Road Tests
Read the road tests that have appeared in Local Cars magazine
|
|
Citroen C3 Picasso
Why Citroën, the archetypal French manufacturer, should have adopted the name of a mad-cap Spanish artist to adorn its people-carriers remains a mystery to me, though Citroën has always thought out of the box in terms of engineering and design from the 1930s Traction Avant onwards.
For me, the wonderful DS still remains a motoring icon fi fty years since it fi rst hit the French pavé and will forever be linked to that great Frenchman, Charles de Gaulle, and in estate form, the Safari, I still lust after.
It could be that now all car makers are bound by legislation and aerodynamics, which stultifies design and creativity, Citroën felt that to name its cars after the avant-garde Picasso would somehow indicate they were still innovative.
Whatever, someone thought it would sell cars so I tested the theory by having the smallest Picasso Citroën on test from Telfords of Carlisle.
Perhaps, to fi t the Spanish moniker, the C3 Picasso should be re-named Poco Picasso (little Picasso) as it is a pumped up version of the popular Ford Fiesta/Renault Clio/Fiat Punto sized C3 supermini with more space for the family market.
To assess its looks I drove into Penrith Castle Park and took a long walk round it and I have to say I liked what I saw: ‘it’s small but perfectly formed’ as they say and Citroën have cleverly given more internal space without making the outside look like a Greggs bread van.
The rounded, smiley front with monster Citroën chevrons and deep grill has clever headlights that sweep round onto the top of the wings which mean the indictors can be clearly seen from all directions.
The profi le has two subtle swage lines at the top and bottom, the lower emphasized by heavy rubbing strips, and with the squared-off fl ared arches gives the C3 Picasso a feminised butch look as the 16-inch wheels strangely look just a bit too small.
The extra internal space is created by raising the C3 roof and, though the lines are curvaceous, the back is upright to give maximum boot space.
So as much light is possible, there is a deep windscreen, triangular and curved windows before the A pillars, deep door windows, a side one for the boot plus a large rear one.
The purposeful look is completed by roof rails and high, rear and wrap-round lights, and if you suffer from SAD, the light defi ciency syndrome, the top model has a huge roof window!
Entering is extremely easy via wide-opening doors and very low fl oors – one walks in!
The interior is airy with a sea of plastic which seemed good quality but as the test car only had 43 miles on the clock I have no idea if it will eventually squeak after a year – let’s hope not. Seating for four in comfort, or five at a push, is good, with very durable materials and lots of cubbyholes and storage space around the cabin with a ‘secret’ drawer under the front passenger seat.
A very clear digital function readout dominates the dash top, which also has some funky air vents below which the centre console contains the climate and entertainment controls.
The sit-up-and-beg seating, plus the huge window space, means visibility is brilliant and the driver has a very chunky steering wheel to grip and an equally robust gearstick to stir the five-speed ‘box.
The test VTR C3 was powered by the 1.6-litre Di 16V engine and like an old 1960’s ciggie ad which said “You’re never alone with a Strand” you’re never alone with a diesel and the C3, though well insulated, does have a subdued thrum in the cruise and a bit of a quiet thrashiness under acceleration.
With 90bhp at 4,000rpm and 161Nm of torque, the C3’s power is modest but adequate and designed for economy and not the racetrack.
0 – 62mph is achieved in a very leisurely 13.4 seconds and its top speed is a midgin over the ton but emissions are contained to 125g/km and more importantly 60mpg is possible with careful driving. Being tall, the C3 Picasso does roll a bit under cornering and I found the steering was overservoed, which added to the lack of sporting power and my age dramatically increased leaving no desire to thrash the beast. However, like all Citroëns which are built for the French pavé roads which can rattle our brains in other makes, the compliant suspension gives the C3 a feather bed ride.
Thus, the C3 is not for boy racers but as it says on the box, it is a small MPV with lots of room for a family, including a two-tier boot.
With good looks, great economy and roominess, the C3 Picasso is one of the most attractive small MPVs in the market and at £11,495 is reasonably priced. Kim at Telfords told me that with a 20 per cent deposit there is 0 percent fi nance available and for two hundred quid |
