Citroën C3 Picasso

In short: New mini-MPV rivalling Vauxhall Meriva, Nissan NOTE, Ford Fusion. On sale 9th April with two petrol, two diesel engines, prices from £11,495-£15,595.

THE first thing that struck me as I slipped into Citroën's C3 Picasso? How well I could see out of it.

Glancing into the rear view mirror of Citroën's new 'mini'-MPV I found my gaze totally unobstructed even by headrests. Again looking ahead, I was taken by the wraparound screen and particularly the split A-pillar effectively creating a front quarterlight (for those readers old enough to remember such things). Even the metal of the pillar itself is angled on the inside to enhance the view, which means there's hardly a blind spot anywhere and instead a feeling of sitting in a goldfish bowl - especially if you go for the optional panoramic sunroof.

There is however much more to the C3 Picasso than visibility - as a first drive in pleasingly sunny Northamptonshire showed, this is a practical, versatile car with surprisingly impressive road manners.

Mind you, the former should not be much of a surprise because Citroën is fast building a reputation for its MPV range, basically because that range keeps mushrooming. One in every four European MPVs sold is a Citroën and such vehicles account for more than half of the brand's UK sales. The C3 Picasso will sit in showrooms alongside the Berlingo Multispace and the ageing yet still-selling Xsara Picasso, so why choose it over those two?

Basically because the C3 Picasso combines style and practicality in a way the others can't. The Xsara was very stylish for its time but can't match newer rivals for practicality, while the Berlingo, effectively created from a van, certainly won't win any fashion awards. With the C3 Citroën expects to snare those buyers who are downsizing from bigger MPVs and still want features such as space, versatility and safety, but in something that looks good on the road.

The car certainly scores on that point - it has a curvy, friendly feel which is pleasing on the eye, certainly moving away from the boxiness of rivals. Then you discover all the natty practical features. It's a full five-seater with plenty of head, knee and legroom front and rear, which doesn't surprise until you are told this car is only five inches longer than a Ford Fiesta supermini. Citroën claims best-in-class interior space, and that owners of compact-MPVs - the next size up - are unsurprisingly taking serious interest in their new baby.

The bootspace is impressive too, helped by the fact that the car boasts an almost vertical rear end.  You get 500 litres with the seats in place, and that jumps to 1500 litres-plus when you fold down said seats - a simple, one-handed operation that produces a flat floor. And there's another compartment under the bootfloor, offering extra storage and somewhere to hide such items as a laptop - someone at Citroën has seriously thought about the practicalities...  

The real surprise, though, comes when you get the car out on the road. It is a very tall, upstanding vehicle, which suggests you will suffer that horrible over-soft travelling experience with nauseous wallowing in the bendy bits - but you simply don't. This Picasso rides smoothly, smothers the bumps, and grips in a sure-footed manner around corners - it is a confidence-inducing ride.

Engine choices currently number four - 95 and 120 petrol units co-developed with BMW no less, and HDi diesels of 90 and 110 horses, the smaller one cracking 60mpg which is impressive in a people-carrier. Citroën expects a 60/40 sales split in favour of the petrol units, though personally I ranked the larger diesel as my favourite. Yet none of the motors disappointed, my only gripe being the lack of a six-speed gearbox on the 110 diesel.

With three trim levels and prices ranging from £11,495 to £15,595, the C3 Picasso will certainly make its mark in the small MPV sector. This is the first production model to wear Citroën's new logo, a three-dimensional sculptured metallic version of the familiar double chevron and a visual indication of how the brand is almost re-inventing itself. We are told that there will be a new Citroën model every six months for the next three years, but those responsible for future strategies could not a chosen a better car with which to kick off this new era for the French maker.

I like: Visibility, practicality, surprising road manners

I don't like: Five-speed 'box on bigger diesel