In-depth reviews

Citroën Grand C4 Picasso owner reviews

Name: Citroën Grand C4 Picasso MPV
Brand: Citroën

"With modern, stylish looks, the Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer shows an MPV doesn’t have to be boring"

by Carbuyer team

27 Aug 2020

Carbuyer Rating

4.3 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.9 out of 5

74%of people would recommend this car to a friend.

Owner Rating

10reviews
1reviews
4reviews
2reviews
2reviews

Common Problems

Brakes, Electrics, Gearbox / clutch, Suspension (1 cases)
Electrics (2 cases)
Gearbox / clutch, Other (1 cases)
Electrics, Engine, Suspension, Other (1 cases)
Engine (2 cases)
Electrics, Engine, Gearbox / clutch, Suspension (1 cases)
Brakes, Electrics (1 cases)

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 diesel manual Exclusive

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

We leased this car following the arrival of twins and the need for 3 isofix seats in rear to accommodate them and our first son. We traded down from a BMW 3 series, which was a difficult car to love and twice the lease cost, and have been blown away by the experience of the Grand Picasso. First off, the effort to design a mundane car in such a practical but fun way should be applauded. It looks like no over car in it’s class and always puts a smile on my face. The engine pulls strongly and has no problem overtaking, even when fully loaded on the motorway. The manual box is hardly class leading, but a better option than the ETG automatic which was the only alternative when I bought. We mainly use the car on short runs, with the odd long blast through France. Fuel consumption averages 47mpg which is okay but not earth shattering. Ride comfort is great as are the seats, and overall we find the driving position very adaptable and comfortable. Storage space and luggage capacity is where it comes into its own. We literally take the kitchen sink on holiday and I am always amazed at the ability to find a little extra space without the addition of a roof box. Equipment levels are excellent and would be expensive extras on many manufacturers cars. Park assist is excellent for those who park on street, as is the reversing camera. iPod docking can be temperamental and the sat nav has frozen on a couple of occasions but I expected more of these types of niggles than I have encountered. This has been an excellent all round leasing decision and the car is a real family favourite. The boys are sad that she will be leaving us shortly, but is being replaced with a Grand Spacetourer Flair which has even more equipment. Going back to petrol given my lack of mileage and congestion zone charging that will be hitting London even harder in the near future. You're also able to choose a full auto which will be very welcome. I would strongly recommend this car to any young family looking for a practical car that has a smile on its face.

Version

1.6hdi exclusive manual

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Having had 3 previous Picasso's, I pre-ordered mine as soon as the dealer allowed. Never had any real problems in the past, however I had one or two with this one The good. Loads of space, both inside the cabin and the boot. Light open interior due to the sheer amount of glass. Comfortable car , especially on long journeys, easy to park with a great turning circle. The bad The infotainment system is slow, unresponsive and has a tendency to crash, no CD player is annoying. Blind spot on rear parking sensors and camera. Been back to the main dealership for the following, new clutch pedal assembly, replacement of airbag warning switch under passenger seat, blown LED daytime running lights, and the most worrying, a new rear axle, taking four months to get (that's just a joke). Sadly I won't be buying another Picasso this time around.

Reliability

2 out of 5

Disappointing

Performance

As expected

Running Cost

Good for size

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 HDi Exclusive

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Extremely pleased with the car. Comfortable ride and convenient controls. Very economical (60mpg) on long runs and 45mpg around town. Plenty of leg room in second row seats, plus a cavernous cargo space with seats folded down.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Has proven extremely reliable to date

Performance

5 out of 5

Good responsive engine and relatively quick for class of vehicle

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Very economical for size of car 45mpg in town 55 to 60 mpg on long run

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 HDI 115

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Review

I bought the car after I saw your video clip. The car is very good for long journeys. Very good position for the driver. Plenty of space for the passengers, maybe little tight in the shoulders in the second row. Very good for children in the third row. The diesel engine is very good but if you want to go for a rally buy something else. it's a family car not a Formula One. It burns average 5 litres at 100 kilometres with normal driving. i reccomended for family with 5 or more persons - mine is 6. Something bad is that the Bluetooth of the car and the tablet does not have Greek language but this is bad only for Greeks.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0 HDi 150bhp VTR+ 6 speed manual gearbox

Year of registration

2011

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Love this car, which I bought to replace my trusty 16 year old, 1.6 petrol Renault Scenic in order to pull a bigger caravan. It came with 75,000 miles on clock with 1 owner from new. Nice & tidy, with a huge carrying space and fitted towbar. As a precaution I changed the cambelt at 80,000 miles although the handbook says good for 120,000 - better safe than sorry. Mostly town driving in Birmingham, but regular pleasure trips to countryside and holidays (in UK) with our 1400kg caravan. Rides like a dream, no engine or electronic problems (yet), engine pulls like a team of stallions and so versatile for load carrying. Perhaps I've been lucky in buying this, but hope it lasts as good as my previous Scenic.

