Citroen Xsara Picasso test drive since 2004 minivan

The art of transformation ...

... or the next incarnation of Citroen Xsara Picasso
 
Official biographers call Pablo Picasso the most famous artist of the twentieth century, whose art carrier lasted 80 years. He transformed art, they say, like no one else in this century. In addition to the paintings, thousands of sculptures, graphic works, ceramic products, lithographs and crafts from various materials, at first glance unsuitable for reincarnation into masterpieces, came out from under his hands. Do not die Picasso in 1973, who knows, maybe he would have taken up cars ...
 
After almost three decades, Citroen designers decided to pay tribute to the great master and came up with a car that Picasso would probably be proud of. Mikrenen Xsara Picasso, like many works of the artist, is an example of transforming the usual schemes and materials that are familiar in the automotive industry.
 
Hatchback with a high roof
 
The idea to create single -combed cars based on the modest hatchbacks is not new. By honor, to say, and it does not belong to the Citroen designers, but to their compatriots from Renault, who at one time managed to give birth to a new Mikrovenov class. Once the revolutionary Megane Scenic was the only one of its kind in the market, but today he already has a whole army of competitors on heels - in the range of almost any European manufacturer there is a model of this class. For the most part, they are similar in consumer qualities, gamut of engines, and equipment. But even among them there are very original cars that stand apart. One of these is Citroen Xsara Picasso.
 
Not only a sonorous name helps to stand out from the crowd of this single -breeder, and not even an appearance, which is also very non -trivial. For me, as a driver, it is much more important how the car is driving. No, do not think that the main goal of my life is speed. I, like many, appreciate comfort and practicality. However, often, it is on the running qualities that the model depends on how justified certain options are, whether it is convenient to use in motion. Say, on many modern sports cars, as a rule, there is a very good radio. That's just the settings buttons are often small and the screen is very narrow. Tell me what is the use of all this, when the owners of such a sportsman buy it clearly not for unhurried flange in the streets, but for the attack of each tire and suspension capabilities at the limit of the capabilities of tires and suspension? With this style of driving, the ergonomics of the management of additional systems comes out almost to the first place in importance, since even short -term distraction from the road can lead to the most sad consequences. So, Xsara Picasso in this regard is one of the most friendly to the driver (as my friend -computer - user Friendly) cars. The same radio, say, is controlled from a convenient remote control that has been placed behind the steering wheel, and even the first-grade will figure out the principles of setting up the climate-control system in a matter of minutes.
 
Where is the connection between Mikroven and sports cars, an inquisitive reader will ask? She is still there, believe me. Let the united roof, a very comfortable suspension, ordinary unsportsmaning seats, which seem to suggest that the machine is not for racing. However, at the same time - an independent suspension of all wheels, reptile stabilizers in front and back, a self -tightening circuit of the chassis in the stern. Such a arsenal cannot boast of many Vanya, but even the usual sedans. This is the first example of the transformation of the usual laws of creating cars.
 
Managing Xsara Picasso is a pleasure. The two -liter motor, developing 137 forces, was already familiar to me from some models of Citroen and Peugeot (these companies are included in the PSA alliance), however, under the hood of the Citroenovsky Mikroven, it began to be installed only recently. Moreover, exclusively in pairs with an automatic box with the possibility of manual selection of programs and sports regime. The latter, by the way, is also a very unusual solution for an exclusively utilitarian model. Why is it all, if the lot of the car is high practicality and multifunctionality? And then, that it can be driven on it to the hardest sags, the asphalt on which has recently been getting better.
 
I practically without bending my head, I go (I go through - the roof is high) into the salon, I throw my mortal body at an amazingly soft and comfortable chair, slowly set up the radio, the back of the seat, mirrors, position of the steering wheel. I launch an almost inaudible motor, smoothly touch. Comfort is beyond praise. It would be necessary to rebuild into the left row, turn it soon. I look forward to the rupture in the stream and crush the accelerator pedal. To say that Xsara Picasso quickly gained speed will not be the most correct. Suddenly for me, the car practically jumped forward, briskly accelerating. I did not even assume that the alliance of a two -liter engine with a gun would be so decent. Although the car is small, it was light, it and the previous 1.8-liter engine with the 117th stallions were enough, as they say, by the eyes. And then there is just a chef. At the same time, the control electronics is configured in such a way that at low speeds when dumping gas, the car does not continue to roll, but begins to quite significantly slow down the engine in the appendage to the disc brakes of all the wheels. All this hints at a certain sports, which the French designers decided to endow Mikroven in maximum configuration. It, by the way, is called Exclusive.
 
