MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH CITROËN C4 PICASSO (REVIEW)

It took me awhile to articulate my thoughts and put this experience in writing (perhaps, texts). Even the pictures were not enough to remember every details. The POV video didn't help either. But after about 2 days, it started flowing.

The Red Citroën C4 PICASSO was there staring back at me, flesh and blood. It took awhile while we were both staring at each other before I took out my camera and started clicking.


THE BODY:

Obviously, it's a Van, a mini one. But PSA designs can be difficult to understand sometimes, just like the early Peugeot 3008. The body design is dated a little, considering this one is 2008 production. But you could tell, even from a distance, that this is CITROËN. The signature is written all over. The car is based or shares platform with Peugeot 307 & 3008 (1st gen), i think or it appears.


THE INTERIOR:

This is a car you spend some minutes figuring out how to drive the car, irrespective of millions of kilometers you have spent covering behind wheels since your birth. I mean, I spent about 3 minutes trying to learn how to drive the car. Not like drive the car, but drive the car with other things that comes with driving a car.

The Steering Wheel assembly has Remote, Switches & some controls that can control almost all the gadgets in the interior, including exterior & engine bay. Yet, none of them rotates with the steering wheel as it steers. Like when you are doing some donuts, you are not searching or waiting for the wheel to return, for the switches are where they are waiting for you to operate at any moment. It takes minutes to reorganize one's brain to actually drive this car, if you were meeting him for the first time. Really something to admire. Weldon Citroën!

The Electronic Instrument Panel is in the middle of dashboard (which is not news anyway). The panel is merged with Multifunction Display on this one. Probably the mono or bi- model (couldn't tell the difference). Some might argue that it could make one take eyes off the road while driving and checking the panel. But I don't keep my eyes glued on instrument panel while driving. Do you?

I mean, you would probably need to read the handbook or owner's manual to figure out how to control some functions in the car. Even the ventilation system control panels took me awhile to understand they were for that system. For those complaining 307 is too electrical, you haven't met this car.

Speaking of Electricals, I didn't ask how long the car has stayed in Nigeria, but the Electricals still work, usually an indication for PSA vehicles that have not stayed long in Nigeria. I mean there are some modern lions that I have come across and the only interior electricals that work are the ignition switch and the half dead BSI unit. At least, they need those 2 to function to be able to start and drive. How they drive is a topic for different article (maybe 2). So either this C4 owner really takes care of his/her car or the car hasn't been properly welcomed to Nigeria. However, the radiator engine cooling system fan has been bypassed or abused to spin constantly with ignition on. So, I suppose what is remaining is "properly" to complete the welcome. Hope the Electricals don't go beyond the current conditions I met him days ago. Anyway, I didn't check, but would assume the electricals would be similar to Peugeot 307 T6.

I tried to adjust the seat (driver's) but realized it could turn into a journey that would take awhile to arrive. So I let it go. But, I wasn't uncomfortable, even though the last person that drove the car adjusted it too close to the steering wheel ( I am not saying I was relaxed anyway). It's a 5-seater MPV, but I didn't actually test the rear seats comfortability. It's MPV. They should be.

There are 2 rearview Mirrors inside the car, specifically mounted only for the driver to use (big & Small). The small one can only view the rear seat occupants (parent to keep eyes on children). The bigger one can only view through the rear glass/view outside rear of the car. They positioned the mirrors such that one cannot do the work of the other. Never came across such design/feature before. Note that I am referring to the conventional external rearview Mirrors on left & right sides of every car.


SUSPENSION:

I peeped under and I didn't the conventional Hydraulic Suspensions Citroëns are known for. They look similar to that of Peugeot 307 & fist gen Peugeot 3008. They could be identical. At least, you have something to work with in your research, if you are now considering adding the car to your fleet in Nigeria.


DRIVING/PERFORMANCE:

Where i truly appreciate this car are the 2 key components of the Powertrain (Engine & Transmission). I was excited when I flipped the bonnet open and met 2.0i EW10A under. I prefer that engine to the THP150 - THP163 engines, even when I know the latter are more powerful (not by much though). I am not saying it's one of the best PSA Engines. I am saying it's far ahead of EW10J4. Of course, it's not a performance engine or was never designed to be. But when mated to right gearbox, it's goddamn fun! This car reminded me of it.

