Servicing costs tend to be competitive and all engines provide good fuel economy. Unfortunately residual value are far from impressive – not helped by the launch of the C4 Picasso, but with prices so low the Xsara Picasso makes a great budget family mover.

The Xsara Picasso scores fairly well on the eco front. With an average of 166g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are quite low for a people carrier. Eco-conscious buyers should consider the 1.6-litre diesel, which is the greenest model in the range. The range is also fairly economical, averaging 43mpg.

The Picasso is let down badly by poor interior trim and electrical faults. Later cars are better as most of the gremlins have been eliminated but most problems tend to be niggles rather than anything major – however much of the feedback we get is negative. On the plus side the mechanicals are sound and there are few complaints from owners about anything serious.