Citroen C4 Grand Picasso VTR

WITH a line-up of people- carriers that's second to none, Citroen has taken over the mantle of MPV purveyor to the masses' from its French rival, Renault.

The company has spent years researching family transportation needs and now manufactures a wide range of multi-purpose vehicles to suit every requirement.

In fact, Citroen sells more MPVs than hatchbacks these days.

Its obsession with building an MPV to match everybody's wants is perfectly illustrated by the new C4-based Picasso range. The seven-seater version is accompanied by a smaller version that only seats five. The styling of both is different aft of the A-pillar and the five-seater is a full 12cm shorter.

In fact, the full-fat Picasso is a lot larger than it seems. It's only 2cm shorter than Citroen's full size' people- carrier, the C8, and is a full six feet wide, before you count the electrically folding wing mirrors.

This Picasso is actually competition for cars in the class above, like the excellent Ford S-Max, rather than a replacement for the (still on sale) previous generation Picasso, which is now called the Xsara Picasso to differentiate it from the newer models.

This shouldn't worry Citroen unduly.

It is confident the new Grand Picasso has the firepower to out-gun compact MPVs in both classes.

It has more elbow room than any of them, flip and tumble seating, a big boot and excellent heating/ventilation.

But the first thing that strikes you when you climb aboard is just how much glass area there is, particularly in the front where the windscreen runs up and into the roof.

The A-pillar, so often a source of irritation these days, isn't so wide as to create a three-quarter blind spot and the quarter lights ahead of the doors increase the feeling of airiness still further. If you can't stand the sun, then a retractable front blind can keep the glare off your head and the sun visors are a decent size. Mind you, the visors are a bit close to your noggin when the blind is retracted all the way back!

Passengers will have no problem reaching the third row of seats. Just pull a catch and the base of the outer seats in the middle row flip up like a cinema seat and the whole lot slides smoothly forward.

The third row can be folded into the floor to create more boot space. Flipping them into position is a simple job - just pull a handle and they flick out of the floor ready for action.

To save space Citroen has done away with the traditional gear stick and the handbrake. You select gears via paddles on the steering wheel and select reverse/neutral via an American- style stalk.

This leaves room for a big oddments box that can be chilled or heated, depending on its contents.

Even tall drivers have loads of knee room. An electric parking brake switch sits on top of the fascia and it's a bit of a stretch to reach.

The Picasso does have a hill hold' facility that keeps the brakes on when you are sat on an incline but twice during a week the test car's brakes suddenly let go and I started to roll backwards.

I discovered later that it only holds the car on a hill for a maximum of two seconds so you have to keep your foot on the brake.

If an MPV is to fulfil its brief correctly, the interior must be as versatile as the seating arrangements.

The Picasso has plenty of oddments space, including handy double bins on top of the fascia, an idea we first spotted in the Nissan X-Trail.

Like the X-Trail, the Picasso's main instrument cluster is mounted amidships. As befits a Citroen, the main instruments use LCD digital read-outs rather than the traditional analogue type. They are easy to see, even if the centred trip computer readout has the potential to prove distracting.

The speedo is translucent so it can be read in all conditions.

Minor warning lights illuminate just above the fixed steering wheel hub.

The steering wheel has a fixed hub like the Picasso's conventional hatchback sibling, the C4.

Citroen reckons this makes the airbag more effective in a crash, a claim substantiated by the Picasso's five-star crash test rating.

The downside is more of an irritant than a serious deal breaker.

Once or twice I caught a switch as I turned the wheel, changing channels on the radio when I didn't want to.

The central hub includes controls of the audio and the cruise control that is bafflingly complex to operate.

The equipment list is excellent: seven seats, electric windows, cruise control with speed limiter; lane departure warning in some models which vibrates the seat if you cross a white line; parking sensors at the back; tyre pressure warning sensors and a Thatcham five-star anti-theft package.

The Picasso even has a built-in freshener that can add a pleasant fragrance to air entering the cabin, a sensor that measures pollution and switches over to recirculate if the air is too dirty, and the storage bins have a hidden light that operates when you put your hand inside.

It can even measure a parking space by the side of the road and tell you whether it's big enough.

That's a lot of technology, but none that could really be classed as a gimmick. It all works well.

The heating and ventilation arrangements are class-leading.

The driver and passenger have individual temperature controls at either side of the cabin and second-row passengers can also control air flow and direction.

Citroen has thought long and hard about the use of light, both real and artificial. There are more than 30 different light sources to soothe and illuminate after dark. Pencil-thin strip lighting is integrated beneath the central fascia, in the door panels and the roof headlining.

It emits a warming glow to create a more comfortable, confidence- inspiring environment.

The door mirrors have tiny projectors built into their underside and bathe the ground when you approach the Picasso in the dark - handy for lurking puddles.And lurking in the boot is a light that also doubles up as a rechargeable torch that provides 40 minutes of power. It charges up from a cradle that provides power as soon as the Picasso starts to move.

The driving experience isn't all sweetness and light. The steering is devoid of feel and the automatic gearbox is pretty clunky, taking far too long between gears and lurching around as a result.

The best way to drive the Picasso is to forget the full auto and change gears using the semi-auto paddles - if you lift off the accelerator a split second before pulling for a change the gear drops in smooth as you like.

Which begs the question: why can't Citroen's electronics do exactly the same thing? Although you can buy a Picasso with a petrol engine, a diesel makes far more sense, thanks to superior economy and better real world' performance.

The 138bhp 2.0-litre TDi has plenty of punch and enough pulling power in reserve to shrug off a full load that would leave the 1.6 diesel puffing and panting with the effort.

It's quiet, too, and the plush suspension that soaks up poorlysurfaced roads helps make the Picasso a surprisingly clam place to spend time. Provided you decide when to change gear and not the automatic. It may lack the precision feel of an S-Max but not everyone wants a drivers' MPV.

In this class clear thinking and practicalities count for more than 0-60 times and maximum lateral g on smartly-taken bends.

The compact MPV market has grown from nothing to annual UK sales of more than 200,000 in a little over ten years. MPVs now represent one in ten vehicles sold and Citroen is one of the most successful players in the market.

The new C4 Grand Picasso gets its priorities spot on. It has the nicest cabin of any mid-sized MPV, a large, multi-role interior and relaxing driving manners.

This new model is more than just a brush up of the old Picasso - it's a work of art in its own right!

SPECIFICATION

Engine: 2.0 HDiMax
Power: 138bhp
Max torque: 320Nm
Top speed: approx 120mph
0-60mph: 12 sec
FOR COMFORT: Electric windows, mirrors and steering assistance, CD player, satellite navigation.
FOR SAFETY: Anti-lock brakes, brake assistance, power steering, seven airbags, five star crash rating, lane departure warning system.