Citroen C4 Picasso 5 seater

Keeping up with the Jones’s is becoming a British obsession, according to a new survey which has found that one in three people feel less successful than their friends or neighbours. The research which was conducted by Tickbox.net for price comparator website Carrentals.co.uk found that women are more likely to compare themselves and their assets to their friends, while men tend to look at work colleagues as their peers.

Driving a newer faster car is one of the top pressure factors. Many people compare their models with those sitting on the drives of neighbours or sitting next to models in the office car park.

Peers will find it difficult to compete with the stylish design of the new Citroen C4 Picasso though, which I think is one of the most attractive compact MPVs on the market. It’s most stunning view is from the side with a wave shaped waistline which can be highlighted in chrome. Tinted windows which make up most of the upper body add an air of mystery. Sure to make the neighbours green with envy.

Taking a peak through the window will cause the covetous further resentfulness as they eye up the latest cutting edge technology. The C4 Picasso which has been the UK’s number one MPV for private buyers since its launch has an automatic electric parking brake, a paddleshift gearchange and mode selector stalk and a host of buttons on the steering wheel which all free up floor space.

In fact the C4 is very spacious inside, helped by the huge amount of glass area. The driver’s seat is slightly raised which gives good visibility but I did find whilst driving on the motorway that my view was restricted by the B pillars. If I wanted to change from lane to lane I had to peer around the very thick side pillar.

The seats are like huge armchairs and are covered with a beautiful velvet feel material. All the controls and a useful digital milometer are located in the centre of the dashboard and are easy to read with a hooded cover to block out bright sunlight. There is an automatic gearchange via a selector stalk behind the steering wheel which is very simple to use and an electronic handbrake automatically disengages or engages when the engine is switched off. By moving away from the more traditional features Citroen has freed up lots of space in the cabin.

There is a total of thirty storage areas, but the ones between the seats where I usually place my water and sweets are too shallow to hold large items but the door pockets are very large. At night the door bins automatically illuminate when a hand is placed inside, so the sweeties were easily found.

There are lots of optional gadgets which are likely to score you loads of brownie points over the competition. A large coolbox sits centre dash, on models with the electronic gearbox system. There is a child mirror in the front, a Modubox removable trolley in the boot and even a built in air freshener for getting rid of those nasty smells.

Of course you will need to offer lifts to anyone and everyone so that you can fully demonstrate to passengers in the rear row the three individual full size sliding and tilting seats, as well as the completely flat floor and loads of knee and elbow room.

The boot too has masses of cargo space offering 605 litres of storage. Rear seats fold flat by just pulling a tape to give a maximum 1,734 litres.

The car I had on road test had a 1.6 litre diesel engine which I found very agile and powerful. It has an ‘overboost’ function which increases the power by around 10% which is ideal for overtaking. It will also stretch a gallon of fuel to around 50mpg on the combined cycle and has CO2 emissions of 150g/km, making it a perfect choice for fleet operators and fleet user choosers.

The electronic gearbox system would not be my choice of transmission as I tend to prefer manual. However, Citroen says it has a waiting list for this model.

The Citroen C4 Picasso which costs from £14,495 went on sale in March this year and will be bought by people who like style and innovation and who want to be better than the Jones’s!

Facts at a Glance
Model: Citroen C4 Picasso 5 seater
Price range: £14,495 to £21,195
Engine Options: 1.8 litre and 2 litre petrol, 1.6 litre and 2 litre diesel
Performance: Manual and auto transmissions. 1.6 litre diesel 6 speed electronic gearbox system 0-62mph in 13.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 112mph. Combined mpg 49.6mpg. CO2 emissions 150g/km.

By Sue Cooke