Citroën C3 Picasso (2009 - 2017) 1.6 HDi 8V VTR+ 5d (2011/61) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Practical, quirky, efficient.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Wife thinks it's excellent. Daughter thinks it's cool. Mates at work think it's a bit strange!

Would you buy this car again and why?

Yes, if you can get it at a good price. They are a bit expensive for what they are, but negotiate and get a good deal and this is a very sensible car for everyday, hassle free motoring.

What are you likely to buy next?

No idea! A red sports car when I reach my mid-life crisis?!

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£0

When did you buy the car?

February 2012

Did you get a good deal and why?

I bought this as a pre-registered car, so although it was showing as registered 5 months old, it was technically a brand new car but for much less money.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Compact, fuel efficient, quirky styling, comfortable.

What was the dealer like?

Citroen in Manchester (Upper Brook Street) were great and I'd recommend using them again.

What's it like to drive?

The upright driving position is very comfortable and visibility is excellent all round. The controls are easy to use with the switchgear having a very pleasant feel. The diesel engine is a good puller and gets you out of junctions as fast as you could wish, but acceleration above 40mph is slow. Handling at speed isn't one of its strengths, but the Citroen engineers have done a good job of getting a tall car to ride comfortably without being jittery or leaning round the bends. It's a softer ride than many MPVs but it isn't too wobbly. The only thing I dislike about driving it is the steering. It's very light.... too light. I have no idea how well the wheels are gripping the road. As a result, when you do push it to the limit, it looses all grip suddenly and without warning.

What's it like to park?

Very easy, it's even smaller than you imagine it to be.

Have you had any problems with the car?

No, nothing wrong, but it has only got 1000 miles on the clock so far. The things that I don't like about the car are small. The glovebox is tiny on right hand drive cars. The door interior plastics don't have a good feel and they scratch and dent easily making them look scruffy very quickly. Other than that, it's a great car!

What's most practical about your car?

There's no one thing, but it seems an easy car to live with. The visibility is great, the controls easy to use, the seats very comfortable and there's loads of room. How do Citroen get such a small car to seem so big?!

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Back seats slide and tilt (a bit) to allow more or less boot space and some additional comfort for back seat passengers. This is beneficial for my daughter in her child seat as we can recline her a bit for sleeping. The USB socket for playing MP3 files also good! :-) The quirky dashboard design is actually very easy to read.