Author Topic: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso  (Read 12363 times)

Offline Autos_Editor

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 8326
  • Carma: +91/-560
  • member
    • View Profile
Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« on: October 23, 2015, 06:30:59 am »

Citroen's quirky C4 Picasso proves a worthy road-trip ride.
Read More...

Offline mlin32

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 5606
  • Carma: +65/-419
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2017 Peugeot 308 GT; 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citroën Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2015, 07:35:55 am »
So, as I figured out in my stint with the DS3.....still quintessentially French.  :thumbup:. Why did you get a car with the semi-automatic though? Most cars in Europe come with 3 pedals unless you pay for the boîte automatique.

Of course the ergonomics are seemingly random. That's the way French cars are. Takes a trip to the owner's manual (am I the only one that does this for rental cars?). But god, the sense of design inside and out......très chic.
ø cons: Peugeot 308: Yamaha R3 [/URL]

Offline Blueprint

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 10557
  • Carma: +171/-233
  • Gender: Male
  • member since way back when
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2024 Mazda CX-90 GS-L PHEV, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, 1975 Triumph TR6
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citroën Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2015, 07:54:02 am »
So, as I figured out in my stint with the DS3.....still quintessentially French.  :thumbup:. Why did you get a car with the semi-automatic though? Most cars in Europe come with 3 pedals unless you pay for the boîte automatique.

Of course the ergonomics are seemingly random. That's the way French cars are. Takes a trip to the owner's manual (am I the only one that does this for rental cars?). But god, the sense of design inside and out......très chic.

Oddly enough, most rental Picassos I saw in our travels had the flappy paddle gearbox. It was this or the manual Opel with its narrow interior. General observations show that 2-pedal cars are on the rise in Europe... :(
Traffic engineer/project manager & part time auto journalist

Offline Guy

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 7897
  • Carma: +481/-1251
  • Gender: Male
  • member
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2021 Mustang Mach-E Premium, 2019 Volvo XC40 Momentum
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2015, 08:30:56 am »
Interesting typo in the original title..

For those French language challenged "Citron" is "Lemon".  :rofl2:

Offline Blueprint

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 10557
  • Carma: +171/-233
  • Gender: Male
  • member since way back when
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2024 Mazda CX-90 GS-L PHEV, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, 1975 Triumph TR6
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2015, 08:32:10 am »
Interesting typo in the original title..

For those French language challenged "Citron" is "Lemon".  :rofl2:

Fixed  :)

Offline JacobBlack

  • Drunk on Fuel
  • ****
  • Posts: 2593
  • Carma: +440/-499
  • Gender: Male
  • member
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2008 Ford F-150
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2015, 08:51:48 am »
Interesting typo in the original title..

For those French language challenged "Citron" is "Lemon".  :rofl2:

Not a typo, formatting. But fixed now. Silly French letters....

Offline Blueprint

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 10557
  • Carma: +171/-233
  • Gender: Male
  • member since way back when
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2024 Mazda CX-90 GS-L PHEV, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, 1975 Triumph TR6
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2015, 08:52:46 am »
Interesting typo in the original title..

For those French language challenged "Citron" is "Lemon".  :rofl2:

Not a typo, formatting. But fixed now. Silly French letters....

Wait, you haven't seen our grammar  ;D

Offline mlin32

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 5606
  • Carma: +65/-419
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2017 Peugeot 308 GT; 2015 Yamaha YZF-R3
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2015, 08:59:30 am »
Interesting typo in the original title..

For those French language challenged "Citron" is "Lemon".  :rofl2:

Not a typo, formatting. But fixed now. Silly French letters....

Wait, you haven't seen our grammar  ;D
I don't think the grammar is that hard because there's so many exceptions to the rules, it almost doesn't matter if you just shove the words into a sentence. Polar opposite to German (my "main" foreign language).

Français canadien makes me cringe whenever I hear it. How badly can you guys butcher français métropolitan ?

