USED Citroën Grand C4 Picasso MPV (07 - )

The C4 Grand Picasso is good enough to have won our MPV of the Year twice in a row. Not only does it have enough space of all the family, but its innovative design and practicality make it great to live with.

The C4 Grand Picasso is substantially identical to the slightly smaller C4 Picasso, apart from being a bit longer, having a restyled rear and having an extra row of seats in the back. Five adults can sit in comfort, but the back two are best left to children.

You can also slide the rear seats forwards and back to maximise legroom or extend the boot space. The third row of seats is quick and easy to fold into place, and there's still space for luggage when they're in use.

For an MPV, it's good to drive, with a soft ride that copes well with bumps. It does lean a little through corners, and the steering could do with more feel. The large windows give good visibility, but generate a fair amount of wind noise.

The diesels make the most sense in a car of this size, due to their economy and pulling power.

The 108bhp 1.6-litre diesel performs well, and suits the car. Consider the 138bhp 2.0 version only if the price is right - don't pay too much because it's not vastly better. If you want a petrol C4 Grand Picasso, then choose between the 1.8- and 2.0-litre engines. We'd go for the first, because it's not much slower than the second.

Stretch your budget, if possible, so that you can avoid the entry-level LX model. It's sparsely equipped and doesn't even have air-con. The SX is a much better bet, but the VTR+ gets alloy wheels and rear electric windows, and the Exclusive has climate control and parking sensors. Both 2.0-litre models are only available in these last two trims.

The manual gearbox is clunky and vague, so we'd go for the EGS option - a semi-manual gearbox which changes gear at the tug of a steering wheel-mounted paddle. It can take a while to get used to the way the gearbox works, and there's a knack to getting the smoothest changes.

The Picasso will cost more to service than rivals such as the Ford S-Max, but you should be able to cut your bills if you shop around dealers for the best prices. Because the C4 Grand Picasso is only a few years old, many cars are still under Citroen's warranty.

The diesels are much more fuel-efficient, giving between 46mpg and 49mpg, with both petrol engines giving an average of 35mpg. Insurance bills shouldn't worry you, with the entry-level cars starting at group 6, and the range rising to group 9.

Depreciation is usually a sticking point with Citroens, but because the Picasso is an MPV, it should fare better than other models. Because it's got the added attraction of seven seats, it should hold its value better than the regular C4 Picasso.

It's too early to tell just how reliable the C4 Picasso will be. Initial reports look good, with owners mainly complaining about the interior build quality and the EGS gearbox.

One of the most common complaints about the new Picasso is interior build quality. Bits of trim working loose or breaking, as well as seat fabrics not wearing well, mean that it might not stand up to the rigours of family life.

The one-piece bumper design might look sleek, but it'll prove expensive when it's time to repair accident damage. The insurance industry's research centre, Thatcham, believes that a 6mph shunt to either end could result in a repair bill of over £1300.

The EGS semi-manual gearbox was problematic when first introduced, but a software upgrade makes it easier to use and smoother. There are also reports of early clutch failure on the EGS.

There have also been reports of other random failures, but these don't appear to follow any trends. Build quality has improved since the car was introduced, with the later models looking more reliable.