Citroën Grand C4 Picasso (2007 - 2013) 1.6HDi 16V Exclusive 5d EGS (2008/58) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

You have kids and you may like to take the kitchen sink with you on holiday.

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

They like it, many of our friends with kids have one too.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Never. The design of the car is brilliant, but the reliability is scarily bad. Big bills are only ever a few thousand miles away.

What are you likely to buy next?

Difficult to say. When you look at the most reliable cars and manufacturers in most surveys, they don't tend to offer MPVs, and we do like the space that an MPV gives.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£10,000

When did you buy the car?

November 2011

Did you get a good deal and why?

It was an OK deal, but the car was ex-Motability and had some damage to the plastics around the steering column and lower trim panel which wasn't so great.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Wanted space, technology and luxury.

What was the dealer like?

We had to take the car back on day 1 (!!!) because the headlamps were stuck on all the time, probably something to do with previous motability modifications by the first owner - but why didn't the Citroën dealer spot this on their so-called extensive pre-sale checks before they gave us the car? The dealer then tried to fob us off by claiming we didn't understand how the auto lights work (we do, thanks) before finally admitting the fault and bringing it in for repair.

What's it like to drive?

When warmed up, the EGS gearbox is very smooth - so long as you don't drive too quickly. The steering is very light and the controls easy to use. So it's a pleasant environment, but don't expect sports car handling! The 1.6 HDI engine is responsive and reasonably economical, especially given the great big lump of a car it has to drag along. Refinement is excellent in the Exclusive version. There's stacks of sound deadening material and laminated side windows!

What's it like to park?

Easy enough. Despite the interior space, it's not too big on the outside, and the rear parking sensors help. The front overhang can be difficult to judge, so front parking sensors would have been nice too.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Many things have gone wrong: The rear suspension air bags had to be replaced when the car was just over three years old. The boot release handle failed. The injector seals leaked. The gearbox started juddering when cold. The radiator cooling fan nearly shook itself to bits. One of the rear electric windows don't always want to do one touch operation. One of the doors fills with water every time if rains. The underbonnet drains blocked, leading to a pool of water trapped in there too. The brakes squeal like a stuck pig, despite liberal application of copper grease. And finally, the suspension air bags are starting to fail again, only now the replacement parts are no longer available, so we're having to consider modifying the car to use regular coil springs instead.

What's most practical about your car?

Huge amount of space in 5 seat mode, and rear most seats easy to put up and down too.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Lots of nice gadgets to love, from the digital dash to automatically lit door pockets and self levelling suspension - when it works!