Grand ambitions for new Citroens

Citroen’s updated Picasso and Grand Picasso go on sale from September 1 with prices starting at £19,635.

The people carriers, launched at the same time as the new 66 number plates, feature revised styling and updated technology to take on the forthcoming Renault Scenic.

Both the five-seat C4 Picasso and seven-seat Grand C4 Picasso have seen prices nudged up to accommodate the improved spec levels, with the starting price for both £1,140 and £1,740 more respectively.

With all the attention falling on family friendly SUVs like the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai Tucson, people carriers have to be more image conscious than ever before.

So both cars feature a new front bumper, with prominent C-shaped fog light surrounds and a wider grille, as well as chrome strips that extend the Citroen chevrons even further outwards than before. At the back there’s new ‘3D-effect’ LED taillights and a new Citroen badge.

The C4 Picasso gets a new black twotone roof colour option as well, while the Grand Picasso seven-seater also has a new silver choice for the roof bars.

New interior options for the Picasso range include blue cloth upholstery, an “extra-support” headrest, a perfume dispenser, Nappa leather upholstery in black and amber, LED reading lights and rear sunblinds. There’s also Citroen’s latest sat-nav and infotainment system on board, as well as some new safety kit.

That extra safety equipment includes a tiredness warning system, speed limit recognition, a driver attention alert, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, active cruise control and auto city braking.

There are some new powertrain options for both cars too, with a six speed automatic gearbox now available on the 128bhp PureTech petrol model, which returns 55.4mpg and emits 115g/km of CO2.

There’s also the option of a 108bhp petrol engine with a six-speed manual gearbox in the five-seat C4 Picasso model only.

Pictures: Newspress. The Citroen C4 Picasso and Grand Picasso cost a bit more but have improved tech levels.