New Citroen C4 Picasso VTR Special Offers

Citroen's improved C4 Picasso brings a certain sophistication to the mini-MPV market. It's available in Grand guise as a seven-seater for big families and as a smaller bodied five-seater for those with more modest reproductive aspirations. Jonathan Crouch checks out the five seat model.

If you thought Citroen's seven-seater Grand C4 Picasso was a looker, this chunky five-seat model won't alter your perspective. With the same choice of engines and the same five-star EuroNCAP crash rating but with a shorter wheelbase, this car shows that mini-MPVs don't have to be bland in order to succeed. It's now got a feistier range of engines and sharper styling too.

Citroen has always been rather good at five-seat mini-MPVs. The original Xsara Picasso was a testament to their boldness and clever dealer support, outselling apparently more sophisticated rivals like Vauxhall's Zafira and Fiat's Multipla. In that, it was helped by aggressive price promotion and a focus on the things that really mattered to UK buyers - space, rugged build and utility. These days, this C4 Picasso aims to pull off the same kind of trick.

In this, it's been aided by a recent refresh that has included a sharpening of the styling, more equipment and a more up-to-date range of engines. Will it show that bold design and keen pricing can once again be a winning tactic? Let's find out.

With a choice of a 120bhp VTi or 155bhp THP 1.6-litre petrol engines or 110bhp 1.6 or 150 or 160bhp 2.0-litre HDi diesel units, C4 Picasso drivers won't be wanting for decent powerplants. The driving experience is geared towards comfort and safety rather than outright handling prowess. The car is extremely refined on the road but the diesel engines do betray their presence by sending more vibrations through the cabin at idle than their petrol counterparts. The suspension soaks up the bumps in a very composed manner and performs well enough through corners, although this isn't a vehicle that you feel like pressing on in with its light steering and mild performance. It makes far more sense to sit back and enjoy what is a very relaxed driving experience and the highly original interior.

Climbing aboard the C4 Picasso for the first time may leave you a little taken aback. The glass area is huge and the panoramic windscreen arcs overhead. Wishbone-shaped windscreen pillars have glazed centre sections to further boost visibility and the sun visors can slide forward when needed to shield the eyes of front seat occupants on sunny days. Factor in the low window line and Citroen have created a kind of greenhouse for the growing family where all five occupants get an unhindered view out.

Styling tweaks on the latest models are relatively minor: Citroen's new chevron design on the front grille and tailgate, a revised front bumper and smarter headlights and rear light clusters. Otherwise, things are as practical as before. Although the C4 Picasso's athletic stance is the first thing to catch your eye, the second is the wide-angle panoramic windscreen that rises up and over the front seat occupants, doubling vertical visibility in the front to seventy degrees compared to 35 degrees in a standard MPV. As a result, on first acquaintance, the sheer acreage of glass in front of the driver can be a little unnerving. It's almost like the cockpit of a jet fighter. By slimming down the windscreen pillars, the effect of airiness and front visibility is increased still further. It's not just a styling affect either, the added field of view making it easier to spot motorbikes, cycles and pedestrians coming while preventing the usual craned neck when negotiating small roundabouts.

We're not sure if someone at Citroen has been getting a backhander from a glass manufacturer because the C4 Picasso also features the biggest sunroof in its class, the extensive side windows too help edge it towards having the largest glazed area of any mini MPV. All of this glass means that the vehicle needs a seriously punchy air-conditioning system to prevent it become a mobile propagator. The C4 Picasso utilises its available space very well. That wheel at each corner stance doesn't just look good, it also maximises space for the all important passenger cell. The boot has a 500-litre capacity which is about par for the course for a five-seater vehicle. Fold the rear seats down and there's a massive 1.734 litres of available space.

The C4 Picasso goes head to head with cars like the Volkswagen Golf Plus, the Ford C-MAX and the Renault Scenic - in other words, the qulaity offerings in the mini-MPV sector. As such it'll need more than just a pretty face to succeed.

Automatic and sequential manual gearboxes are offered to free up floorspace and at prices around £500 cheaper than the Grand C4 Picasso, it looks solid if not spectacular value.

* A Family View - Will It Suit Us?

Citroen's latest e-HDi micro-hybrid technology combines a second-generation Stop & Start system, a reversible alternator that recovers energy during braking, an e-booster function that re-starts the engine instantly (in 0.4 seconds) and a refined Euro 5 HDi 110bhp DPFS engine with a 6-speed EGS transmission. This advanced powertrain delivers combined cycle economy of 58.9mpg for the C4 Picasso, with CO2 emissions of 125g/km. In built-up, urban environments, this innovative technology can lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by as much as 15%.

If you opt for a more powerful diesel, the 2.0HDi 150bhp engine comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox, which delivers combined cycle fuel economy of 49.6mpg. A 2.0HDi 160bhp variant with a 6-speed automatic gearbox is also available on top Exclusive models. Citroen's Picasso brand has a good reputation on the used market and it holds its value better that many of the marque's other products. Insurance is between groups 6 and 11.

Citroen needed to box rather clever with this C4 Picasso and it looks as if they've pitched it almost perfectly. No other mini-MPV looks as good and none will be able to rival the technology that the French company can borrow from the C4 hatch and lever into the Picasso. That includes functions like an electronic automated manual gearbox, lane departure warning systems and the clever fixed hub steering wheel. Options like video screens in the headrests will be very popular with family buyers as will the Picasso's five-star EuroNCAP safety rating.

Although it departs a little from the Xsara Picasso's spectacularly successful cheap and cheerful philosophy, the added utility of this model isn't hard to appreciate. Our guess is that many loyal Citroen customers will be happy to pay the premium.