Things I love about my “Pikachu”

* The style. I still enjoy looking at it and admiring its beauty, especially in comparison to the other people movers. We get plenty of positive comments from people about our little spaceship.

* The seating flexibility. With dog crate, prams, luggage, baby seats, bikes, scooters etc. you can always find a way to make them all fit.

* The uber-cool retracting visors and the massive arc of visibility that they provide.

* The reliability. No breakdowns or any bits falling off yet (touch wood)

* The Leather seat option pack. Although it’s a huge additional cost, the seats are so supportive and comfortable and the memory for seat & mirrors is a massive plus when we regularly alternate vehicles.

* The folding electric mirrors that are part of the leather option pack are very useful when you have a narrow driveway or garage as we have.

* The optional panoramic roof is worth every cent. With the size of the glass on the roof and the massive windscreen, it almost feels like you’re driving a convertible.

* The massive boot space.

* That little rechargeable torch has come in handy a few times. The plethora of cabin lights also come in handy when travelling with children at night, as do the tray tables with night lights.

* The dual (front & back) aircon is great, especially when you have a child asleep in the back seat.

* The integrated retractable sun blinds are so much nicer than having to use one of those window socks (which tend to become a permanent obstruction for a few years).

* The relatively small external shell means it’s easier to park than many mid/large size sedans.

* The baby seat anchor points are in the most convenient location of any car I’ve seen.

* You can fit three child safety seats abreast in the centre row without it being squishy.

* In the Citroën tradition, it’s a great highway cruiser, with every occupant looked after and not feeling closed in.

Things I’m not so thrilled about

* The sun reflecting off the chrome trim on the dashboard glovebox and the double chevron on the steering wheel hub. This chrome is part of the Leather Option pack.

* The fuel economy is still not as good as expected. About 9.5L/100km around town, and about 6.8 L/100km on the highway (with a full load). Not as good as advertised.

* The long front overhang, especially as we have a steep approach angle on our driveway. Suffice to say that the front air dam has a lot of scratches.

* The tyre wear. The Michelins are a very soft compound, and will probably need replacing at about 35,000km of mainly city driving.

* The complexity and features mounted on the steering hub is still a bit too complex compared to other implementations that use additional stalks for things such as cruise control.

* The acceleration off the line could be improved if first gear was a bit taller. The engine certainly has enough torque for it.

* The electronic parking brake is annoying when you just want to push the car forward a fraction in the garage, you need to start the engine to release the park brake.

In summary, I still love my Picasso, I’m still adamant that this is definitely one of the most practical family cars.

Although, at first glance the car impressed me and seemed a good quality product generally. I am mainly worried about other issues which might have been carried over from the c4 hatch, and if the engine will last.

I’ve spoken to a few mechanics and engineers about the longer service intervals, and there’s definitely a variation of opinion on the subject…. However, I’m inclined to believe one of the guys who said that the production tolerances and material selections in engine construction, coupled with the appropriate synthetic oils will ensure that these PSA engines are easily capable of achieving the claimed 20,000km between services (including oil changes).

The trick is to do your best to make sure that the servicing dealer uses exactly the same oil specified by the manufacturer, as many of them do skimp in this area.

The Aussie car market is so small the economics of bringing it over to sell small numbers don’t add up.

Welcome to rip off Britain the land of empty wallets.

There is an answer to the suspension “issues” …. the factory option for pneumatic rear suspension. I would have got it for sure…. except for the 6 month wait to get a “custom order” at the time, because none of the stock that Citroen Australia brought into the country had it.

I also know another owner who asked the dealer to order an additional set of the 16″ wheels (the standard wheels for the petrol model) and have them fitted to soften the ride. He still has the unused 17″ wheels in his garage for when he decides to sell the car.

Yes, it’s a bit twitchy when negotiating mid-corner bumps, but realistically, the soccer mum crowd won’t be concerned if their lap time suffers slightly as a result.

The ride is a little harsh because of the (beautiful) 17″ wheels and low profile tyres, but this is one of the things that makes it so much more stylish/attractive than other people movers.

After 6 months of ownership and day to day city driving, with a few country trips thrown in, I am very satisfied with the overall package that the “Pikachu” offers…. and I certainly believe it deserves at least 4 stars in your ratings.

The PSA 2.0 diesel is a marvel, and the Aisin 6 speed box should provide years of trouble free service. As with any manufacturer, the claimed fuel consumption is a little worse than the figures they suggest.

What sets this car apart to me is the flexibility of the seating and storage, and the available space in a package that is externally similar in size to most mid size cars…. this thing is a Tardis!

The individually adjustable 2nd row of seats is brilliant. The (actually useable) 3rd row that folds flat into the floor is something that other car manufacturers seem to be baffled by.

The little things like
- the built-in window blinds
- large boot area where the rear windshield isn’t raked so steeply that it cuts your load capacity in half
- the quad-zone aircon with individual controls
- the huge moonroof coupled with the massive windscreen that makes nighttime driving an absolute pleasure
- the uber-comfortable driver & passenger seats
- the conveniently placed child seat anchor points (Honda, please take note)
- the style, and many admiring looks and compliments that you get
- the ability to have 7 seats with the attached stigma of being one of the “SUV crowd”
- the service intervals of 20,000km
- Having a speed limiter AND cruise control. The speed limiter is so useful on our camera infested roads
…and the list goes on

For what it’s worth, I also love the paddle shifts and use them quite regularly, not for every gear change, but for when I want to override the software’s decision of when to change up or down.

As far as reliability is concerned, the first 6 months has been trouble free, and the vehicle feels as solid and well put together as it was when new. These vehicles are built in Vigo, Spain and waiting lists in the UK are still almost 6 months.

I look forward to your full review, and I hope you have a few kids on hands to assist you with reviewing how this car performs in real life situations.

That said, the rest of the car is very good. It’s just that the suspension is a very big flaw.

Don’t forget too, this is a quick test, not our usual week-long review.