Platform sharing has become something of a theme in Citroen's line-up in the past couple of years - we have had both the C1 and the C-Crosser launched as joint cars with other similarly frugal-minded manufacturers and now here comes the Nemo Multispace, based on Fiat's Qubo.
The Nemo Multispace is something in the same vein as the Citroen Berlingo or the Renault Kangoo. Like those cars it is also deeply uncool, but does the trick when it comes to practicalities. Unlike those cars, it is quite small - Citroen clearly hopes to steal some sales from those fashionable, family-friendly soft-roaders that are all the rage.
The Nemo has quirky exaggerated styling - perhaps that quirky styling was intended to disguise the fact that it has quite obviously been converted almost straight from a van, but the Nemo's square, chunky shape makes it spacious inside. Where those stylish mock-4x4s fall down is their curvy styling and low rooflines - if you actually need space, rather than wanting to look like you need space, the Nemo is your car.
The interior is straightforward and practical - where the low-rent plastics inside might be frowned upon in fancier company, here it is yet another virtue: you feel like you could hose the insides clean. It's well-suited to harsh family treatment and surprisingly doesn't feel that cheap.
The practicalities are more than skin deep - you can fold the seats down flat, or take them out altogether. With 2500 litres of space on offer you could spend all day just filling the car up. If you can bear not being stylish, the Nemo Multispace is tremendously versatile, a useful car to have around.
If the styling fools you over its origins, the drive certainly won't. It feels like a van on the move - it's neither the first nor the last word in refinement, with suspension tuned for passengers that are boxes. The ride is never entirely composed, but the Nemo can be hustled along if necessary.
There are only two engines on offer with the Nemo - both 1.4s in diesel or petrol format. They are both slow and really need pushing to get moving, but the character of this car doesn't come from thrashing it about the place. It is a basic car, with minimal equipment and a simple stereo, but with prices starting from not much over £10K, it is an incredibly tempting alternative to pricier MPVs.