The car has 6-speed Piloted Manual Transmission (Electronic). It's actually a manual gearbox, but electronically controlled. So it offers toughness of manual gearbox and also the complexity/fragility nature of automatic transmission, all in one transmission/system. It means you get to rough use the gearbox with low maintenance cost and worry not, but has to handle to delicate electrical control of the gearbox. For if it the Electrical part fails, the gearbox becomes inoperable, no matter how new or good the Gearbox is. The clutch & gear select Electronic Actuator is usually the major weakness of this transmission (sometimes the Transmission ECU if electrically abused). So, you must not abuse the Electrical systems to enjoy that transmission.

I have driven a number of Peugeot cars with this engine mated to 5-speed manual gearbox and liked the experience. But this 6-speed manual experience made me love it. One of the tyres on the car wasn't as good as the other three, so I chose to drive the car for economy. Still, even with slight press on the accelerator, the car hit 100km/h effortlessly and quicker (thanks to the 6-speed short gear ratios). This gearbox made AL4 looked like 2-speed gearbox. If not for the wind noise, you wouldn't hear both the engine and gearbox as the speed figures increases, as gear changes (of course there is delay as gear changes since it's manual gearbox). It made me wonder why Peugeot decided not to mount this actual 6-speed manual gearbox (without the Electronic control) on manual version of Peugeot 407 with this engine, instead of the 5-speed, since this gearbox perfected the Engine efficiency in power & fuel consumption compared to the 5-speed? Someone was still not sober, I guess. Or maybe Peugeot 407 Manual version with 2.2i EW12J4 needed to sell, I supposed.

The car wasn't designed for performance (I mean the maximum top speed is 195 km/h). So, I wouldn't advise anyone to buy the car for that purpose. But men! You can have good time during the ownership on roads. With the little 143 hp & 200 N-m, the car pulls with ease, even with the about 1,600 kg load on the engine and gearbox. There is a flap buttons behind the steering wheel to manually override the automatic mode and select the gears yourself manually, if you need more action. But I didn't bother with it. I tried it few on occasions on Peugeot 508 and felt like I was playing video games on real roads and never bothered using that feature. If it's not Manual, it's not Manual.

This particular one I drove is Bi-fuel (CNG & Petrol, I guess). I honestly didn't know which of the fuel the engine was running on while I was driving and didn't care. It's probably stock or aftermarket. It works for the owner, that's what matters.


CONCLUSION:

I know the above might sound weird to Europeans & Australians reading this because you guys drive Citroëns a lot. It's still a thing over here in Nigeria. It's a car I would recommend to a family man or woman with young children. The fuel economy is good (about 6.0 L/100 km on highway), if fuel economy is a must to you (not for me). Most parts are easily accessible here, I believe (as long as you are not the type that struggle for gap with every car you come across in cities, or traffics, considering body parts accessibility in Nigeria).

All it will take to have a long blissful Motoring Ownership Experience with this Citroën C4 PICASSO in Nigeria is "Don't Abuse Him".


Lion King - Monk.

Ok

C4

With it's very fragile CVT system......... The moment you buy this, open a savings account for gearing replacement fund.........

Lexusgs430:
With it's very fragile CVT system......... The moment you buy this, open a savings account for gearing replacement fund.........

Whatcha say about the manual drive? Any downsides?

Lexusgs430:
With it's very fragile CVT system......... The moment you buy this, open a savings account for gearing replacement fund.........

Lol you play too much sir... I was about to go into the woes embedded in the car's cooling system....the inability of the V6 engine to handle extended demands....

Is a used Citroën C4 hatchback reliable? The C4 has a mixed reliability record, usually finishing in the middle to bottom half of any surveys. Citroën as a brand finished in 28th place out of 32 manufacturers in our most recent reliability survey – a disappointing result.

weyreypey:
Is a used Citroën C4 hatchback reliable? The C4 has a mixed reliability record, usually finishing in the middle to bottom half of any surveys. Citroën as a brand finished in 28th place out of 32 manufacturers in our most recent reliability survey – a disappointing result.