Having finally got out of the city traffic jams to the highway, I transfer the machine lever to manual mode and press a small button that turns on the sports mode. XSARA Picasso as if only waiting for this: Bon Jour! Have you already woken up? Then - let's go! And she began to accelerate quite briskly, promoting the engine to maximum ... but I definitely can’t say how many revolutions - a tachometer on a completely electronic dashboard located in the center of the front panel is not provided. It feels like a limiter is triggered in the region of 7000 rpm, but all the time that the engine scatters to this mark, the car gives the driver a very decent overclocking. As for the switching of speeds, they occur quite quickly and do not annoy unpleasant jerks. In general, a good modern box, from which I personally would like one - a faster activation of the Kick Down mode, when the driver needs to accelerate sharply. Then the machine is slightly thought out.
 
The chassis of the Xsara Picasso, as I said, is quite comfortable, but at the same time it does not annoy the rolls in corners. On a narrow winding path leading to the country, I deliberately tried to squeeze everything out of the car that it was capable of. If you summarize the results, I can say that Mikroven behaves almost no worse than the usual Xsara hatchback with the only difference being that the driver sits higher and perceives what is happening on the road more acutely.
 
On -board intelligence
 
In addition to the running qualities that are very decent for Mikroven, which are supported by a more powerful engine in this car, Xsara Picasso has another undeniable advantage - internal intelligence. Moreover, it is developed quite high, and in many cases quite significantly makes life easier for passengers. Say, the audio system has a function of automatic adjustment of the sound volume level, which intensifies with a set of speed.
 
It always annoys me when, along with turning off the ignition, all the internal equipment of the cabin literally dies. I forgot to close the window, having arrived at the parking lot, be kind to insert the key again, get the car, raise the glass ... These little things are thought out in the Xsara Picasso: the windows work for a minute after the car is drowned out, you can listen to the music for half an hour after the stop, and The headlights are ready to helpfully light your path after you put the car on the alarm and go home, and then automatically go out.
 
There are Citroen on board and other pleasant little things. So, the speed of the wipers of the frontal and rear glasses automatically varies depending on the speed of the car - the faster you go, the more often the waves. And between the supply of washing liquid and the first passage of the brushes, the interval is provided so that the liquid can drain a little on the glass.
 
In the interior decoration, the soft plastic of warm, muffled tones, which, together with soft lines of internal panels, gives rise to an amazing coziness, where you immediately want to relax and not think about anything, is used. The impression is strengthened by the marvelous plush upholstery of the seats of pastel shades, not slippery for trousers and warm to the touch.
 
Finally, as is appropriate to the car that has the word Van in its name, Xsara Picasso flaunts the huge potential of transformations (Picasso's business lives!) Salon. Firstly, the floor inside is absolutely even, there is no central tunnel, and therefore you can move inside without leaving the car. Secondly, three separate chairs with individual adjustments were installed behind, the central of which also moves forward by 14 cm, releasing the place for all passengers in the elbow area. In addition, each of these seats is easily removed and left in the garage, giving the opportunity to load more luggles. And things that are desirable to hide from prying eyes, say, a camera or a bag with documents are hidden in secret niches in the floor or walls of the cargo compartment. Finally, the highlight of the Xsara Picasso is a folding shopping trolley, which is applied to one of the sides of the trunk. She withstands, by the way, 18 kg of cargo! In the same list, you can include a cooled glove compartment with a capacity of 15 liters, retractable tables in the backs of the front seats, all kinds of niches and shelves. In general, everything, as it should be practical Mikroven.
 
Prices for Xsara Picasso begin at a mark of 18300 euros for a car in the SX configuration. The model, which has visited our test, is more expensive - 21900 euros. As for competitors, there are quite a few of them, as I have already said. This is Renault Megane Scenic, Nissan Almera Tino, Opel Zafira. Cars, very similar in equipment and price, except that with the exception of Renault - it will soon replace the version of the next, second generation, and therefore they ask for it a little less. True, none of them can boast of kinship with Picasso - a great master of transformations ...
 
Sergey Ilyinsky
 
 
Brief technical characteristics of Citroen Xsara Picasso 2.0
Engine volume, cubic meter. See: 1997 (1749)
Power, l. With. at about./min.: 137/6000 (117/5500)
Max. Torque, Nm/at about. min.: 190/4100 (160/4000)
Acceleration to 100 km/h, p.: 10.9 (10.8)
Maximum speed, km/h: 192 (187)
Average fuel consumption l./100 km.: 8.6 (7.7)
Dimensions, mm.: 4275x1750x1635
 
 

Source: "Automobile Izvestia"