Review
/5
- Pros:
- Distinctive styling
- Loads of headroom
- Comfortable ride around town
- Cons:
- Not as much legroom as you’d expect
- Uncomfortable driving position
- Lack of cabin storage space in basic versions
reviewed by Carbuyer
“Offering an unusual design and a spacious cabin, the Citroen C3 Picasso is also a practical, comfortable family car.“
At a glance
- The greenest
- HDi 90 Code Special Edition 5dr
£15,695 - The cheapest
- VTi 95 VT 5dr
£13,200 - The fastest
- VTi 120 Exclusive 5dr
£16,150 - Top of the range
- HDi 110 6-speed Exclusive 5dr
£17,295
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The C3 Picasso is one of the most unusual looking small people carriers on the market - and that's both a blessing and a curse. While its boxy styling provides loads of interior space, its unusual cabin lacks the stowage space for the essentials of family life. On straight roads it's perfectly comfortable, but it rolls too much around corners and the driving position is uncomfortable over long distances. Cheaper petrol VT models are best avoided, lacking power and equipment, but diesels in higher grades are well equipped and economical - though quite expensive.
Drive
Visibility is excellent and the ride is smooth
Though the ride is smooth and comfortable, the C3 Picasso's appeal is undermined by its driving position. A cramped footwell means the clutch is forced to double as a footrest, and the seat and wheel are angled awkwardly too. Visibility is excellent as the windscreen pillars are unusually thin. Petrol engines – including the 95bhp 1.4-litre and a 120bhp 1.6-litre - need to be revved hard on the motorway. Diesels fare better, with either the 90- or 110bhp versions proving fast and economical.
Comfort
The car could really do with a sixth gear
The C3 Picasso's suspension copes well with uneven roads, absorbing bumps and potholes with little fuss. Around town, road, wind and engine noise is limited. Due to its tall boxy shape motorway crosswinds tend to be heard and felt, though the car feels stable enough. The main motorway issue is with the five-speed gearbox, which could do with a sixth gear to bring engine noise down a little. On top of that, the central digital instrument display and fiddly stereo buttons are awkward to use. The amount of headroom flatters to deceive slightly, because there isn’t actually as much rear legroom as you’d think - though it's adequate for kids and most adults.
Reliability
Gloss black trim looks smart
The top of the dashboard is covered in a textured material that feels of high quality, and the gloss black trim looks smart. Safety is decent, with electronic standard stability control, anti-lock brakes and airbags all round. The C3 Picasso was given a four-star rating by crash test body Euro NCAP.
Practicality
The Picasso is proof that practicality and space are not the same
Families beware. The C3 Picasso is proof that practicality isn’t necessarily proportional to cabin space. It feels vast, but there simply aren’t enough useable storage areas. The glovebox is minuscule and so is the dash top compartment, while there's no storage box between the front seats. The 500-litre boot is big enough to swallow a buggy or two, though, and the seats fold flat easily.
Value for money
Top-level Exclusive cars get under floor cabin storage
VT versions are cheap to buy, but are too basic, making do without air-conditioning, alloy wheels or colour coded door handles. VTR+ specification is much better, adding those things to make sure your C3 Picasso looks good and will easily sell later. Only top-level Exclusive cars get really useful additions like under floor cabin storage, rear tray tables and sun blinds.
Running costs
The diesel engines that come out on top for running costs
As ever, it's the diesel engines that come out on top for running costs, with either 57.6- or 62.8mpg from the two available versions, as opposed to 40.9- and 41.5mpg from the petrol options. All those figures are reasonable, as are servicing costs at Citroen. However, residuals are likely to be only average.
*Our monthly finance prices are updated on a regular basis, but due to the dynamic nature of the market are not guaranteed accurate. You can always confirm the monthly finance price with FinanceAcar.