So Bro, which brand came last?

Seeing a Citroën or Renault makes me wonder how the French built beautiful Paris or if they hired mercenaries?

Cvesta:
Seeing a Citroën or Renault makes me wonder how the French built beautiful Paris or fif tbry hire mercenaries?

Ever wondered why Peugeot, was equally crap soon after warranty period was over............

weyreypey:
Is a used Citroën C4 hatchback reliable? The C4 has a mixed reliability record, usually finishing in the middle to bottom half of any surveys. Citroën as a brand finished in 28th place out of 32 manufacturers in our most recent reliability survey – a disappointing result.

Anyone that buys a Citroën or Peugeot over 3 years old ....... Must be made to join sars in having that psychological evaluation test............

Lexusgs430:


Ever wondered why Peugeot, was equally crap soon after warranty period was over............

Hahaha. They are all birds of the same feather. French craps

weyreypey:



Lol you play too much sir... I was about to go into the woes embedded in the car's cooling system....the inability of the V6 engine to handle extended demands....

A vehicle that the moment you drive out of your house with it, you cannot guarantee it would bring you back home...........

Nah car be that or disaster waiting to happen...........

Nice car

Lexusgs430:



Anyone that buys a Citroën or Peugeot over 3 years old ....... Must be made to join sars in having that psychological evaluation test............

Haters, dis baby is almost a decade old

Elsueno:


Haters, dis baby is almost a decade old

baba no loud am.
enjoy ur lion codedly.

The C4 Picasso is a serious work horse for those who don't mind driving such cars

Lexusgs430:



A vehicle that the moment you drive out of your house with it, you cannot guarantee it would bring you back home...........

Nah car be that or disaster waiting to happen...........

Una done come
Senior demeanor dem

Lexusgs430:



A vehicle that the moment you drive out of your house with it, you cannot guarantee it would bring you back home...........

Nah car be that or disaster waiting to happen...........

Gly2ken

Elsueno:


Haters, dis baby is almost a decade old

How many times you don change parts?

Open your bonnet, open your fuse box, start your engine, snap the cluster pls.

Ogbuu101:


Una done come
Senior demeanor dem

Paid up member...... Nairaland Association Of Demeanors..........

Elsueno:


Haters, dis baby is almost a decade old

Do you know how many awards this car won?.......

They did not have an off day, manufacturing this model.... Unlike other models that they slept on.......

Pickin no dey ugly for hin mama eyes, but when hin look pickin turn her head look again and say pickin no bad.
E mean say the pickin wo wo

kingreign:


How many times you don change parts?
Open your bonnet, open your fuse box, start your engine, snap the cluster pls.

Car not for sale. Am gonna use this car as long as possible

Elsueno:


Car not for sale. Am gonna use this car as long as possible

I'm not asking if it's for sale. I don't waste my cash things like Peugeots.

All I ask is simple, How many times you don change parts?
Open your bonnet, open your fuse box, start your engine, snap the cluster pls.

I want confirm something.

Elsueno:


Car not for sale. Am gonna use this car as long as possible

Simple request. Oblige if nothing to hide.

weyreypey:

Simple request. Oblige if nothing to hide.

Are you thinking, it might have a Toyota corolla engine, inside this Peugeot.............

kwakwa, I refuse, curiosity go kill una

one even said he doesn't waste his cash on Peugeot but wants to see what's inside. Nba

Lexusgs430:


Are you thinking, it might have a Toyota corolla engine, inside this Peugeot.............

Pijo anything is possible

Used mine for 12 years from brand new before I gave it out (reluctantly) some months back

No check Engine light, spent far less on the car (fuel & maintenance) than my corolla counterparts

Elsueno:


Haters, dis baby is almost a decade old

cluewebhost:
Used mine for 12 years from brand new before I gave it out (reluctantly) some months back

No check Engine light, spent far less on the car (fuel & maintenance) than my corolla counterparts

Well said. But this one up here...we dare the owner