicky features that appear in other Citroen models like the fixed-hub steering wheel and the multiple digital displays are swapped for a much cleaner and more stylish look with a hint of the retro about it. There's also a huge amount of space.

Citroen's creation isn't particularly long compared to its direct rivals but at 1730mm, it is very wide. With the front seat adjusted for a six-footer to drive, there's still plenty of legroom behind and more headroom than anyone bar the ludicrously tall would ever need. The front seat can be raised to give commanding, almost 4x4-style driving position which many buyers will like but that does make the handbrake hard to reach. The C3 Picasso gains a further edge over its rivals with a monstrous boot of up to 500-litres that extends to 1,560 litres with the rear seats folded. Folding the seats to create a flat load floor can be done with one hand and there's even a compartment under the boot floor to stow the parcel shelf in.

Only the plusher VTR+ and Exclusive trims are available with the 1.6-litre VTi engine. That means all buyers get the C3 Picasso basics like remote central locking, a trip computer, electric door mirrors, electric front windows and a CD stereo. Then the VTR+ has front fog lights, cruise control, air-conditioning and 16" alloy wheels.

For just over £1,000 more, the Exclusive adds rear parking sensors, roof bars, rain-sensing wipers, automatic lights and oddly, is the only model with electric rear windows. All models in the range have twin front airbags and ABS but the VTR+ adds lateral and curtain airbags while the Exclusive has ESP stability control.

The 1.6-litre VTi engine is priced very closely to the 90bhp 1.6-litre HDi diesel. This gives customers an interesting choice between the diesel's superior economy and low-end torque and the petrol's extra outright pace. This being a supermini-MPV, one suspects that the HDi will come up trumps with many buyers being only £300 more expensive but the petrol is the more satisfying engine overall.

The C3 Picasso's diesel engines return around 60mpg on the combined cycle and emissions are pegged at 128g/km for the 90bhp model. The 1.6-litre VTi can only return around 41mpg and produces 159g/km of CO2. The oil-burner will be the more cost-effective car to run for most but don't make a decision until you've tried the quieter, higher-revving petrol.

In its C3 Picasso, Citroen has managed to fashion a supermini-MPV without conspicuous faults. It does the MPV essentials in some style but also looks more interesting than we've come to expect in this sector and drives extremely well. The 1.6-litre petrol engine isn't the most affordable option in the range but it has something to offer for the minority of buyers in this sector who will value performance over economy.

With big interior space and an adaptable seating system, good visibility and nimble low-speed handling, the C3 Picasso is a fine small MPV. Some of the interior plastics aren't as high class as in rival products, the gearbox isn't great and the steering could use a little more weight at speed but these are small issues in what is an outstanding all-rounder.