Naming a car after the world’s best known Cubist artist might create a few preconceptions – or misconceptions. You might, for example, expect a car that somehow manages to go forwards while having the wheels pointing in all different directions, or has the gearstick sticking out of the dashboard at right angles to where it ought to be, or has each seat sticking in a different direction. Reassuringly, the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso is not quite that bizarre or surreal. Au contraire, mon ami. This piece of French motoring is quite practical and down to earth.

The styling of the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso is, perhaps, nowhere near as quirky as the name suggests. It has the usual bodylines of a people-moving seven-seater, which is what the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso is. The exterior styling is subtle and understated, and passers-by are more likely to notice the massive windscreen (for extra visibility and safety) than the little details such as the fog lights and the neatly incorporated Citroen logo in the lines of the bonnet. The windscreen is the first thing you’ll notice in the interior, too, which is a real plus, whether you’re the driver keeping an eye out for potential hazards or one of the six passengers taking in the panorama around you.

The seating is a little quirky, but not in a bad or annoying way. In fact, once you’ve tried using the moving seat feature, you’ll never want to go back to the old way of getting to the third row of a seven-seater. Press the button, and the cushions on the second row of the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso fold up and you simply slide that second row forwards out of the way. Each seat is separate – no bench seats in the front, middle or back here, which means plenty of room for everyone and three-point seatbelts for everyone.

While you’re getting a quick peek around the capacious interior of the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, don’t’ forget to try out the sound system, especially in the Grand C4 Grand Picasso – or should that be entertainment system. This top-line variant doesn’t just have an extra-good speaker system; it also has two independent seat-back video screens that can plug into a games console as well as showing DVDs. The rear seats also have aircraft-style trays in front of them that fold conveniently up and down as needed.

But this is a car, not a living room, so enough about seats, stereos and games consoles. What’s under the bonnet of the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso? Well, that depends on what you choose. And you can choose from a 2.0 litre petrol engine and 4-speed automatic transmission or a 2.0 litre diesel engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. Both engines have been built with the aim of reducing emissions as well as performing well: the petrol engine has a European On-Board Diagnostic system that lets you know straight away when something is about to go wrong and send your emissions over the limit (the European limit, anyway); the diesel engine has particulate filters to prevent that ugly black smoke you often see with older diesel engines.

Suspension has always been a strong point of Citroen, and the C4 Grand Picasso is no exception. No matter how heavily you load it (within reason), everyone on board, including the passengers in the third row, will have a comfy drive that doesn’t send shockwaves up your spine every time you go over a bump. However, the suspension is still firm enough to give the driver the feedback he/she needs to drive safely. It is still a matter of debate, however, whether or not somebody can sketch the scenery outside (looking through the big windows and using the fold-down tray to hold the sketch pad) without the pencil skidding all over the place if the surface is a bit uneven – try it for yourself and see.

All in all, the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso is a worthwhile family vehicle or people mover that will see everyone travelling in style and comfort. And the top judges agree: the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso was named MPV of the Year in the UK’s What Car? Awards three years running. And it scooped the Green MPV of the Year title at the inaugural What Car? Green awards – not bad, eh?

The current model series includes the:

• C4 Grand Picasso
• C4 Grand Picasso SX HDi

For anymore information on the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Citroen dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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