Item: Used Citroën Grand C4 Picasso 2007-2013
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

Big seven-seat MPVs have been falling in popularity of late, with customers defecting to trendy SUVs instead. However, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/s-max/mpv/used-review/n361">Ford S-Max</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/galaxy/mpv/used-review/n348">Galaxy</a> still offer bigger families practical seven-seat motoring without you having to resort to something with a high ride height or four-wheel drive. The S-Max is the sportier of the two, with the more squared-off design of the Galaxy offering the most interior versatility.

If you don’t wish to spend quite as much, then take a look at the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/grand-scenic/mpv/used-review/n17881">Renault Grand Scenic</a>. It’s not much cop to drive, but it is very safe, has plenty of oddments storage and a range of very economical diesel engines.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

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<h3 dir="ltr">Isofix child seat</h3>

You’ll need to use a top-tether system to secure a child seat because there are hidden storage compartments in the rear footwell. The false floor covers you can hide items under won’t be able to support the weight of the legs on a child seat&nbsp;in a collision.

<h3 dir="ltr">Rear suspension spheres</h3>

The pneumatic, self-levelling rear suspension fitted to some models will eventually fail. It’s more costly to replace than ordinary springs and dampers and, therefore, some owners have removed them altogether and fit suspension from lesser Grand C4s. If you do this, however, the car won’t handle the same when loaded up. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Braking assistance</h3>

Some models built between 15 May 2006 and 22 December 2006 could suffer from braking issues. The check valve within the brake assistance vacuum pump may not be up to specification and may, over time, reduce braking assistance.

<h3 dir="ltr">Glass roof problem</h3>

The panoramic roofs on some cars built between 28 February 2007 and 28 June 2007 may have incorrect bonding, which means that there’s a risk the glass roof could become loose. If this is not rectified, in the long term&nbsp;the moulding could detach.

<h3 dir="ltr">Caliper problem</h3>

Some cars built between 12 September 2009 and 30 October 2009 can have problematic calipers because the fixing screws were not to the correct standard, which may result in them coming loose under pressure. Check with your local Citroën dealer to make sure there are no outstanding recalls.

<h3 dir="ltr">Parking brake</h3>

The parking brakes on some models built between 5 July 2006 and 10 May 2007 were faulty. The parking brake might not be able to secure the car on steep gradients due to one of the cables installed during manufacture not being up to specification.

<h3 dir="ltr">Electrical issues</h3>

A faulty ECU on some examples built between 1 February 2008 and 13 June 2008 could deteriorate, leading to additional faults and perhaps even failure of certain equipment including the wipers, lights and battery.

<h3 dir="ltr">Seatbelt</h3>

Some models built between 2 December 2009 and 3 December 2009 had seatbelt faults where the front seatbelts may not click in properly, meaning passengers might not be securely fastened in the event of a violent impact.

<h3 dir="ltr">Fuel leak&nbsp;on diesel cars</h3>

Some cars built between 8 July 2010 and 13 October 2010 may suffer from fuel leaks. The fuel return pipes may chafe on the diesel fuel filter, leading to a potential fuel leak and possible fire.

<h3 dir="ltr">Seatbelt bolts</h3>

Another recall related to seatbelts: the fixing bolts in the seat runners for both front seats can on some cars built on 22 November 2011 work lose, and potentially snap in a collision.

<h3 dir="ltr">Starter motor</h3>

The wiring harness for the starter motor in some models built between 5 July 2006 and 30 September 2010 can rub against other engine components and fray. Over time, this can cause electrical problems and, in the worst cases, fires.

<h3 dir="ltr">EGS gearbox</h3>

The EGS is an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/which-type-of-automatic-gearbox-should-i-buy/n17022">automated-manual gearbox</a> that changes gear at the tug of a steering wheel-mounted paddle. However, there have been a number of complaints of it needing anything from simple software updates to full clutch replacements. Make sure you assess it thoroughly on the test drive.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/citroen">Citroën</a> as a brand doesn’t have the best reputation for reliability and managed only 25th place out of 31 car manufacturers in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey. However, this generation of Grand C4 Picasso has been off sale for a number of years and the information provided in this survey will have little relevance.

So, you’ll need to pay close attention to the car’s service history and general condition. If it has been regularly serviced and looks well kept, then it is more likely to start every morning and offer you dependable service.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17826">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;pages for more information.

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Citroën is probably most famous for its quirky design, and the latest cars from the brand live up to this tradition, featuring paintwork-protecting ‘Airbumps’ and eschewing the sporty looks favoured by most rivals.

Indeed, Citroën tends to keep away from sportiness altogether and instead tries to put comfort first.

