Citroën C3 Picasso MPV full 9 point review
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Performance
C3 Picasso buyers can choose from four engines: 94bhp 1.4- and 118bhp 1.6-litre petrols or 91bhp and 107bhp 1.6 diesels. The 1.4 petrol is worth considering if you do most of your driving around town, but it feels a bit weedy on faster roads. The 1.6 petrol offers useful extra muscle, while both diesels are strong and flexible. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard across the range.
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Ride & Handling
The C3 Picasso has soft suspension, so it wafts along serenely, whatever your speed. The downside of this is that the nose of the car rises and falls in tandem with every touch of the throttle. There's a lot of body lean in bends, too, but the handling always feels secure because there's loads of grip. The steering is light and effortless around town, but it weights up reassuringly once you're going quicker.
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Refinement
Some wind noise can be heard around the windscreen, and range-topping Exclusive models come with roof bars, which also kick up a bit of din. However, the C3 Picasso is still a very refined car. Road noise is extremely well contained and the engines are generally smooth and quiet. The long-throw gearbox isn't the slickest you'll ever use, though.
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Buying & Owning
The C3 Picasso is one of the more expensive mini-MPVs, but Citroen dealers are famous for big discounts, so consider the price a starting point for negotiation. The petrols both average over 40mpg, while the 108bhp diesel manages 57.6mpg and the 91bhp unit does 60.1mpg. All of the engines sit in low company car tax bands, too. Just don't expect the C3 Picasso to hold its value particularly well.
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Quality & Reliability
In the past, small Citroens have had low-rent interiors, but the C3 Picasso looks classy. There are metallic highlights around the vents and some models have appealing mock-Bakelite heater controls. The dashboard is also nicely textured, even if the plastics themselves are hard. It's early days to report on reliability, but initial signs are good, as owners rated it very highly in the 2011 customer satisfaction survey.
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Safety & Security
Front airbags are standard across the range, but it's disappointing that entry-level VT cars miss out on side and curtain airbags. Stability control is only a cost option, whichever model you choose. An immobiliser, marked parts and deadlocks should all make life difficult for thieves.
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Behind The Wheel
The cabin feels airy, and forward vision is exceptional thanks to a wrap-around windscreen with skinny pillars. Drivers of all shapes and sizes should be able to make themselves comfortable, too, because there's a good range of seat and steering wheel adjustment. It's just a pity that the wheel obscures part of the well-ordered centre console.
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Space & Practicality
The C3 Picasso is only slightly longer than conventional superminis, but it's a lot roomier inside, because the high roofline allows more upright seating. The rear bench seat is split 60/40, with the two pieces sliding back and forth so you can make the most of all that space. Boot capacity ranges from a generous 385 litres to an estate car-rivalling 500, and the rear bench can be folded flat in a jiffy.
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Equipment
Every C3 Picasso comes with remote central locking, front electric windows and a CD player, but you have to upgrade to the mid-level VTR+ trim to get rear electric windows, alloy wheels and air-conditioning. Range-topping Exclusive cars also come with luxuries such as climate control, electric folding door mirrors and rear parking sensors.
C3 Picasso rivals
C3 Picasso used rivals
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Citroën C3 Picasso MPV 1.6 VTi VTR+ 5dr
This is the best C3 Picasso you can buy, thanks to the punchy engine, reasonable running costs and impressive safety kit. Expensive, but worth every penny.
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