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“As a family car the Citroen Xsara Picasso is...”

written by mercwalla on 18/06/2006

Good Points
A very easy to live with MPV

Bad Points
Automatic gearbox needs getting used to

General Comments
As a family car the Citroen Xsara Picasso is excellent, small on the outside, very easy to park, loads of room inside with tons of clever features made with the family driver in mind. Loads of safety features, ABS, EBFD, TRACTION CONTROL, 6 AIRBAGS and 5 PROPER SEAT BELTS. The car is well specced as well with CD player, cruise control, remote stereo control, aircon, electric windows and heated electric mirrors

We needed an MPV which gave us room for 2 baby seats and a teenager in the back and the Picasso was the only one that fitted. Also the fact that you get 3 proper diagonal seatbelts on the back seats.

The interior is light and spacious. Excellent headroom, the front seats are 'captain seats' with removable armrests, very good for long journeys. The back is roomy, much wider ,we think, than other compartive mpvs, easily enough for 3 people. Yhe removable rear seats are excellent, very light and easy the take out/ put back (compared to the Espace we had which required 2 of us) the boot is big as well, enough for most uses, and with the seats out the space is almost van like.

Lots of clever storage in the car, 2 hidden draws under the rear passenger feet, one under the driver seat and a folding shopping trolley in the boot !

The dashboard is modern looking with a digital dash display set in the middle giving you lots of info though we have found out that the trip computer is inaccurate and can't be relied on. The figures don't match the odometer for a start meaning it loses chunks of your trip hence giving out false figures.

Although the car is well thought out and scores very well as a family mover it isn't a fun thing to drive, it rattles when you go over uneven roads. The ride is noisy as you hear all the tyre noise in the cabin (though we normally have the radio on which drowns this out) on the motorway it is quieter, not a lot of wind noise and you can have a conversation without having to raise your voice.

The drive is a bit annoying mostly caused by the automatic/ tiptronic gearbox, the gearbox is set up to change at set speeds rather than set revs meaning that at times when you (and the engine) want to change up the gearbox hangs on to the lower gear. I have to then move it to tiptronic mode and change up myself. (I've driven automatics for decades and have driven most makes and this is the most annoying) but to be fair to the car my wife loves to drive it and has absolutely no complaints.

The large windows which give the spacious feel make the car hot in summer, the stereo speakers are rubbish, tinny and lacking in bass.

If you want to change the stereo for an aftermarket one, apparently the one in the car is somehow linked to the cars computer and you may need a trip to the main dealer or your car may not work properly.

IMPORTANT you only get ONE remote control key, if you want another it will cost around £70 from the Citroen dealer. when you are buying the car check to ensure the seller has the credit card sized card with the cars PIN CODE on it. without this the dealer will charge more for the key.

Overall the Picasso is a cheap very well thought out mini MPV, reliable so far, easy to live with.

We would recommend it to others considering getting one, if you are not too fussed about the drive on the automatic then go for it