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New compact MPV from Citroen

Citroen’s new C4 Picasso has lost weight, boasts more cabin space, and enough touchscreen gadgetry inside to embarrass a branch of Currys.

What’s under the skin of the new Citroen C4 Picasso?

Underpinning the car is PSA Peugeot-Citroen’s new do-it-all platform. The aluminium architecture is 70kg lighter than the old car’s chassis, while a stretched wheelbase and shrink-wrapped overall dimensions mean the overall weight savings compared to the outgoing C4 Picasso is 140kg.

Citroen claims the C4 Picasso now weighs the same as its smaller stablemate, the C3 Picasso, while boasting a bigger cabin, and a class-best boot-space of 537 litres. Engines are mounted 40-50mm lower than the old car, for a double-whammy of lower centre of gravity and pedestrian-friendly crash protection.

From the front, the C4 is a rather pretty thing. It has a set of LED lights just above its headlights, with a chrome strip running along the front of the bonnet. While the car looks big, it is actually 4cm lower and 4cm shorter than its predecessor. Inside, the excellent driving position does well to hide the C4’s size.

There will be four trim levels available in the UK – VTR, VTR+, Exclusive and Exclusive+. Entry-level VTR models start at £17,500 and are only available with either a 119bhp 1.6-litre four cylinder petrol engine or an 89bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine. These models can only be had with a five-speed manual gearbox. VTR versions are equipped with toys such as, air-con, an electronic parking brake, 16-inch alloys, cruise control and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system incorporating Bluetooth, FM radio, AUX-in and USB connectivity.

It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox that’s a little notchy. However, the optional ETG6 semi-auto ‘box is far worse; this is optimised for economy rather than smoothness, so it’s very slow to change gears by itself, and the car lurches when it does. The e-HDi 90 model is a particularly efficient option when combined with this EGT6 gearbox – it averages 74.3mpg and emits just 98g/km of CO2 – but the more powerful manual e-HDi 115 is still efficient with emissions of 105g/km.

Clearly the diesel model makes more sense, with its reasonable acceleration, quiet engine note and seriously impressive running costs. That’s not to say the petrol isn’t without its benefits, though, offering a 0-62mph time of 9.0 seconds – that’s significantly quicker than any other model in the range. It’s a nice, smooth engine, with less rattle and vibration than the diesels.

Citroen has certainly made sure that the new C4 Picasso stands out, with razor-thin daytime running lights flowing in to a full-width chromed double chevron grille. It’s got sporty new proportions, too, at 40mm lower and 40mm shorter than before, while keeping the same width. The squat, ground-hugging stance is more reminiscent of a hatchback than of an MPV, making the C4 Picasso look like nothing else in this class. The interior also looks stylish and upmarket, with all models getting a seven-inch colour touchscreen in the centre console. There are classy Citroen ‘DS’-inspired touches, too, like dual-colour leather seats.

The Citroen C4 Picasso rides on an entirely new platform called EMP2. It has been developed with Peugeot and will underpin the majority of all their future models. With that much invested in this platform, it’s certain to have been extensively tested for reliability, as have the range of engines used in the C4 Picasso. Most have been used elsewhere in Peugeot and Citroen models with little issue. .

Citroën’s three-year/60,000-mile warranty looks a bit stingy alongside rivals, too. Renault’s lasts four years, Chevrolet, Hyundai and Toyota offer five, and the Kia Carens is covered for an impressive seven years/100,000 miles.

Citroen C4 Picasso (2013) first official pictures

Here is also the YouTube video presentation made for all-new Citroen C4 Picasso (2013)