Citroen Grand C4 Picasso (2007 – 2013) Review

Citroen Grand C4 Picasso (2007 – 2013) At A Glance

3/5

+Good value seven-seat people carrier. Immensely versatile. Easy to drive, good view out for all passengers. Three Isofix fittings across the centre seats.

-Bumpers easily damaged. EGS gearbox requires getting used to otherwise lurches. Serious problems developing with EGS gearbox.

Insurance Groups are between 13–20
On average it achieves 91% of the official MPG figure

This is the car that would have surprised no one by becoming European Car of the Year 2007.

Without taking anything away from the Ford S-Max that secured the title (by managing to be both a drivers car and an MPV), the feature-packed C4 Picasso pushes the concept of compact MPV further than it has ever gone before.

Unfortunately it was a latecomer to CoTY and some of the judges did not get enough time to fully appreciate quite how much it offers.

Real MPG average for a Citroen Grand C4 Picasso (2007 – 2013)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

91%

Real MPG

24–60 mpg

MPGs submitted

327

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

My Citroen C4 Grand Picasso needs a new gear selector and cambelt, should I repair or replace the car?

"We have had a C4 Grand Picasso for six years, it is an 11-plate. There is an issue with the gear selector and requires £845+VAT and a new cambelt at £380+VAT. Is it worth it, and would you buy a newer C4?"
Depending on the mileage and condition of your Citroen, if it was in full working order its value would be somewhere between £1,500 and £4,000. You need to consider whether or not you wish to keep the car but also what the cost of the repairs will be in relation to the value of the car when fixed. The C4 Grand Picasso is a very practical car but almost any car of this age will have faults and require repairs. It is also worth remembering that the cambelt is a service item rather than a fault so is an inevitable cost of running an older car. Whether or not to repair or replace comes down to a matter of finances, considering the money you have available and the costs of the two options.
Answered by David Ross

The ULEZ means I will no longer be able to go the 500 metres to my local supermarkets for my elderly mum - are Blue Badge holders exempt from the £12.50 charge?

"I drive a 2009 diesel C4 Grand Picasso. I live in a postcode just outside the A406. TFL is proposing to bring in an Ultra Low Emissions Zone next year and it would seem that I will no longer be able to go the 500 metres to my local supermarkets for heavy shopping, which I do for both for my 92-year-old mother-in-law (she has a disabled badge) and my household without paying a daily 'penalty' of £12.50. Do you know if there will be any exemptions for folk such as us and, if not, any advice on what replacement car I should purchase (used, as we have very limited funds)."
As far as I’m aware, Blue Badge holders will need to pay the charge from 8 April 2019 unless their vehicle meets the new ULEZ emission standards or is registered with the DVLA as a 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicle'. If you want to replace your Citroen and only cover short distances, I’d recommend choosing a petrol. Something like the Honda Jazz 1.2: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/honda/jazz-2008/ Or Ford Fiesta 1.25 should suit your needs: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/ford/fiesta-2013/
Answered by Dan Powell

Should I buy back my Cat N write off from my insurers?

"I've just been told my car is a Category N write off. The insurance company would give me market value (£3500), which is fair enough considering it's a diesel with 74,000 miles on the clock. Or I could buy it back as Cat N and get £2500 cash instead. Although I would probably not get a diesel again, the car has been reliable and we normally drive our cars until they don't go any more (this is a seven year old Grand Picasso). The front is bashed in, the bonnet doesn't quite close properly and it needs a new bumper and set of lights. Is it sensible to buy it back?"
No, why would you buy back a car you already own? You are being conned by your insurer. Advise them that you insist the car is repaired as the repair cost does not exceed the market value. If they advise it is a "constructive total loss", ask them to refer to the part in the new salvage code where it advises they can do this. There is no reference, a car is only ever a total loss when repair costs exceed the market value. Your contract of insurance is to indemnify you "up to" the market value. The insurer's liability lies at the cost of repair up to this point.
Answered by Tim Kelly

We need a large MPV, but do low mileage - what do you recommend?

"We have four children and are struggling with our Citroen C4 Grand Picasso. We need a secondhand replacement with space and a decent boot, so very few cars are suitable. We do 6000 miles per year with many local journeys. Modern diesels are not ideal, but petrol variants are rare and thirsty for this size of vehicle unless converted to LPG. We've ruled out a number of vehicles, for a number of reasons. So we've narrowed it down to a Ford Tourneo Custom or a Hyundai i800. We just drove a Ford Tourneo Custom LWB L2 15-plate, 125PS nine-seater on 47,000 miles. It's an ex-taxi, so not perfect, but comes from a Ford dealer with one year warranty. The engine is adequate, but frustratingly gutless below 2000rpm - though we'd get about 35mpg. There are also various reports about gearbox failures and Transits being more prone to issues with DPFs. We have our eyes on a Hyundai i800 17-plate with 9000 miles and 4.5 years warranty remaining. It's a nice size vehicle with eight seats, and it looks and feels more car-like than the Tourneo. We anticipate 28mpg, but at 6000 miles per year, this is an £150 extra per year, with the added benefit of no DMF (Dual Mass Flywheel) to fail. Please could I draw on your expertise? Do you have any thoughts on reliability, faults, running costs, performance, comfort, parking, depreciation etc?"
Your annual mileage of 6000 is not enough to qualify for a modern diesel and you’ll leave yourself open to all manner of expensive DPF issues, no matter which make or model you choose: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/miscellaneous/2017-10/everything-you-need-to-know-about-dpfs/ The all-electric Nissan e-NV200 might suit your needs. It has an all-electric range of 106 miles from a single charge and is available as a combi, with windows and seven seats: https://vans.honestjohn.co.uk/van-reviews/nissan/env200-2014/ The Ford Grand Tourneo Connect is also available with a petrol engine, with seven-seats. It’s not as easy to get in and out of as the e-NV200 or Transit Custom, but is worth investigating as it’s easier to drive and park, owing to its compact size: https://vans.honestjohn.co.uk/van-reviews/ford/tourneo-connect-2014/
Answered by Dan Powell
More Questions

What does a Citroen Grand C4 Picasso (2007 – 2013) cost?