We were so privileged to be given a chance to test drive the all-new CITROËN Grand C4 Picasso, the 7-seater Family MPV, over a weekend.
We have been driving a humble sedan car for the past 7 years, so a 7-seater MPV was a new experience for us. When we got our hands on this CITROËN Grand C4 Picasso for the first time, the kids literally screamed out loudly, “OMG, this car is so big!”
The CITROËN Grand C4 Picasso is indeed a very big car – it looks sleek and modern yet not too bulky on the outside, and is very spacious in the inside. Overall, it has a really nice design! We couldn’t wait to test drive it!
Doesn’t it look beautiful?!! Look at its shape and the good length/width/height ratio.
We took the test drive seriously so we went round the island. From north to south, south to east, east to west, west to town, town back to the north, testing out many different routes.
In all the places that we drove past, there were so many people turning their heads, eyes seemingly green with envy! It wasn’t a surprise to us as I would have turned into a green-eyed monster too if I saw someone driving the CITROËN Grand C4 Picasso!
We drove this MPV to Ikea. Its spacious boot (by flattening the 3rd row seats) makes transporting big items into such an easy job. It’s a pity we didn’t have many big items to buy that day 🙂
The CITROËN Grand C4 Picasso runs on diesel and what surprised us the most is that it has only a 1.6 litre engine! We are really amazed by how powerful the engine is.
Running on diesel with a 1.6-litre engine, I can only think of one thing – cost-saving on fuel! As the MPV is built on a more efficient EMP2 platform, it offers a spectacular reduction in weight and fuel consumption, which is an awesome innovation!
We really like how easy it is to handle the car — so easy that it didn’t feel like we were driving such a big car.
Cruising and turning around bends was so smooth that even the kids noticed it. They looked at the dashboard and asked, “How come we couldn’t feel that the car is moving that fast when we already hit the speed limit?”
They also asked, “Why is it we could stay still in our seats and not turn to the side when Baba made a sharp turn?” The MPV runs very stably indeed.
The CITROËN Grand C4 Picasso has some built-in safety features that are crucial in making sure that your family — especially the kids — are safe on the road. There are 6 airbags installed in it, so protection for the driver and passengers is optimum.
The park-assist (auto-park) with 360o camera view (available with the Intensive + model) will surely be a big hit with those struggling with parking, and also adds more confidence for all drivers. There is also a blind spot monitoring system (available with the Intensive + model) for enhanced driving safety.
The car also comes with a height-adjustable electric tailgate — a truly unique feature!
Another unique feature is the very wide angle of the front view. It provides “unblocked” views and a unique driving experience!
Apart from the innovative safety features, what really spoke to us were the well-thought-out family-friendly features.
For one, there is a child-watch safety mirror, which I am totally appreciative of! Let me tell you why.
I often drive alone with the two kids buckled up in their booster car seats at the rear seats. It is challenging, even dangerous at times, when I have to turn my head to look at them, especially whenever they fight (yes, they do fight, they are kids, remember) — thus distracting me from driving..
With the child-watch mirror, they dare not try anything funny as they know that I am watching. Such a clever invention!
The 7-seater configuration is also great. The kids have already planned out for when their grandparents come to visit us — who will sit at which seat, and they figured everyone can have his/her seats without needing to squeeze in together, like what we do in our Sedan.
Another unique feature is the removable centre console for walk-through to the middle row — makes things so much easier!
As for the kids, what got them most excited were the aircraft-style trays in the car, which can hold an iPad nicely. They related this to what they experienced in a plane and started to to play an imaginary game of “Airplane” right away.
I can imagine kids could also use the tray for drawing whenever their artistic ideas flow while on the road — another plus for parents and children alike!
Of course, let’s not forget about the MPV’s sun blinds — which are handily installed in the second row. We didn’t have to bother about rolling them down, and they gave us good protection from the glare of the sun outside.
(Left) The full digital, full touch driving interface (7-inch touchpad with a high-definition 12-inch panoramic screen).
(Right) The smaller mirror is the child-watch mirror that provides a complete view of what is happening at the back.
This beauty is actually the proud winner of major automotive awards – BBC Top Gear (UK) “2013 Family Car of the Year”, Autobild Golden Steering Wheel (Germany) for “2013 Favourite MPV of the Year”, and What Car? Awards (UK) “2014 MPV of the Year”. It comes with a 5 years / 100,000km warranty.
A very enjoyable experience for The Kam Family — test driving the CITROËN Grand C4 Picasso.
Though we only had the car for ferrying our family around for 3 days, it has left a very profound impression on the kids and on us. I am particularly impressed by its powerful engine and its innovative unique features for families.
In all honesty, after driving this beauty for 3 days, it took us a couple of days to get used to our own sedan again, which we have been driving for the past 7 years —,so I think that says it all!
Article written by Mrs Kam (https://www.thekamfamily.com/)