Value (but not cheapness) is also key to the appeal of most Citroëns. And the company’s range includes everything from small hatchbacks (such as the C1 and C3) to big, family-friendly seven-seaters (the Spacetourer and Grand C4 Spacetourer).

The C3 Aircross SUV is another of its popular models, while a larger C5 Aircross is planned.

CITROEN

GRAND C4 PICASSO

A stylish people mover that's highly practical and relatively inexpensive to run, but easy to drive rather than fun

Used Citroën Grand C4 Picasso 2007 - 2013

The 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesel engines are the most fuel-efficient Grand C4 Picassos available, with NEDC figures of 53.3mpg and 49.6mpg respectively. The 118bhp 1.6 VTi petrol engine is slightly more frugal, at 37.7mpg, than either the 127bhp 1.8 or 143bhp 2.0-litre petrols, which both return an economy figure 35.3mpg.

Insurance bills should be competitive with rivals, although repair costs from even low-speed accidents can begin to mount up. 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 Picasso will cost more to service than rivals such as the Ford S-Max. A 10,000-mile/12-month minor service at a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/citroen">Citroën</a> main dealer costs £179, while a major 24-month/20,000-mile service is £299.

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Used Citroën Grand C4 Picasso 2007-2013

A stylish people mover that's highly practical and relatively inexpensive to run, but easy to drive rather than fun

Early examples can be found for a few hundred pounds now, but they’ll often be high-mileage examples or cars with numerous issues. Spend between £2000-£2500 to find something with a full-service history that has covered less than 100,000 miles. You’ll find many tidy examples of a pre-facelift Grand C4 Picasso with below-average mileage for £3500.

A decent post-facelift car from 2011 onwards will set you back a little over £4500. If you want to plump for one of the very last examples from 2013, set aside about £8500 for a Grand C4 Picasso with 20,000-30,000 miles on the clock.

Check the value of a used Citroën Grand C4 with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

A&nbsp;diesel engine makes the most sense in a car of this size, due to their economy and pulling power. We find that the 108bhp 1.6-litre diesel suits the car best because the 138bhp 2.0 version isn’t vastly better. If you want a petrol-powered Grand C4 Picasso, then choose between the 1.8- and 2.0-litre engines. We'd go for the former because it's not much slower than the latter.

Stretch your budget, if possible, and 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 therefore looks a lot smarter. The Exclusive has climate control and parking sensors but isn’t necessarily worth the extra cost.

The manual gearbox may be clunky and vague, but it is likely to be more dependable than the EGS option, so you might as well stick with a traditional manual.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/citroen">Citroën</a> Grand C4 Picasso: 1.6 HDi VTR+ manual

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

One of the most common complaints about the Grand C4 Picasso is interior build quality, with numerous mentions of bits of trim working loose or breaking. The textured finish on some of the switches can go tacky and can eventually wear off, leaving a sticky mess. Test everything to make sure your used example is in as good a condition as possible and avoid anything with stained seats and soiled carpets.

According to experts, it can cost up to £10,400 a year (including child care costs) to raise a child in the UK to the age of 18. And that’s before we consider driving school fees, helping out with further education and, of course, the odd bit of furniture in their first home. Happily, you can save some money by buying an inexpensive used MPV such as the Citroën Grand C4 Picasso, because early examples can be found for under £1000.

However, the Grand C4 Picasso doesn’t just have value on its side. It has enough space inside for seven seats, but its innovative design along with a vast number of hidden storage compartments means it’s great to live with. There are numerous petrol and diesel options available to suit all budgets: the 127bhp 1.8-litre petrol and 109bhp 1.6-litre diesel being the two most prevalent engines on the second-hand market.

The Grand C4 Picasso is almost identical to the smaller C4 Picasso, but the Grand is a bit longer and can,&nbsp;therefore, accommodate an extra row of seats in the back. Five adults can sit in comfort, but the back two are a bit of a squeeze, and certainly won’t take a child seat. The middle bench comes with three Isofix points and can slide forward&nbsp;and backwards to maximise leg room or extend the boot space. The third row of seats is quick and easy to fold into place, and there's still a bit of 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 and allow children to be able to see what’s going on, which should help limit motion sickness. There is a fair amount of wind noise, though.

Standard equipment on the base model LX is a bit stingy with only cruise control, heated door mirrors and electric front windows. You’ll need an SX model to get air conditioning and VTR for smart-looking alloy wheels. Later VTR+ models got parking sensors. The top-of-the-range Exclusive has dual-zone climate control, more comfortable seats with lumbar support, and pneumatic rear suspension that maintains the vehicle’s ride height when fully loaded and can also lower the car to assist when loading heavy items.

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Used Citroën Grand C4 Picasso 2007-2013 review

Every 2021 Electric and Hybrid Car Awards winner

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Citroën Grand C4 Picasso MPV?