1 Aug 2014
By TUNG NGUYEN
CITROEN launched its striking Grand C4 Picasso seven-seat people mover in early 2014, quickly gaining the title of the most interesting looking MPV on the local market.
Based on the design of the futuristic Technospace concept from the 2013 Geneva motor show, the Grand C4 Picasso was a quirky alternative to the more conservative people-movers available, with look-at-me styling and loads of technology.
Inside, the Picasso features a 12-inch panoramic HD screen that displayed everything from the view of the 360 degree reversing camera to the sat-nav and offered the ability to personalise it with your own image. There was a second smaller touchscreen that housed controls for climate control, audio and media.
Standard equipment included dual-zone automatic air conditioning, second-row air vents, keyless entry, push-button start, front and rear parking sensors, panoramic glass roof with electric sun-blind, automatic folding mirrors with puddle lights, Bluetooth, USB and auxiliary jack and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Citroen kept things simple with its new family hauler, offering it in ‘Exclusive’ specification only with just one engine choice – a frugal 11kW/370kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder BlueHDi diesel engine with an impressive fuel consumption figure of 4.5L/100km undercutting everything in its class except Toyota’s Prius V hybrid MPV.
Thankfully the PSA-developed powertrain was a sweet performer too, offering plenty of get-up-and-go, particularly higher up the rev range, while the ride and handling of the Citroen did not disappoint either.
ANCAP awarded the Grand C4 Picasso a five-star crash safety rating in 2014 and it featured six airbags (front, side and curtain), automatic hazard lights in case of sudden deceleration or impact, ESC, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and hill-start assist.
