A ride into the future

What we like:

Futuristic design with abundance of technology available; impressive compartmental and passenger space

What we dislike:

It being an automated-clutch gearbox

the throttle-travel pull-back proved to be a little of a hassle at times.

Built and based on the new EMP2 platform, the Picasso weighs a full 140 kilos lighter than its predecessor, contributing to its mouth-dropping fuel efficiency of 25 km/l, although we dare say figures on paper might be a tad overstretched.

The new e-HDi diesel plant under the hood gives out 115 horses at 3,600 rpm. While it isn’t the most we’ve had for MPVs, the rather-impressive torque curve of the Picasso makes up for this shortfall by putting forth 270 Nm of torque from just 1,750 rpm.

This means acceleration from the lights or overtaking is nothing short of being a walk in the park, without the need to floor the pedal.

However, it being an automated clutch gearbox, one should be prepared for that significant clutch-throttle travel pull-back, especially when trying for a quick change in the first few gears. Even with the Picasso on manual mode, it took us a while to get the hang of the ETG6 automated-manual box.

While the ride and driveability may not be as impressive as that of a continental, the Picasso makes up for this with its built quality as well as the vast amount of passenger and storage space.

And if you’re looking for something a notch higher than this, the Grand C4 Picasso might do justice to your requirements, with a whole new array of added features to satisfy that tech junkie in you.

But for the average family man looking for just the right amount of space for baby strollers, family bags, and even passenger space, the C4 Picasso works out just right for him.

Credits: Story and Photos by Irwin Tan