Used Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer 2018-2022 review

If you need a good, used seven-seat car but don’t want something that looks like a box with four wheels and some windows, what can you buy? Some would suggest the answer is the car you see here, the spacious but funky Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer.

Better yet, it was our What Car? MPV of the Year in 2021, thanks to its exceptional value for money, low running costs, and highly flexible seven-seat interior.

Engines & Performance: There's a 128bhp 1.2 Puretech petrol engine option as well as three diesels: a 99bhp or 118bhp 1.6 BlueHDi, a 128bhp 1.5 BlueHDi, or a 158bhp 2.0 BlueHDi.

The 1.2 petrol, and 1.5 and 1.6 diesels can be had with a six-speed manual, with an eight-speed automatic available with the 1.2 petrol and 1.5 diesel. The 2.0 diesel is auto only.

Ride & Handling: On the road, it rides and handles well for a car of this size and is reasonably refined. The light steering makes easy work of parking and low-speed manoeuvres. However, it’s also rather numb, so doesn’t inspire confidence on faster roads.

The supple suspension deals with big bumps pretty well, however, so you won’t wince every time you encounter a speed bump. Unfortunately, patchy, eroded surfaces unsettle the car a little too easily, especially at low speeds, meaning a trip through town isn’t as comfortable as it might be.

Interior & Practicality: Visibility is excellent in the SpaceTourer due to thin roof pillars and big windows. The driving position is good with plenty of adjustment, although it could do with more lumbar support. There are tonnes of storage areas, which is just as well because the glovebox is tiny.

A flat rear floor and three individual middle-row seats mean that the SpaceTourer is perfect for both multiple children's car seats and broad-shouldered adults. True, the third-row is pokey, but you can slide the middle chairs forward to share leg room. With the third-row in place, a Ford Galaxy has greater luggage capacity, but when folded, you have a large, flat load area with a low entrance height that is especially good for dogs.

Like the previous Grand C4 Picasso, the Grand C4 SpaceTourer has a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating and every model has six airbags, an electronic stability program and automatic emergency braking. You will have to upgrade to a Flair version to get additional safety tech such as blind spot monitoring and lane-keeping assistance, or find a Feel model with the optional Convenience Pack that has these features.

Trims & Equipment: Entry-level Touch offers air-con, electric windows and a 7.0in touchscreen. However, next-step-up Feel offers a huge 12in driver display, sat-nav and rear parking sensors. Top-spec Flair has an electric tailgate, a reversing camera, along with extra safety tech such as automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring.

The range was updated in late 2020 to Live, Sense and Shine, and are essentially renames of what went before, except the entry-level Live model gained rear parking sensors and the 12in driver display and mid-range Sense has a reversing camera and safety pack.

Interested in buying a used Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

Expect to spend around £9000 for a 2018 or 2019 car, most likely from an independent dealer. Increase your budget to £13,000 or more for a 2020 car, or upwards of £15,000 for something from 2021. At the top end, the final 2022 examples go for around £23,000.

Check the value of a used Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer with What Car? Valuations

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MPG: The SpaceTourer 1.5 BlueHDi 130 diesel-engined cars offer 58.1mpg under the WLTP tests, while the 2.0 BlueHDi 160 averages 47.1mpg. The 1.2 petrol is still pretty efficient at 46.9mpg combined.

Road tax: All Grand C4 SpaceTourers will have been registered after the road tax system changed on 1 April 2017, so you'll have to pay a yearly flat-rate fee. This is currently £180 per year.

Insurance and servicing: The Grand C4 SpaceTourer should be serviced annually or every 10,000 miles. A Citroën service plan starts from just £15.99 per month on examples that are less than 12 months old. Alternatively, you can pay on the day, with the first service being £199 and the second year being £249.

Once your Grand C4 SpaceTourer is more than three years old, you'll can opt for fixed-price at £179 for a minor service, and £299 for a major visit.

Reliability

The Grand C4 Spacetourer shows a varied reliability picture according to our latest What Car? Reliability Survey. Owners have faced challenges with the electronics, such as infotainment glitches and inconsistent warning lights, alongside mechanical hiccups, especially in the diesel model's transmission, leading to expensive repairs. Despite these issues, the Citroën dealer network is often commended for its effective service and responsiveness. Yet, experiences differ, with some customers highlighting delays in problem diagnosis and resolution. This mixed feedback suggests that while dealer service is a strong point, reliability concerns remain for certain owners.

Discover more about the reliability of the Grand C4 Spacetourer on our dedicated reliability page.

Engines: All the engines on offer in the Grand C4 SpaceTourer acquit themselves well, but it’s the 1.5-litre diesel in the 130 output that we prefer for its blend of economy and performance. It’s smooth and gutsy, even with seven people on board, and yet it’s still economical. However, if you mostly do short trips in town, the 1.2 petrol will do just fine.

The manual gearbox can feel notchy and its action is imprecise. You could eliminate the need to change gear yourself altogether if you go for the automatic, but you'll need to weigh up if you can put up with the sluggish way it responds when setting off.

Trim: Of the three trims on offer, entry-level Touch has all you could need, but Feel is our favourite because it has the 12in driver display, sat-nav and rear parking sensors. Top-spec Flair is great, too, but it’s pricey new, which might translate into unnecessary expense on the used car forecourt.

Try and find a Grand C4 SpaceTourer with the optional Convenience Pack for additional safety tech.

Our favourite Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer: 1.5 BlueHDi 130 Feel

The Grand C4 SpaceTourer is admirably spacious, but there are some that are even bigger.

The Ford Galaxy is an extremely practical and thoroughly capable people-carrier easily up to the task of transporting seven people smartly from one location to the next. In fact, so good is it that it’s almost the de facto choice for taxis on the airport run.

The Seat Alhambra matches the Galaxy for size, both inside and out, with a simple engine range of one petrol and one diesel, plus a choice of handsomely kitted trims. It rides and handles well, especially for a car of this type and size, and its space and practicality are superb.

Consider also the Volkswagen Sharan, which shares much with the Alhambra, although it is a little more pricey new, which is bound to reflect on its used values.

The VW Touran is not as large an MPV as the others here, but it’s a classy product that is well made and great to drive. There’s room for seven, even if those rearmost two passengers won’t have as much room to lounge as they would in the others.

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Interested in buying a used Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.