Published:
2 July 2024Departure from convention eventually became the convention in the medium-size MPV design textbook, but that was in no small part thanks to the popularity of the quirky original Xsara Picasso, a car to whose interior this Citroen C4 Picasso pays homage.
But this was not all that Citroën had in mind, and you can tell because the eccentric touches appeared on a classier and more upmarket canvas than we were used to. This is an MPV that does ‘plush’ at the same time as ‘peculiar’ – and in all but one or two places it does both well.
A Picasso wouldn’t be a Picasso without an instrument panel offset to the centre of the fascia. But no Picasso that we’ve seen before has featured a customisable colour LCD screen in place of normal dials, a chic-looking two-tone dashboard, or air vents, steering wheel grips and centre stack zones edged in ritzy satin chrome.
There were three trims to choose from - Touch Edition, Feel and Flair. Entry-level models got 16in alloy wheels, hill start assist, cruise control, a panoramic windscreen and rear parking sensors as standard on the outside, while inside there was dual-zone climate control and a 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system complete with DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.
Upgrade to a Feel model and you found luxuries such as front parking sensors, sat nav, Citroën's 12in configurable display, massaging front seats and 17in alloy wheels, while the range-topping Flair model added a self parking mode, blind spot monitoring, automatic opening tailgate and a panoramic sunroof.
You perch fairly high in the driver’s seat, as you’d expect, but the controls are well placed and generously adjustable and the front seats are large and comfortable – our only gripe with them being a lack of adjustment in the headrests. The cabin is bathed in light via both an extended windscreen running back above your head and a large panoramic glass roof.
