SPACE ACE? (some text hidden) --NONE--

BY JONATHAN CROUCH

Introductionword count: 160

If you need a family-sized five-seat MPV but don't necessarily want one, then you might want to consider this car, the efficient and surprisingly sophisticated Citroën C4 Space Tourer. You might know this model better as the C4 Picasso, which was what it was badged as prior to 2018. The French maker changed the name after a dispute with the famous artist's family, but not much changed about this likeable Gallic MPV with the badge swap. As before, it was extravagantly designed and came with some genuinely innovative features. The basics of space, safety and cost-effectiveness were all taken care of, but where this model really excels is in the other things: style, technology and a very emotive feel. By People Carrying standards, it's a bit special. But that wasn't enough to save it and the C4 Space Tourer lasted just a year on the British market before being withdrawn in 2019. Does it makes sense as a used buy?

Modelsword count: 11

(5 door MPV: 1.2 petrol, 1.5 & 2.0 turbodiesel [Touch Edition,Feel,Sense,Flair,Shine])

Historyword count: 497

If you'd like a spacious MPV, only need room for five and want something from the 2018-2019 period that's sophisticated and state-of-the-art, then it's to this model that we might well direct you first, Citroen's C4 Space Tourer. You might well know this car better by its previous name, the C4 Picasso. After years of wrangling with the great Spanish artist's family, Citroen finally abandoned using Senor Pablo's famous moniker in the Spring of 2018, though only after three million Picasso MPV sales had been generated. The original Xsara Picasso model was launched in 1999, then in 2007 was replaced by the far more modern C4 Picasso. That car was re-launched in a more futuristic second generation guise in 2013, then substantially updated in 2016. Before, as mentioned earlier, being re-branded the 'C4 Space Tourer' a couple of years later. It's tempting to think of MPV people carriers as one of the most boring sectors of car design, boxes on wheels with little wit or verve to their execution. In this case though, things are very different. Yes, what we have here is a box with wheels at each corner, but as any kid at Christmas will tell you, not all boxes are created equal. It may have been designed to go head to head with five-seat MPV rivals from this period such as the Ford C-MAX, the Renault Scenic and the Volkswagen Golf SV but in some ways, this Gallic contender feels cut from rather different cloth. Emboldened by the success of their boutique DS line of cars, Citroen decided to inject a measure of style and desirability into many of its other wares and this design certainly benefitted, still with the feel of something that's just driven off a motor show stand. It was also available in seven-seat guise - badged predictably as the 'Grand C4 Space Tourer' - but it's the five-seat bodystyle that we're going to concentrate on here. By 2018, this variant's most significant Ford, Renault and Volkswagen rivals had been considerably improved, so in creating this model, Citroen had to do more than just change the name to keep it competitive. So the range benefitted from elements of the company's 'Advanced Comfort' programme and got the PSA Group's improved 1.5-litre BlueHDi 130 diesel engine, which could on request be mated to a more sophisticated auto gearbox than had been offered before, the replacement 'EAT8' transmission featuring much smoother shifting and eight speeds. At the summit of the range, there was a short-lived range-topping 2.0-litre BlueHDi 160 diesel powerplant. And with the plushest variants, original customers could specify a raft of extra camera-driven safety kit too. Sales lasted only until 2019, though the 7-seat Grand C4 Space Tourer model continued until early 2023. In prospect then, what we have here is a very clever People Carrier indeed, with a glassy, futuristic combination of hi-tech style and efficient practicality that ought to stack up as a used buy. Does it? Let's find out.

What You Getword count: 542

If you want to make the look of an MPV more interesting, you've basically got two options. One is to make it lower and more aggressively styled - but that'll affect practicality. The other way is to make your People Carrier look technologically sophisticated, trendy and futuristic - which is the approach Citroen took here. A huge proportion of this vehicle's original development budget was lavished on its styling, both inside and out. We liked it back at this model's original launch in 2013 and with post-2018-era 'C4 Space Tourer' badging, this Gallic MPV remained an eye-catching thing. That certainly seemed to be Citroen's perspective, for the French maker didn't really make any significant styling changes in all the time this particular design was on sale. The aesthetics still get your attention, with a distinctive three-tiered light signature and a windscreen that flows right up into the roofline. And inside? Well the first thing you'll notice is the Panoramic windscreen. Push up the sun visor and your normal upward 28-degree angle of vision is increased to a massive 108-degrees. The dashboard is dominated by twin screens. Virtually all new cars have some sort of central infotainment screen like this Citroen's tablet-style 7-inch 'Touch Drive Interface' lower display, but more unusual is the snazzily futuristic 12-inch panoramic HD panel up top which replaces the normal set of conventional-dialled instrument gauges. This lower monitor includes a 'Mirror Screen' feature, so you can duplicate your smartphone's display onto the monitor via either the 'Apple CarPlay' or the 'MirrorLink' Android systems. Plus you can activate compatible apps like 'Parkopedia', 'Fuel', 'Weather Crave' and 'RockScout'. Most models also got an upgraded Navigation system too, the 3D 'Citroen Connect Nav' set-up, cleverer in that the screen recognises a wider variety of contact points, so you can pinch and swipe as you would on a smartphone - or use voice recognition if that's easier. We also really like the optional rear-facing 'conversation mirror' (standard on top-spec versions) which is there to give an unimpeded view of which child has just stuffed its sticky sweet into your 12v socket. So how will those children fare once they're installed rearwards and ready to plug their gaming equipment into one of the three 12v sockets scattered around the car? Well, pull open rear doors that open wide to a 65-degree angle for excellent access and it certainly looks pretty spacious, with comfort you can properly appreciate thanks to a proper seating arrangement. Unlike many People Carriers, this one doesn't position the unfortunate middle rear passenger with legs astride a central transmission tunnel and perched on some hard and narrow pierce of bulging foam. Instead, there's a completely flat floor and a rear cabin seating area made up of three separate identically-sized chairs that can be reclined and folded flat independently of one another. Avoid entry-level trim and you'll find that they can be slid backwards and forwards too. When the hatch is raised, you'll find yourself gazing at the largest cargo area in the class from this era. Even with the seats slid right back, it's 537-litres in size up to parcel shelf height - and you can increase that to as much as 630-litres if you push the three chairs forward.

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