With no less than six in its range, Citroen is king of MPVs, and makes up a quarter of such car sales across Europe. The C3 Picasso is one of the strongest contenders in the compact MPV market, packing in a great deal of space despite being just 5 inches longer than a Ford Fiesta hatchback.
It's more than just a box on wheels, though, and has more than a hint of off roader about it thanks to a rugged-looking body kit. Choose the optional 'black pack' and it looks more serious still, with 17-inch contrasting alloys, smoked glass and gloss black fog inserts.
The interesting and successful design language is continued inside, where there are more shiny black accents, chrome touches, and classy details like coloured stitching on the gearstick and wheel. Soft touch surfaces help complete the high-quality feel of the cabin.
That chunky profile translates into excellent interior space, including generous head and legroom front and rear, even with the driver's seat pushed quite far back. Storage is very impressive - the boot holds 500 litres, extending to 1500 litres once the simple folding mechanism has stowed the rear seat backs in the floor. Go for the top-spec Exclusive model and you'll also get a folding front passenger seat and additional storage under the back bench.
The 95bhp and 120bhp petrol engines, both fruits of a partnership with BMW, need revs to perform, while the 90bhp and 110bhp versions of PSA's own 1.6-litre HDi unit offer the most attractive mix of economy and power; the latter would be our pick. Choose the less powerful diesel, though, and you'll benefit from admirable emissions of less than 120g/km of CO2, and very useful fuel consumption of over 60 mpg. While none of the engine options offer true pace, all are capable of maintaining motorway speeds in comfort.
Swathes of glass around the cockpit mean visibility is excellent, and the light steering also helps make the C3 Picasso an easy urban companion. Comfort is impressive thanks to a controlled ride that does a good job of ironing out scars and pot holes, either on the standard wheels or the larger rims of the top-end models. Of course it's no go-kart, but given the car's tall stance, it handles tight corners with little body roll.
Against the grain of most Citroens, the C3 Picasso is a little more expensive than its direct rivals, but we think the innovative styling, good road manners and top-notch spaciousness make it a winner nonetheless.