Used Citroen C4 Picasso 2013-2018 review

Once the flavour of the month, the MPV as a breed has suffered at the hands of higher-riding SUVs in recent years. However, there are still plenty of reasons why you should consider an MPV such as the Citroën C4 Picasso. Not only is it packed with features designed to take the stress out of family motoring, but it's also exceptional value for money when you buy used.

The line-up of petrol engines includes 108bhp and 128bhp 1.2-litre units and a 1.6 with 153bhp (increased to 163bhp in 2015). There are three diesels: 1.6s with 89bhp or 113bhp (later increased to 99bhp or 118bhp respectively) and a 2.0 with 148bhp. You also have a choice of a five-speed manual gearbox (on the least powerful diesel) and a six-speed manual on everything else, plus a six-speed automated manual called ETG6 for the 1.6 diesel or a more traditional six-speed auto named EAT6 for most engines from 2015 onwards.

Pre-2016 Picassos can be found in one of four different flavours. VTR is the entry point and has 16in alloys, dual-zone climate, cruise control and a 7.0in infotainment touchscreen, while VTR+ adds automatic lights and wipers, rear parking sensors and a DAB radio. Next up is Exclusive with a 12.0in digital instrument panel, 17in alloys, sun blinds on the rear doors, sat-nav and a reversing camera. Top-of-the-range Exclusive+ has extra driver assistance tech in the form of adaptive cruise and blindspot monitoring, 18in alloys, an electric tailgate and front parking sensors.

After 2016, the range was simplified to Touch, Feel and Flair. Think of Touch as the previous VTR+ trim and Feel as Exclusive, although front parking sensors and an improved infotainment system was added that allowed for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone integration. Again, Flair is much like the previous Exclusive+, except you also get a panoramic glass roof.

The C4 Picasso’s supple suspension deals with bumps reasonably well once up to speed but can be a touch fidgety in town. The handling, although secure, is numb and doesn’t inspire great confidence when you’re pressing on, but at least it's not particularly taxing, and both wind and road noise are well suppressed when cruising along a motorway.

The interior is more than spacious enough to worry its rivals, particularly in terms of boot volume, even with the rear seats in place. With the rear seats folded flat, you get a massive 640 litres of space. The front passenger seat can also be folded flat, so you can carry objects up to 2.5 metres long. But while there are clever storage cubbies spread around the interior, including under the rear floor, the C4 Picasso doesn’t move on the design of medium-sized MPVs in any significant way.

Nonetheless the C4 Picasso is a practical and economical car and a competitive rival for the likes of the Renault Scenic and Ford C-Max, even if ultimately both of those cars are better to drive than the C4 Picasso.

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You’ll need around £4000 to buy a C4 Picasso, at the time of writing. Spend a bit more and an early 2013 example with below-average mileage can be found for £6000, while a 2015 Picasso with the improved EAT6 auto 'box is around £8000.

Post-2016 cars with revised trim levels cost from around £9500 for an entry-level Touch version and up to £16,000 for a top-of-the-range Flair with an average number of miles.

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MPG

Top marks for fuel economy go to the 1.6 diesel, because both the 89bhp version with the ETG6 automated manual ’box and later 118bhp versions officially return 74.3mpg (NEDC). The 2.0 diesel isn't too far behind with 65.2mpg.

The 1.2 is the most efficient petrol at 55.4mpg, while the bigger 1.6 will cost you a bit more to run, returning 46.3mpg.

CO2 emissions

Go for either of the aforementioned 1.6 diesels and reap the benefits of emissions of under 100g/km. The bigger 2.0 diesel won't set you back too much, though, due to a figure of only 112g/km, which is actually marginally better than the 1.2 petrol's 115g/km. The 1.6 petrol is the worst for CO2 emissions at 140g/km.

Road tax (VED)

If you are looking at a late C4 Picasso, be aware that the tax system changed on 1 April 2017, so any vehicles registered after this date will have to pay a yearly flat-rate fee. Anything registered before this date will be charged based upon the CO2 emissions the engine produced. To find out more about the current road tax costs, click here for further information.

Insurance and servicing costs

Insurance groupings are low, too, starting at 14 and working up to 25. Citroën servicing costs tend to be reasonable and, if your car is more than three years old, you can choose a fixed-price service. Prices start at £115 for an interim service and £195 for a full service.

Engine

The petrol engines in the C4 Picasso range are smooth and fairly punchy units, but economy predictably suffers; that's why the higher-output (113 or later 118bhp) 1.6 BlueHDi diesel engine is the one to go for. It’s smooth and reasonably gutsy, so it rarely feels short of puff. The 2.0 BlueHDi may be more powerful than the 1.6 BlueHDi, but it’s noisier and not as smooth, so it isn’t worth the extra.

We’d stick with the standard six-speed manual gearbox over the dim-witted ETG6 automated manual option, but if you really must have a self-shifter, go for an EAT6 that replaced it in 2015, because it's far smoother when changing gears.

Specification

Of the various trims on offer over the C4 Picasso's lifespan, VTR+ and Feel are our favourites. Each has everything you're likely to need, plus it has the useful additions of a DAB radio and rear parking sensors.

Our favourite Citroën C4 Picasso 1.6 BlueHDi VTR+/Feel manual

The Ford C-Max is better to drive than most MPVs, with a comfortable ride and plenty of room inside for five, as well as a flexible interior. All three rear seats fold individually for maximum practicality. There’s a range of punchy engines, too.

The Volkswagen Golf SV is a five-seat MPV version of the enormously popular Golf hatchback. It shares much of that car’s underpinnings and, as a result, has a good range of powerful and efficient engines, as well as a good ride and handling balance. However, the rear seats aren’t able to fold individually, so it’s not as practical as the C4 Picasso.

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