Portugal was the chosen stage to show the world the new Citroën C4 Picasso. As it could not be otherwise, Reason Automobile was present and tells you how it was.
Three million units later, Citroën's most successful minivan, the C4 Picasso, hits the market with new arguments. More comfort, more equipment but mainly more dynamism and technology. These were the promises made by the French brand. But will the Citroën C4 Picasso deliver?That's what we tried to discover during the two intense days we spent driving the C4 Picassso along the roads of Sintra, Cascais and Lisbon.
total revolution
From the old Citroën C4 Picasso, which now ceases to function, only the name remains. The new Citroën C4 Picasso is a completely new model, created from the ground up around PSA Group's new platform, the EMP2. A modular base that will serve as a «cradle» for several models of the group and that, in the specific case of the new Citroën C4 Picasso, enabled a weight loss of 140 kg compared to the previous generation. In comparative terms, today the Citroën C4 Picasso weighs as much as its brother C3 Picasso. Remarkable.
But the news is not exhausted here. The Visionspace concept gave way to a new concept: Tecnoespace. The exterior is no longer the center of attention for those traveling aboard the Citroën C4 Picasso, as it used to be. With the new Tecnoespace concept, the «double-chevron» brand intends to bring the exterior into the car.
At the front we now have a modern dashboard, pleasing to the eye and to the touch, where the spotlight is the 12-inch high-resolution screen, on which we can view key driving information and other features such as viewing photos and monitoring electronic aids – assistance with lane maintenance, warning of imminent collision, fatigue control, adaptive cruise-control, automatic parking, among others. Below is another smaller screen for the climate, audio and navigation functions. In the night environment, the screens, together with the ambient lights. they get to impress but never bother. Also noteworthy is the passenger seat with lift for the legs, a «treat» that seems to have been copied from the business class of airplanes.
Overall, the way the interior is organized, both functionally and aesthetically, leaves no doubt. The same team that designed the DS range was the same team that signed this new generation of the Citroën MPV.
Due to the use of the new EMP2 platform, the C4 Picasso is now 6 centimeters shorter than the previous one, is 7 centimeters shorter and less wide, and the wheelbase has grown by around 7 centimeters. Later on, we'll tell you how these changes are reflected in the behavior of the C4 Picasso, because inside, despite these exterior reductions, the French model continues to “handle” the competition.
on the road
A pleasant surprise. The sensible posture of the previous generation has given way to a much more dynamic posture. Studies by the French brand say that new customers in the MPV segment want – in addition to space on board and ease of use – a more emotional component. Betting on replicating fashion SUVs, Citroen endowed this C4 Picasso with dynamic qualities worthy of note. Will it be on par with the Ford C-Max? It's likely, but the cop will have to stay for another time...
The increased wheelbase, the lower overall weight and the more contained body measurements make this C4 Picasso light years away from its predecessor. It's not a sport (calm…) but it excites more than what you might think.
The 115hp 1.6 eHDI engine is also in good shape. Quick and competent as necessary, we never felt the syndrome “too much car for little engine” on board this Picasso. In fact, whenever we printed livelier rhythms (sometimes more than the count…) he followed us with relative lightness. In calmer tones and without major concerns about consumption, we managed to fulfill a nice average of 6.1 L/100km.
Conclusion: a real Citroën
The Citroen C4 Picasso is doing better on every level. To the qualities that we all recognized – and which earned it 3 million units sold – were added new arguments that promise to make this model a sales success. The design is either likes or dislikes. But we must say that live, the lines are much more consensual than the photos revealed at the outset, with emphasis on the headlights with double 3D at the rear. Inside, the various LED screens will be a guaranteed success, this C4 Picasso has all the “pampering” and a few more you would expect from a French car.
All in all, the Citroen C4 Picasso was a pleasant surprise. And defects? It certainly has them, but like other brands' models, today no car has flaws truly worthy of the name. It was the missing confirmation. Citroën is back to its origins: technology, stylistic boldness and a lot of comfort. And all this from €24,900, not bad…
Citroën C4 Picasso price list:
-1.6 HDi 90 CV Attraction: €24,900
-1.6 eHDi 90 CV Attraction (pilot box): €25,700
-1.6 eHDi 90 CV Seduction (pilot box): €26 400
-1.6 eHDi 115 CV Seduction: €28,500
-1.6 eHDi 115 CV Intensive: €30 400
-1.6 eHDi 115 CV Seduction (pilot box): €29,000
-1.6 eHDi 115 CV Exclusive (pilot box): €33 200
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Text: Guilherme Ferreira da Costa