Reliability

So far, everything works good with no problems with brakes, clutch, suspension, electrics, steering or bodywork

Performance

Great pulling power with the 2 litre turbocharged diesel engine with my much preferred 6 speed manual gearbox.

Running Cost

Mpg good for mainly city driving

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 HDi VTR+

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Usually returns about 45mpg just going around town at an average of 17mph. The interior trim is a bit too easily scratched. Otherwise the car is excellent.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

Exclusive 1.6HDi 115 6 speed

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Having owned a C3 Picasso (which was surprisingly excellent), our family outgrew it and we decided to 'future-proof' ourselves by buying a car that'd need at least two more kids to fill. Love the styling and makes all other MPVs feel very dull, inside and out. Engine is all you need for a car of this type - flexible, suitably grunty low down and driven sensibly on a long run will achieve late 50s early 60s mpg. Huge boot and flexible seating. The technology takes a little bit of getting used to (all accessed via screens) and some of the menu logic is obstinately unintuitive (ie French) but you forgive it for being spaceship-like, comfortable and wonderfully restful for distances. Kids sleep like tops too - deep joy. We've had a few niggly, minor problems - sorted under warranty. The main negative is our local dealer who I'd drive quite along way to avoid now but that's not the car's fault. Overall, very pleased and it makes family trips, short or long, a breeze.

Reliability

A few niggly faults - loose connector here, a flappy armrest there but frankly could have been sorted pre-purchase by a more thorough dealer who couldn't wait to push it on the forecourt. Otherwse all good so far.

Performance

4 out of 5

Plenty for this type of car. I struggle to understand why you'd need more when carting small kids around. Smooth, willing and well-mannered engine.

Running Cost

Not as amazing as the manufacturer's figures would have you believe but not too shabby for something this big and practical.

Version

1.6 etg

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Good engine, pulls well for a 1.6l. Instrumentation very clear — quick glance at speedo shows MPH. The computer left me baffled, didn't try many of the systems as lost interest in car very quickly because of awful automatic gearbox, it never seemed to know which gear it should be in. Driver comfort went out of the window with the parring of overall weight, have sat on more comfortable scaffold boards. With the aid of a 3" foam pad made it a lot better for short trips, 10/20 miles. Will not be buying another Citroen.

Reliability

4 out of 5

no problems so far

Performance

4 out of 5

the performance was much better than expected after 50 years of 2.0ltr and above motors

Running Cost

3 out of 5

very good after 2.0 S-Max

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

diesel 1.6hdi

Year of registration

2008

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

More than 5 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

This is my third Citroen C4 Grand Picasso and I love them. I've also never had a problem with them, to me they're the best 7 seater out there! Plenty space and nice to drive, the 1.6HDI is the best.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 Hdi Blue auto Flair

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Purchased from a dealer as pre reg ex demonstrator, at almost 18 months old and 3500 miles. I bought it as I was happy with Citroen, after my previous Berlingo Multispace. I didn't like the standard C4 Picasso shape but the Grand Picasso rear end makes all the difference. It drives really well, very responsive and returns low fifties MPG as an average but has returned low sixties on a long motorway trip, very satisfactory. The car was on the dealership on the forecourt for many months, when I took delivery the stop/start didn't work for several weeks, the battery was not at it's best so was replaced after charging and testing, stop/start now fine. I received an update for the satnav, sitting for 45 minutes with the engine idling while it loaded is not ideal especially with a diesel engine, but, it's now done and working OK. That's the extent of problems I've had, it's a great car that I got for a great price, I really love it, a dream to drive and own.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

