Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate
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Review of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate
The new seven-seater Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate is stylish, modern and should suit any family that wants to combine practicality with quality.
For an MPV, it’s remarkably plush with luxuries, including one of the best – if not the best – interiors in this class. With three rows of seats, affordable running costs and a large boot, it’s also very accommodating.
Read more about the history of Citroen in our summary here.
OSV takes a closer look at what it’s all about with our 2018 Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate review.
Overview of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate
On the Road
Take one look at this car and you can see straight away that it’s fairly large. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s hard to drive. Citroen have been wise enough to install large windows and a dynamic, wraparound panoramic windscreen that helps with visibility.
In terms of how it drives, it’s not as rewarding or as involving as, say, a Ford. Instead, Citroen have focused themselves on making it as comfortable as possible. They’ve largely succeeded, and the car does a good job of smoothing out most road surfaces. However, badly broken roads will still present a problem or two and road noise is a slight issue.[vc_single_image image=”65069″ img_size=”article-image”]Handling-wise, the Citroen isn’t the sharpest and there’s a noticeable amount of body lean when you take on corners. That said, if you drive it sensibly and don’t push it beyond its limits, it’s a compliant car that’s easy to live with. For families who want to ferry seven people around, it does what you need it to do.
Moreover, its light steering makes it ideal for the towns and cities.
Where the engines are concerned, the diesels – which we have reviewed separately – will be the most popular with buyers – and there is indeed only one petrol engine available. This is a small three-cylinder turbocharged PureTech 130 unit that develops 129bhp. It covers the 0-62 sprint in 10.8 seconds, offers 230Nm of torque, and has a max speed of 125mph.
You can pair it up with either a 6-speed manual ‘box or a 6-speed automatic. This automatic gearbox was added in 2016 and is much smoother than its predecessor.
Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate Interior, Design and Build
[vc_single_image image=”46018″ img_size=”article-image”]There’s barely anything to criticise about the Grand C4 Picasso’s interior. For a car in this class, it’s exceptional.
It’s flooded with light, thanks to the large windows, visibility is fantastic, and the steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake, while the driver’s seat adjusts for height.
Insulation is mostly excellent in the petrol model, and the car makes for a great cruiser.However, it’s the dashboard that grabs all the attention. It’s like something from the space-age, with Citroen using an array of angles, curves, shapes and colours to stunning effect. The controls will take some time to get used to, but once you’re up and running you’ll realise how easy this car is to live with.
Is the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate practical? It certainly isn’t short of storage areas and has four in total. It has seven seats too and has clearly been designed with families in mind.
Three individual chairs make up the middle row of seats, while a flat floor ensures that headroom will be good for all. Thanks to the extended wheelbase of the car, legroom is fine, while the back seats are able to recline on all models except the entry level variant. They slide back and forth, too.
Sliding rear doors are missing, however, but because the outer seats in the middle row fold away, accessing the very back seats is pretty easy.
The boot, meanwhile, measures 165-litres with all the seats up. Fold the third row of seats and you can extend it to as much as almost 800-litres if you slide the middle row of seats forward, while folding both the second and third row of seats frees up 2,181-litres.
How reliable is a Citroen? Read our unbiased assessment of the car manufacturer here.
Equipment and Safety of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate
Standard kit is good across the range, with all models coming with a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, cruise control, air conditioning, a digital radio and 16” alloys.
The Feel trim upgrades to bigger alloys, a height-adjustable front passenger seat, folding door mirrors, front fog lights, a 12” HD central display screen and sat-nav.
The Flair model rounds things off with a panoramic sunroof, tables for the second row of seats, keyless entry and go and a reversing camera.
In terms of how safe the car is, it hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP. Because its sibling, the smaller C4 Picasso was awarded all five stars, we’d expect this bigger version to follow suit.
Its standard safety kit includes electronic stability control, a driver fatigue monitor, seatbelt warning lights, anti-lock brakes and tyre pressure monitoring.
Costs of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate
Prices for the new car start out from £23,420 and rise to £30,845. For more information on our leasing deals, you can check out our page here.
In terms of its running costs, the Grand C4 Picasso is impressively affordable to run for a car of this size. Its 1.6-litre BlueHDi 100 variant returns 74.3mpg and emits just under 100g/km of CO2, which gives it a BiK rating of 21%.
The bigger BlueHDi 120 is barely any less economical despite the step up in power and can return as much as 70.6mpg. It has a BiK rating of 23%.
The largest diesel is the 2.0-litre BlueHDi 150 model. It’s powerful, copes well with the car on a full load, and returns 68.9mpg economy.
The sole petrol engine, meanwhile, is less economical and returns 56.5mpg if you stick to the manual gearbox and 55.4mpg if you specify the automatic.
Pros and Cons of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate
Pros:
Exceptional cabin
It’s flawless, from its dramatic design to its high levels of comfort.
