Striking and honest, the C3 Picasso is a car to be loved.
Function with a bit of form thrown in means the new C3 Picasso is a clever buy. The exterior is truly chunky in the best sense. The front end is cute yet strong looking. The wrap around windscreen gives the driver great forward visions as the usual 'A' pillar load is divided between two thinner pillars (on either side). There is a large glass area (4.52 square metres) that allows occupants of the five-seat car to get a great view outside and also makes the interior bright and airy, and thankfully this is not just an illusion of space. A massive panoramic sunroof is available as an option.
While most MPVs are van-like in appearance; Citroën has gone the extra mile in creating a stylish vehicle that stands out from the crowd. C3 Picasso is even more striking than its larger sibling, the excellent C4 Picasso.
C3 Picasso is compact on the outside yet massive inside. It is just over 4 metres long and very manoeuvrable. Headroom is impressive front and rear also, while all-round visibility for occupants is super. Seating is adjustable and versatile, which is a must in any family car these days let alone one that claims to be an MPV.
The boot has two levels and while C3's is not as brilliant as the one found in Peugeot's 3008, the boot is very useful nonetheless with 500 litres of volume (similar to a Skoda Octavia). With the seats folded the C3 Picasso is van-like for cargo space. There are 1506 litres of space if needed to fill up to the roof.
There is just one diesel engine available, namely a 1.6-litre HDi. It has 90bhp and more importantly 215nm of torque, which makes it super frugal and green. The gearbox is a five-speed manual and it is positioned close to the steering wheel for ease of use. Going from 0-100km/h takes a leisurely 13.5 seconds but the C3 Picasso will cruise effortlessly and in relative quiet. The lack of acceleration is made up for when it comes to paying out hard earned cash for annual road tax. C3 Picasso falls into the lowest tax band, 'A'.
C3 Picasso will average just 4.5 litres of fuel to travel 100km - so it certainly ticks all the boxes as efficient family transport. Cruise control and a speed limiter are standard so longer journeys can be very relaxing. The stereo also has steering column mounted remote controls. In fact, if you are familiar with the car range from PSA (Peugeot/Citroën), you will find all the same switchgear.
The VTR+ C3 Picasso starts at €19,900 and is highly specified. Sadly ESP and Bluetooth are not standard. ESP is an option. My kids are not fans of my test car's metallic green colour (metallic paint is an optional extra) but have no complaints for the space they enjoy inside. Citroën has decided to bring just the VTR+ version to Ireland as it feels the need to rationalise the product range for this country.
Citroën C3 Picasso is a terrific car that like all good things delivers more than the sum of its parts.
Michael Sheridan
