Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2010/January 2011 | Page 110

motoring

Island Life - December 2010

A Grand day out in the
Citroen C4 Picasso

TEST DRIVEN
ON THE ISLAND
By Roz Whistance

A huge panoramic windscreen
introduces the family in this Citroen
Grand C4 Picasso to the world. The
effect is to make this spacious vehicle
feel even more roomy, which is priority
number one for a family car.
Citroen knows that when you’re
clutching the baby under one arm
and have got your toddler’s teddy
between your teeth you don’t want
to be fiddling around to fit in an
unplanned passenger. Rear seats, which
lie completely flat for a huge 1951-litre
boot, can be popped up with just one
hand.
And when you haven’t got the kids
with you, it’s a massive space again to

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take all the garden rubbish to the tip.
The interior has been built for real live
people who need organising. Two huge
pop-open thing-holders top the dash:
the glove box has a divide; there’s even
a lunch holder with a flat surface for
drinks. There are easy-to-operate visors,
for when the glare from the deep
windscreen gets too much, the digital
speedo is crystal clear your speed is
literally writ large in front of you.
For all the practicalities, this car has
bags of classic Citroen quirkiness. How
often do you see an electric hand-brake
on top of the dashboard? Or a lever
at eye level so you can switch from
auto to manual which was on this

model. And shiny gear-switch paddles
surrounding the steering wheel which
are more usually to be found in formula
one cars than family MPVs. Automatic is
the undemanding option, but when you
get a moment to yourself, do give the
manual paddles a go.
As every parent will know, there’s
nothing like a rare bit of freedom to do
your own thing.
On test was the Citroen C4 Grand
VTR. On the Road price £17,945 at
Central Garage, Newport. Tel: 01983
526541

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