Seven seats
If the five-seater C4 Picasso doesn’t cut it for you, this one will.
Huge boot
It’s not the largest when all seven seats are up, but whenever the middle and third row are folded, it can offer as much as 2,181-litres of space.
Cons:
Tight third row
It’s suitable for kids only.
Busy steering wheel
Button clutter is an issue.
Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate vs Hyundai i800 Estate vs Ford S-MAX Estate
Let’s see how the car fares against its rivals in the comparison section of our 2018 Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate review.
Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate vs Hyundai i800 Estate
The new Hyundai i800 Estate is an eight-seater that comes with a five-year warranty and doesn’t look too bad at all.
On the road, it’s decent enough to drive. Of course, it can’t offer sports car performance and it’s hardly athletic, but it’s easy to live with, despite its size and weight.
That said, it’s pretty damn slow, with the sole diesel engine available in two power guises. The smaller of the two is achingly slow, taking as long as 17.6 seconds to complete the 0-62 dash. This means it’s probably going to be one of the slowest vehicles on the road at any given time.[vc_single_image image=”80856″ img_size=”article-image”]Alternatively, you could go for the bigger diesel engine. This is a 2.5-litre unit that develops 168bhp, and which can get you from a standstill to 62mph in 14.4 seconds. That’s still not super fast, but it’s pretty handy when it comes to overtaking.
Running costs? Not great. The Hyundai i800 Estate is a thirsty old thing, and returns of almost 38mpg are the best it can do. The problem is that it was returning the same figure ten years ago. A decade on, its rivals are firmly in the 50mpg ballpark. The fact that the Hyundai isn’t, could count against it.
Worse still, if you opt for the 5-speed automatic transmission, you’ll see returns of just 33.6mpg at best, while emissions will climb from 196g/km to 225g/km of CO2.
Inside, the Hyundai can’t compete with the Citroen for quality or design. It’s spacious enough, but it looks dated. Fortunately, it at least feels more like a car than a van, but tacky silver plastics are off-putting. Nice touches include ambient lighting and a heated driver’s seat.
Is the Hyundai i800 Estate practical? It is and it isn’t. There’s no denying that it’s a vast car with a length of 5,125mm, while an eighth seat will give it the edge over the Citroen with some buyers. But it isn’t very versatile and this could be problematic.
The middle bench is tricky to remove, for example, while a lack of clever storage spaces further count against the car.
Still, we have no complaints with its boot. With all three rows of seats up, it measures a very impressive 850-litres.
Price:
Citroen – £23,420 – £30,845
Hyundai – £26,095 – £28,545
Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate vs Ford S-MAX Estate
The new Ford S-MAX Estate is a smart-looking seven-seater that’s great to drive.
A polished driving experience is at the heart of matters here, and the S-MAX does a good job of hiding its size. Indeed, out on the road, it feels like a much smaller car.
It excels both in the towns and cities, where its neat handling allows you to negotiate tight turns with ease, as well as out on the motorway, where it makes for a great cruiser.[vc_single_image image=”80855″ img_size=”article-image”]In terms of its engines, a 1.5-litre EcoBoost unit sits at the bottom of the range. It develops 158bhp but surprisingly needs to be worked hard if you’re to make good progress. For those of you who will be spending most of your time making shorter trips, it will make sense.
The 2.0-litre petrol engine develops 236bhp, comes paired up with an automatic ‘box but disappoints on account of the fact that it soon runs out of breath when you put your foot down. It’s also not the most economically sound but it’s very quiet.
Running costs? Both petrol engines are cleaner than the diesel options but adding four-wheel drive and specifying the automatic gearbox can bump up the costs. The 2.0-litre petrol engine is the main offender and can return just 38mpg at best.
Inside, the S-MAX is a great place to spend your time. It’s comfortable, sporty and boasts user-friendly controls that are well-positioned.
The range-topping Vignale version will claim all the headlines with its laminated side glass and leather lining, but all models have their fair share of cheaper plastics here and there, which somewhat spoils the ambience.
Still, the dashboard is well presented and looks easy on the eye.
Is the Ford S-MAX Estate practical? It makes sense for growing families. Its versatile seating arrangement can fit three kids in the middle row with ease and there are plenty of storage spaces dotted around the place.
The second row of seats recline and slide individually, but the third row of seats aren’t as big as the Citroen’s. Headroom is also better in the C4 Grand Picasso overall.
The boot, meanwhile, measures 2,000 litres when all seats are folded down. With the seats up, it can offer a respectable 285-litres of space.
Price:
Ford – £26,445 – £38,395
Verdict of our 2018 Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate Review
This is our favourite MPV, and we see no reason why it wouldn’t prove to be a hit with buyers who want a stylish, even at times luxurious seven-seater. It’s easy to drive, great to look at inside and out, and super affordable to run. The Citroen Grand C4 Picasso Estate is a 5-star car.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