Exclusive + 2.0 BlueHDi Full Auto

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

This car is leased through the Motability Scheme and concerns about price of servicing and support are not applicable. Picked up "Tick Tock" in September 2014 some 4 months after ordering her. We went for an Exclusive Plus with the optional 360 View which puts extra cameras on the underside of each wing mirror and in the front grille. We also chose the 2 litre oil burner as we wanted plenty of grunt for when we pull our 1400kg, single-axle caravan. So far we have covered just over 30,000 miles and towed for around 6,000 of those. We have been as far afield as Hungary and driven at very high speed in Germany. The car has been incredibly reliable for the majority of its tenure with us. There is loads of room inside and yet is still quite compact. We've never had a problem getting in to tight parking spaces nor in to multi-storey facilities with restricted headroom. There are annoyances. The lack of a CD player is high up there. The system for adjusting the adaptive cruise control is almost dangerous. The ad-blue tank is filled through a port under the boot floor. There have been a few problems. The ad-blue tank is small and doesn't last for the service interval. Our first ad-blue warning popped up on the screen at around 14,000 miles and informed us that the engine would cease to run after another 1,500 miles. The service interval is 1 year or 20,000 miles. The fact that we were in Cologne, Germany on a Sunday didn't help but that wasn't the fault of the car. Next up came a safety recall. Something about an incorrect specification of a bolt in the front suspension. Normally I wouldn't mention this but I find it strange that the car has chewed through to the cords on the inside edge of two Michelins in around 10,000 miles. Not good. The next three problems have come in quick succession; the main LCD screen failed. This is a known problem with a small batch of screens. What is unforgiveable is that my local dealership didn't seem to care that the screens are on back-order. 12-14 weeks is the current delay! If our car wasn't on Motability then I'm absolutely certain that we would not have received preferential treatment. The next problem was a loose oil filter. I have no idea how an oil filter can come loose and this smacks of poor training/service at the dealership. The most recent problem occurred yesterday. The car has a Start/Stop system. This uses the alternator to restart the engine after a brief stop in traffic. The belt that drives the alternator had snapped. Not great after just 30,000 miles. On the other side, she is an excellent tow car. Loads of torque from the engine means that pulling the caravan is a doddle. A 4,000 miles trip around Europe last year returned a fraction under 40mpg. An excellent figure considering that we went as high as 3,700 feet on Bavarian and Austrian motorways with an extra 1.5 tonnes on the back. The majority of the mpg was attained using the adaptive cruise control. Cruising without a van is very civilised. Again, the adaptive cruise control means it's possible to return 60+ mpg on long trips. Noise levels are low thanks to laminated glass all round. Comfort is great. The back massage function is a gimmick as far as I'm concerned but the Mrs likes it. She also likes to extendable leg rest on the front passenger seat. The keyless entry and start are useful as is the powered tailgate. The latter is great when the Mrs tries to close up the boot. Overall it's a good car. It's only really let down by poor after-sales service but this is something I've come to expect from the majority of Citroën dealerships in the UK.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 exclusive x

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Only had the Grand C4 for 2 months but it seems to be a very good car very pleased with the way the car drives very light steering makes light work of parking good all round visibility no blind spots plenty off room front and back amazing fuel returns for a big car 45-65mpg. and more toys than you could ever want plus there are many safety features in this car. You have to try one to see how good these really are. Gets five stars from me

Performance

4 out of 5

I have the 1.6 hdi 115 brake its no racing car but have found it to be more than up to the job with 4 up cruises at 70-80 in complete silence no wind noise or tyre noise sounds more like a petrol than a diesel

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Very low

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

1.6 diesel

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

0 – 4,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Review

ESG6 is dull, HDI is perfect. The car is very practical and comfortable.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

Exclusive+

Year of registration

2015

Average annual mileage

More than 20,000

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

49.5

Review

I've owned this sincein June 2015; a ruby red 1.6 EGS. It's one of the last of the old EGS automatics. I had a 1.6 C4GP auto previously and this has been a step up in interior quality and gadgets, but a step down in comfort and fuel consumption despite its weight and height loss. I do a lot of miles, both motorway and town centre on my daily commute and its been 3 mpg down on the old one, same driving style on the same usual route over 63,000 miles measured so far. Otherwise, it's been nearly faultless in its reliability. I say nearly, as it did snap its auxiliary drive belt at 55,000 miles (which was a two-day repair under warranty). Our dealer has been excellent, nothing is too much trouble and they always book me in and give me a courtesy car at very short notice. The car iself has been reasonably comfortable, with plenty of space, a very welcome flat floor in the second row and a massive boot for use with our massive dog. I think I've used the 3rd row seats twice. My wife likes the electric foot rest. Like others have said, the seat massage function is a huge waste of money and the controls are in a stupid place on the front of the seat. I'd far rather have had heated seats, but no, they are not an option unless you fork our a fortune for leather. The infotainment system is fine once you get used to it, although it can take more than one stab of a button for it to respond. The speakers are not great, they work fine at low volumes, but crank them up and it all goes pear shaped very quickly. The engine is really pretty good as long as you don't want to overtake a lot and don't ask much of it, quiet, flexible and frugal. But sometimes woefully slow if you really want/need to make fast progress. The versatility of the car is excellent, you can carry stupendous amounts of stuff very easily and all the cubbyholes and storage spaces are well thought out. I especially like the ventilation controls in the roof at the back- great for families who need them (or a big dog who needs it too...). I have now become spoilt by the Exclusive+ options, I use the blind spot system all the time and the keyless go is not given a thought. The rear camera, which I thought would be an unused gimmick has also been used more than I thought. I have not, however, used the park assist system, doubt I will either.

