Tomorrow's family wagon has arrived early in the shape of Citroen's brilliant new Picasso.
Value for money
Pricing
The Picasso 2.0 litre petrol wagon costs $39,990; the 2.0 litre turbo diesel is $44,990.
Warranty
Three years/100,000 kilometres.
Standard features
The Picasso comes standard with seven seats, cruise control with a speed limiter, four zone airconditioning, seven airbags, stability control, rear parking sensors, rain sensing wipers, power windows, roof rails, a CD player, trip computer and 17 inch alloy wheels.
Options: a "premium pack", priced at $6500, adds extra lighting, power adjustable, heated sports seats, leather upholstery, high gloss dash and door trim, folding door mirrors and floor mats. A sunroof costs an extra $1750 and metallic paint adds $700.
Retained value
New model, no history.
Design and function
Ergonomics
The Picasso is like no car you've sat in before. Its vast windscreen extending above and behind you, beyond your line of sight, its two slim front pillars on each side and the car's low window sills combine to provide you with amazing forward and side vision. The effect is almost like travelling along in a big glass bubble.
Large, extendable visors slide and fold forward if you wish to reduce glare and shade your eyes on sunny days.
Vision to the rear is also clear. An extra convex rear view mirror, just above the main interior mirror, allows you to see what the kids are up to in the middle and back seats.
The driving position is high and comfortable. The dash is futuristic in style, but passes the acid test for user friendliness: you can work it out without recourse to the owner's manual.
Bright, legible, digital instruments are displayed on a large, shaded screen located in the centre of the dash rather than straight in front of you. Lighting can be adjusted from white, through several shades of blue. You can also turn off all of the displays, except the speedo and gear indicator.
Every seating position has its own seat belt indicator light (plus an audible warning), so you can immediately nail the culprit who hasn't buckled up. The rear doors and windows can also be locked from the driver's seat.
Audio controls are located in the usual spot, but the airconditioning controls are to the right of the wheel. Why? Why not. It frees up space in the centre of the dash for extra storage.
The steering wheel rotates around a fixed centre hub, on which the cruise control and duplicate audio controls are located. The parking brake is electronically operated, automatically applied if you switch the ignition off, and automatically released as you drive off.
Innovation
The Picasso is based on the Citroen C4 platform.
The 2.0 litre petrol engine produces 103kW of power at 6000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 4000rpm. It's matched with a four speed automatic transmission.
The 2.0 litre turbo diesel produces 100kW at 4000rpm and 270Nm at 2000rpm. It also drives the front wheels, via a six speed sequential automatic.
Weight is 1600-1620 kg.
Suspension is MacPherson strut front/flexible transverse beam axle rear, the latter with coil or optional pneumatic springs.
Brakes are discs with ABS and stability control.
Seventeen inch alloy wheels are shod with 215/55 tyres.
Safety
The Picasso scored five stars out of five in Euro NCAP tests.
Security
Not yet rated by NRMA Insurance. Volumetric and perimeter alarms are optional.
Comfort
The high set, generously padded driver's seat is luxurious and supportive in typical French style, upholstered in standard velour. There's plenty of height adjustment and travel.
Space and practicality
Given its relatively compact external dimensions, the Picasso is remarkably space efficient.
Three comfortable, individual row two seats each offers sufficient leg room for most adults, and has 130mm of travel. The low floor makes it very easy to get in and out of the Picasso.
A sunblind is fitted to the back door side windows. Both centre pillars have airconditioning vents, with fan and temperature controls, the two front seats have flip down tables on the back; door bins, seat back nets and in-floor bins add extra storage. The centre seat has a two buckle seat belt that extends from the roof.
The two lightweight back seats fold up from the floor with no heavy lifting required. Access is similarly convenient, via an ingenious flip and fold single action for each of the outboard row two seats.
The back seats themselves are small, but there's sufficient space to carry younger kids in reasonable comfort, or those up to mid teen age if you push the row two seats partly forward. The head restraints can be raised to provide proper protection.
Four restraint anchors are provided, so even with two restraints fitted in row two, older kids can still get into the back seats.
The airconditioning can be kept running for up to eight minutes after the engine is switched off, which is useful for keeping occupants comfortable on hot days if the driver has to leave the vehicle for a short time - for example, when filling it with fuel.
In-dash storage, easily reached from the driver's seat, includes three gloveboxes and a cooler in the centre of the dash. Door and underfloor bins are also provided.
Boot space is tight with all seats in use, but you can get a few schoolbags in there. In five seater mode, space is greater than some 4WD wagons. The floor is very low and easy to load, but if you're over 180 cm you'll have to duck under the roof hinged tailgate.
Each row two seat also flips forward to make an almost flat extended floor of 1.76 metres. A load cover and barrier are provided, but the latter blocks the view out the back window when fixed to the roof.
Build and finish quality
The car we drove at the launch was solid and well finished inside, albeit with a few little chirps and squeaks generated when driving on rough roads. French cars rate poorly in independent quality and reliability surveys.
On the road
Fuel efficiency
We have not yet measured fuel consumption, but European standard test figures for city and highway running are a reasonably accurate guide. The diesel uses just 7.9 litres in town and 5.1 litres/100 km on the highway - try getting that from a seven seat 4WD wagon - while the petrol version's figures are 12.9 and 6.6 litres/100km respectively.
Performance
The diesel's torque laden delivery, allied with the efficiency of a six speed auto, is perfect for the people mover application. The Picasso won't win any performance contests, but the diesel is strong and flexible, equally at home on the highway or round the suburbs.
There's little reason to choose the petrol engine. It would be slower with a load of people on board, has only a four speed transmission attached to it, and uses more fuel.
The six speed's lever, mounted to the right of the wheel, is the size of a pen and can be operated with only your fingertips. Gears can also be changed manually with large paddles on the wheel.
Ride
The Picasso's main weakness is its suspension. It is too softly sprung for our rough roads, so while the ride is fine on smooth surfaces, choppy bitumen causes some harshness and noise to reach the cabin. It's not uncomfortable, but neither is it smooth, silent and supple, as French cars once were.
Handling and steering
The body is quite tight but the Picasso's overly soft springing also means that it can get kicked around a little by an unforgiving road surface, while lateral impacts also compromise roadholding and stability. That said, it's fine around town, and the damping is sufficiently robust to exercise proper control over body movement.
The steering itself is very indirect and light.
Braking
No problems here.
Smoothness and quietness
The diesel is as refined as a petrol engine. The only significant noise source is the aforementioned suspension working hard on a rough road.
Summary
A seven seat people mover that uses less than 10 litres/100 km in town, has every kid friendly, safety and convenience feature known to humankind, and looks as stylish as this has to be a good thing. The Picasso, and its Renault Scenic rival, should be numbers one and two on your test drive list if you're after a 21st century family wagon.
The writer of this report does not necessarily represent the views of the NRMA and this report is provided for you as an alternative to our own NRMA car reviews.
The writer of this report does not necessarily represent the views of the NRMA and this report is provided for you as an alternative to our own NRMA car reviews.
