Citroen Xsara Picasso test drive since 2004 minivan

Aquarium life

Want to know how the fish in the aquarium feel? The new Citroen C4 Picasso will help you with this.

 
Citroen compactwane glazing area is 5.2 m. And with an optional panoramic roof, as much as 6 m. You just think about this standard kitchen area in Moscow Khrushchevs! Perhaps, no modern passenger car can boast of so many glasses in percentage. Citroen engineers tried from the heart. The waist line was understood as much as possible, the front on the sides placed wide window inserts, the windshield made its area of \u200b\u200b2 m strongly flowing to the roof. Control with a transparent top, this creates a unique feeling of airiness and openness, and also significantly improves visibility, and therefore safety.
 
But not a single glass is noteworthy C4. The entire appearance is very original. It, of course, is based on the SUV of the past generation Xsara Picasso, but this time everything is much more interesting. The smoothness of the lines gives the car grace, but at the same time combined with the overall swiftness of the silhouette. The body of the Picaso body is aerodynamically correct, the frontal resistance coefficient is 0.31. The overall impression of non-standardity is strengthened by a number of curious design decisions, this is a bizarrely bending window sill, and a face with a radiator grille in the form of a corporate chevron, a large air intake and huge eyes-phairs, and mirrors that almost repeat the rear lids, divided into two parts with a lid of trunk , lanterns. Extermers pulled over! And this beautiful azure color. A catchy car. Each time, leaving it in the parking lot, I did not miss the opportunity to turn around and consider it again.
 
The interior plays along with the appearance. The front seats, which were sheathed, like the entire salon, Alcantara (option), rather resemble a cozy home chair. They are the same massive, shoulder and soft, both in appearance and by touch. The maximum comfort is their main goal. There are three separate places behind. Each of them can either be moved longitudinally, or slightly upward (very handy for young children), or folded or removed completely. Under the feet of the rear riders there are roomy boxes, a couple of dirty shoes will fit. At the back, with the maximum chair, I sat down behind myself, with an impressive margin. Places of the car. At the same time, Picasso has the largest trunk in the classroom. It is very easy to load the luggage into it, thanks to a small loading height. In addition, if the car is equipped with a rear pneumatic suspension, you can additionally press the back of the ground with a special key. In the trunk you will find a branded Modubox-telly bag, a net for fastening cargo and a removable portable flashlight.
 
Settling behind the wheel, the first thing you pay attention to is a clean, absolutely symmetrical front panel with a tidy in the center, the complete absence of a central tunnel and an automatic transmission lever in the usual place. It is replaced by a small elegant lever on the steering wheel. There are also petals of the manual mode of the checkpoint. Yes, and the steering wheel itself is not easy, as on the C4 hatchback, the hub is motionless. In addition, it is just a uncountable number of buttons and wheels, which are divided into 4 groups. In the first control of the audio system, in the second on-board computer, in the third air conditioning and recirculation, telephone and voice commands, and in the fourth cruise control and a parking system (the system recognizes whether the space for parking the machine is enough).
 
Considering that lighting and wipers are turned on quite in aurably, steering wheel switches, it turns out that managing almost all auxiliary functions is brought to the steering wheel. This is extraordinary, but convenient. Hands from the steering wheel can not be torn off at all. Or only in order to correct the temperature or intonation of blowing, for which 2 blocks are provided for the driver and the front passenger. They are also located unconventional on the sides of the front panel, near the ventilation deflectors. In the center, in addition to the large screen of the Navidrive system at the top (in simple trim levels, a more trivial LCD-appliance panel) is located the electronic handbrake key, an audio system covered with a special lid (all buttons are on the steering wheel) and a capacious cooling box.
A few words about Navidrive. Oh, this is still a toy! With it, you can display almost any information about the car on the 7 -inch LCD screen, starting from the ordinary data of the on -board computer and ending with navigation and the phone. Moreover, all this looks so colorful and colorful that it sometimes resembles a computer game. Great graphics! After listing all the external and internal delights of Citroen C4 Picasso, two things become obvious. The first that the number of these same eccentricities would be enough for several cars. And to whom should all this taste? Hence the second conclusion - compactwane is addressed to young energetic families with children.
 
With a mass of one and a half tons of power 2 liter 143, a strong motor is enough. It may be better with the pen, but with a 6 -step robot, the car accelerates slowly even with a completely recessed accelerator pedal. Each switching, when calmly driving, makes the riders nod their heads. It’s better to put pressure on the gas stronger, then at least you understand why these torment. Even in automatic transmission mode, you can operate with steering wheel switches. But the sense of this is not much slow and with jerks. The situation is better when you transfer the gearbox lever to the M. Switching position, and upon reaching the maximum turnover in transmission, the robot does not switch upward. You can make a little a little. The pendants are well tuned for family compactwane. Of course, not as acutely as classmates like VW Touran or Ford C-Max, but restructuring and maneuvers are given with ease. Although the Diffherent, even on 18 inch wheels, is clearly towards comfort. Great sound insulation also promotes this. Even at a speed of about 200 km/h in Picasso excellent acoustic comfort.
 
Citroen C4 Picasso, of course, is the most extravagant car in its segment. And for many, this will be a decisive factor when choosing a vehicle for the family. And the choice is worthy. I am sure that the extraordinary in design, silence and comfort will largely brighten up the shortcomings of a sluggish robot and imposing suspension. The only advice: when buying, take care of choosing the color and diameter of the wheels. These two components can very strongly transform the appearance of this car.
 
Prices and configuration

For Citroen C4 Picasso, two gasoline engines are offered: 1.8 (127 hp) and 2.0 (143 hp) l. Both of them are aggregated with 5 stepped mechanics, and for 2 liter, 6 -step automatic and robot are also possible. For a smaller engine, you can choose a BASE or ConFort configuration for 2 liter cars+, Confort or Exclusive. Already at the initial level of BASE, the car has a cruise control, an on-board computer, ABS, EBD, ESP and Brake Assist, 15-inch discs, 9 airbags, front belts, fog lights, an e-grader with heating, headlight wasp , folding seats of the back row, air conditioning, automatic gas tank hatch and audio training.
 
In the Confort version, rain and light sensors are added, folding tables on the backs of the front seats, a removable MODUBOX trolley, 4 zone climate control, air freshener, rear windows, curtains on the rear side windows, audio-MR3 package, 16-inch discs, and velor Salon finish. The Exclusive option will also have a two -color device of devices, dispersed salon backlight, automatic recirculation, rear parking spaces, rear window curtain, leather steering wheel and finishing the salon with a special velig velig. Optionally possible 17-t and 18 inch cast discs, bi xenon, electric front seats and folding mirrors, rear pneumatic suspension, panoramic glass roof, cd changer, navigation system with a color screen Navidrive, Audio Hi-Fi package (8 columns, amplifier, subwoofer ) and video (two rear screens, DVD), decoration of the cabin or alcantara. Prices from 689,500 rubles for 1.8 BASE to 917,000 rubles for 2.0 Exclusive with an automaton (without options).
 
Dmitry Krotov
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 

Source: Motor magazine [October 2007]