Is there a future for people movers? Judging by recent sales you’d think not – but Citroen thinks differently. And for buyers of its new Grand Picasso, well maybe the French are right, says Damien O’Carroll.

When seven seats are your bag, there’s still a lot to choose from, but most of the time people are opting for big 4WDs to do the job, with their commensurate extra weight and thirsts. And they’re a bit more exciting than strictly-for-function MPVs.

So why is Citroen bothering with a new Picasso? Well, because it actually is very good to drive and looks brilliant! And it has lots of seats, loads of space, and plenty of clever features to make it even more functional to cart around a whole bunch of people and their stuff.

Citroen’s local distributor Sime Darby is bringing the seven-seat Grand C4 Picasso into the country in two different guises: the $42,990 Seduction, and the $49,990 Intensive, both with Citroen’s 110kW/370Nm 2-litre four-cylinder BlueHDi diesel engine hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Seduction model gets 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, along with LED daytime running lights, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation, a reversing camera, dual-zone air conditioning, front fog lights with a cornering function, electrically adjustable heated and folding wing mirrors, six airbags, a multi-function steering wheel and a seven-inch touch screen.

The Intensive gets all that plus 18-inch alloy wheels, a 360-degrees top-down camera parking system, a parking assist system, half-leather seating, roof rails, rear sun blinds, a conversation mirror and hands-free access and start.

Options include a panoramic glass roof ($1,500), a digital radio system ($500), a motorised tailgate, xenon headlights and a “Serenity pack” that includes adaptive cruise control nd lane departure warning ($1,500 each – Intensive only).

The media launch started with a star-spangled (yes, really, it was held at the Auckland Stardome planetarium) presentation, then we hit the road for a good mix of town, country and some motorway driving.

Climbing aboard the Picasso is an experience similar to that of any number of people movers – open, spacious and with impressive visibility – but fire it up and get underway, and there things depart from the stereotype, with the Picasso being eager, lithe and remarkably responsive.

The diesel engine is a wonderfully strong and flexible unit, while the six-speed auto is fast and slick. The real surprise comes when you tip it into a corner though; here it is sharp and assured, betraying no sense of the size and height that is behind – and above – you.

On the road the Picasso is remarkably quiet, impressively refined, and blatantly comfortable, defying its surprising competence in the corners.

The interior layout is wonderfully quirky, but largely sensible – apart form a few obvious indicators to the Picasso’s left hand drive origins.

Outside the Picasso is remarkably handsome, sporting a modern take on the traditionally restricted people mover styling. The double-decked lights and split A-pillars are particularly effective at the front, with the latter also allowing for spectacular front visibility from the inside.

We know first drives are just that, but we took to the big Citroen, liking the looks, the comfort, the refinement, the ride and handling and, not least of all, the level of standard spec on both models.

The engine and transmission are particular highlights, and the interior visibility is truly spectacular.

However, it’s not all joy and light, for we felt there was just too much plastic, and while the split level display in the centre of the dash looks fantastic, having to constantly look to your left while driving is annoying.

In short, the Grand C4 Picasso is a particularly impressive entrant into the people mover segment, regardless of whether or not it is a segment worth entering into any more…

Still, if there are customers out there who want a people mover, then the Grand C4 Picasso should have little trouble flushing them out. After all, it has all the features you could want in a people mover, and then some. Plus it also comes with a number of important features not typically associated with the segment; decent handling and sensational looks.