Best MPVs of 2013

Citroen C3 Picasso

Best MPV less than £18,000

The Citroen C3 Picasso was our favourite small MPV last year, and nothing has come along since to change that. Indeed, a mid-life face-lift has made the Picasso an even better proposition.

The tall sides, narrow pillars and wide expanse of glass make the cabin light and airy, and also give excellent visibility for everyone inside. Then there are all the practical touches; there's loads of space for a start, but also lots of clever stowage for odds and ends, and the rear seats slide and fold to make the best use of all that room. It has a big boot, too.

Okay, so the lack of central pillars might give the rival Ford B-Max unique appeal, and the Hyundai ix20 and Nissan Note are good, but none of these cars ticks as many boxes as the dinky Citroen.

VTR+ is the best trim, with air-con, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, alloy wheels and six airbags fitted as standard.

For us, the pick of the engine range is the 1.4-litre petrol unit. It averages more than 40mpg and comes with a five-speed manual gearbox rather than the awkward EGS semi-auto in the 1.6.

Read the full Citroen C3 Picasso review