Citroen C4 Grand Picasso e-HDi Airdream EGS6 VTR+ 5dr Car Review - February 2012

The driving position is very good, and one of the big selling points for the car is the excellent visibility that is available from the driving seat. The ride is soft and helps to ensure that all the passengers are comfortable during the journey, but this is at some sacrifice to the drive itself, leaving the handling a little bit unresponsive. There is no doubt that this is ideal for transporting the family, but it will never be considered to be a driver's car.

In terms of the engine performance, those looking for a racing MPV should look elsewhere, with acceleration figures of 0-62mph in a trundling 13.5 seconds. The top speed of 113mph will not be approached by most people driving this car, because the majority of people will be more interested in transporting people than in breaking the speed limits.

Sheer practicality means that a large MPV like this Grand Picasso will never be stunningly attractive, but the large windows and curves are attractive enough for this kind of vehicle. The large headlights do give the front end a nice look, and having the alloy wheels as standard is something that will be attractive to many people. The mounting of the gear stick may be unusual for those who haven't previously driven a Citroen, and the controls for the entertainment features are a little fussy.

The seven seats will be one of the major features for many people, and having air conditioning will certainly help people to be comfortable when transporting a full car of people. The cruise control is certainly a welcome addition for the drivers, and as this is quite a large vehicle the power folding mirrors are a nice feature. The rear parking sensor is also very useful as this car is really quite a big vehicle.

Practicality is one of the major reasons that people will want to buy a Grand Picasso, and the sheer space available in this vehicle is huge. Even with all seven seats in place, there is still room for a few bags in the boot, and for those occasions when there is a large load to carry, most of these seats will fold flat to transport large items. The flexibility of the layout also means that the luggage space can be increased and seats folded flat depending on the number of people travelling in the vehicle.

The Grand Picasso has also received five stars from the Euro NCAP tests, and also has the usual range of airbags including curtain airbags to look after the passengers. The ESP and traction control included as standard means that the driver will have all the tools to keep the passengers safe. The lack of an alarm is a security concern, but the typical range of security features are all to be found.

The list price for this version of the C4 Grand Picasso is £21,945, but many people are reporting that there are some good discounts available. This is quite competitive when compared with other cars in the class, but some people may find that the cheaper version without the automatic gearbox may be more palatable.

The fuel performance is very good for such a large car, delivering 57.6mpg on average, and the insurance group for the Grand Picasso is also very low. Although depreciation may be a problem when people come to sell the vehicle, this will be cushioned by a three year warranty and one year's roadside breakdown assistance.