BEST USED MPV CITROEN GRAND C4 PICASSO
OUR PICK 2014 (14) 1.6 e-hdi Airdream VTR+, 39,490 miles, £8,390
MPV sales are dwindling as buyers are increasingly drawn tow towards seven-seat SUVS, but that means there are plenty of babargains in the classifieds. And following its success at the Auto Express New Car Awards in the summer, our second-hand pick is the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso.
A facelift last year cemented its position as our favourite MPV, but because it only brought minor tweaks to the styling and infotainment, a used example offers the same level of flexibility, space and efficiency at a more affordable price.
You can pick from petrol and punchy diesel models; we’d steer clear of the former because the older units aren’t up to the standard of the latest Puretech turbos and go for Citroen’s 113bhp 1.6 e-hdi diesel; it’s economical, refined and delivers enough performance.
VTR+ spec features air-conditioning, Bluetooth and cruise control, but the Grand C4 Picasso’s real appeal stems from its flexibility. It’s based on Citroen’s EMP2 platform, and this scalable architecture yields plenty of space inside. Even in the rear seats adults have enough room for short journeys, while kids will be fine for a longer trip, helped by the relatively comfortable ride, although it does bounce and crash a little over broken tarmac.
Seats that slide and fold individually mean you can customise the cabin layout, while the interior features a futuristic twin-screen set-up. The huge windscreen ensures great visibility from anywhere in the car, too.
A 165-litre boot with all seats in place is enough for a few shopping bags, while in five-seat form between 632 and 793 litres of luggage room is available, making this one of the most versatile people movers around at any price.
Bring budget back into the equation, and with threeyear-old cars in solid mid-spec trim with less than 40,000 miles on the clock going from around £8,500, there isn’t a better people carrier for the money.
“Flexible interior space makes the Grand C4 Picasso one of the most versatile people movers around at any price”