Citroën C3 Picasso Estate (2009-2017) running costs and reliability

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Running costs rating: 4 out of 54.0

Written by Chris Ebbs Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 44 - 72 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

View mpg & specs for any version

The diesel manages 20mpg more than the petrol, so makes a better choice for long distance drivers. However, it also requires servicing more often with intervals of 12,500 miles rather than 20,000 miles. Citroen dealers tend to offer good value rates when it comes to routine maintenance and there’s also a three-year/35,000 mile servicing programme available for a one-off up front payment.

It includes an annual vehicle ‘health check’ and brake fluid replacement.

CO2 emissions are quite high for a car of this size especially on the petrol models with the 1.4-litre emitting 159g/km and 163g/km for the 1.6-litre petrol. The 1.6-litre diesel version performs better with 133g/km of CO2 but there is no dedicated low-emissions version available. Both the petrol and diesel model are fairly efficient returning up to 41 and 60 mpg respectively.

Citroen’s reputation hasn’t always been good but things seem to be improving. The C3 Picasso feels that little bit sturdier than some previous models.