Reliability

5 out of 5

Been very good, just the aux belt, which still let me drive the 45 miles home before going to the dealers via RAC.

Performance

Very good for what it is, flexible, quiet and competent engine, but no fireball. Decent torque for easy work on hills but a bit breathless if asked to do a quick overtake.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Very low, sevices every 16,000 miles are cheap and done well. Fuel consumption is 49.5 average, over 50 if care is taken. Front tyres got to 40,000 miles. No other consumables so far - not even brake pads.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

Exclusive+ EAT6 2.0 BlueHDi

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Really feel like we made the right decision with this car. Looked at many other MPVs and the only other that came close was the SMAX. However, the C4 has more style, rear leg room (helped by the flat rear floor) and lots (and lots) of glass. The C4 also has an incredible turning circle. (you have to try it and compare it!) It's a real pleasure to drive (the full auto box is very smooth). Citroen have even removed all controls and levers from the centre console - the auto stick is sensibly placed at the back of the column. It's slightly quicker than the 150 SMAX and the auto box kicks down well. The Stop-Start performs incredibly well will very little noise or vibration on restart. Some things could be better. The SATNAV is quite basic but functional. The sound system is good but not excellent. There is no seat position memory - even as an option on my full leather version. Minor issues that hardly detract from a fantastic vehicle that's both great to look at and a pleasure to drive.

Reliability

5 out of 5

No problems so far

Performance

5 out of 5

Pulls really well at all speeds. but especially good on the motorway.

Running Cost

Good for a 2l diesel. Road tax is just £30.

Version

2.0 blue exclusive plus

Year of registration

2004

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

The car featured in the video is the actual car I brought. So after 48000 miles and 2 years of ownership I thought I would let everyone know how it has been. As a previous generation owner of the grand c4 picasso I was really looking forward to the new shape but it has really been a disappointing change. Fuel economy has decreased from when I first got it down to 45mpg on a long run from nearly 60mpg. I am sure this is down to the numerous recalls and software changes. Nearly every thing has failed these include park sensors, gearbox rebuild, rear sub frame rebuild, active head lamps, oil level sensor and the list goes on. As the car is now the clutch is very heavy and gearbox is extremely notchy. It makes it a very dull car to drive. I would recommend that you look elsewhere for a decent car because in my experience this is simply not.

Version

1.6 Airdream

Year of registration

2014

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

First time bought from a Citroen main dealer, never again. Return 5 times with stuff failing £400 30000 service. Bought for £16100, 12000 miles and 15 months later PX offered £11000. 32% decrease. Fed up with the niggles, best mileage on a run doing less that 70 with cruise control managed 50 mpg nowhere near the 70 quoted. dealer promptly put the car on the forecourt for £13995.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

2.0 BlueHDi

Average annual mileage

10,000 – 14,999

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

49.5

Review

I've had this car for 6 months now, great on fuel and I haven't had any issues with it. Nice interior and the seats are easy to operate. Highly recommended.

Reliability

5 out of 5

No issues.

Performance

5 out of 5

No the quickest car, but good for the size.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Getting 49 mpg, extremely happy with this.

Version

1.6 HDI

Year of registration

2014

Owned

Less than a year

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

Have had this car for less than 4 months done less than 3000 miles. 3 weeks ago had particle filter blocked warning light up plus ABS and stability programme warning light on and went into safety mode (35 mph max) took it back to citroen was told I wasn't driving it hard enough (what has particle filter and ESP warning lights got to with a particle filter problem) (LOAD OF BULL) They cleaned the particle filter out picked the car up within 40 miles same thing happened took car back citroen have admitted its not down to the way I'm driving it but cannot find the problem after 3 weeks still have no car would never buy a Citreon again.

Reliability

1 out of 5

Very poor

Performance

3 out of 5

Average

Running Cost

3 out of 5

43 mpg