Offline safristi

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 46229
  • Carma: +471/-416
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Cars: since the beginning of Saf timeLOTUS ELAN,STANDARD... 10, MG midget, MGB (2),Mazda Millennia,Hyundai Veloster and 1997 Ford Ranger 2014 Subaru Forester XT
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2015, 09:06:28 am »
French letters......... :shuffle: .......how much POST AGE :-* .......as U said trouble with that PULL
 OUT on the side road.... ;)
Time is to stop everything happening at once

Offline Blueprint

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 10557
  • Carma: +171/-233
  • Gender: Male
  • member since way back when
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2024 Mazda CX-90 GS-L PHEV, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, 1975 Triumph TR6
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2015, 09:22:55 am »
Français canadien makes me cringe whenever I hear it. How badly can you guys butcher français métropolitan ?

Simple: we use less English words than the continentals  ;)

Offline Blueprint

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 10557
  • Carma: +171/-233
  • Gender: Male
  • member since way back when
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2024 Mazda CX-90 GS-L PHEV, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, 1975 Triumph TR6
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citroën Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2015, 10:00:13 am »
So, as I figured out in my stint with the DS3.....still quintessentially French.  :thumbup:. Why did you get a car with the semi-automatic though? Most cars in Europe come with 3 pedals unless you pay for the boîte automatique.

Of course the ergonomics are seemingly random. That's the way French cars are. Takes a trip to the owner's manual (am I the only one that does this for rental cars?). But god, the sense of design inside and out......très chic.

The gearbox and GPS were freebies, as we had not selected the options. Indeed, the sense of design is incredible in French cars. The black and blue interior really worked (FCA should have a look at Citroens...), and note that the front buckets are not interchangeable - the pattern is designed for left or right. Textures, patterns... this was only one model up from base and the attention to detail was fantastic.

Offline Minou

  • Auto Obsessed
  • ***
  • Posts: 719
  • Carma: +11/-26
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2018 Mazda 3 GS, 2016 Ford Edge SEL, 2016 Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2015, 10:03:03 am »
Wow, you made it through the Alps without AWD, 22'' wheels, 300+ HP and no SPORT moniker prominently plastered on the car.  Just kidding.

I took several pictures at those car stores/museum on the Champs Élysées 2 years ago.  But outside of walking, we took the subway, buses and TGV...

Offline Minou

  • Auto Obsessed
  • ***
  • Posts: 719
  • Carma: +11/-26
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2018 Mazda 3 GS, 2016 Ford Edge SEL, 2016 Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2015, 10:04:50 am »
Interesting typo in the original title..

For those French language challenged "Citron" is "Lemon".  :rofl2:

Not a typo, formatting. But fixed now. Silly French letters....

Wait, you haven't seen our grammar  ;D
I don't think the grammar is that hard because there's so many exceptions to the rules, it almost doesn't matter if you just shove the words into a sentence. Polar opposite to German (my "main" foreign language).

Français canadien makes me cringe whenever I hear it. How badly can you guys butcher français métropolitan ?

Could it be the other way around?  ;D

Offline Blueprint

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 10557
  • Carma: +171/-233
  • Gender: Male
  • member since way back when
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2024 Mazda CX-90 GS-L PHEV, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, 1975 Triumph TR6
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2015, 10:09:00 am »
But outside of walking, we took the subway, buses and TGV...

We also took other travel modes: train to Paris from the airport, Metro while in Paris for longer stints, train to Versailles, ferry on Lake Como, cog railway up a mountain in Switzerland. TGV from Paris to Mulhouse was an option, but it would have been more expensive and would have prevented some nice detours on the way, like Dijon.

Offline Blueprint

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 10557
  • Carma: +171/-233
  • Gender: Male
  • member since way back when
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2024 Mazda CX-90 GS-L PHEV, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, 1975 Triumph TR6
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2015, 10:09:50 am »
Interesting typo in the original title..

For those French language challenged "Citron" is "Lemon".  :rofl2:

Not a typo, formatting. But fixed now. Silly French letters....

Wait, you haven't seen our grammar  ;D
I don't think the grammar is that hard because there's so many exceptions to the rules, it almost doesn't matter if you just shove the words into a sentence. Polar opposite to German (my "main" foreign language).

Français canadien makes me cringe whenever I hear it. How badly can you guys butcher français métropolitan ?

Could it be the other way around?  ;D

 :thumbup:

Offline Minou

  • Auto Obsessed
  • ***
  • Posts: 719
  • Carma: +11/-26
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2018 Mazda 3 GS, 2016 Ford Edge SEL, 2016 Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2015, 10:16:01 am »
But outside of walking, we took the subway, buses and TGV...

We also took other travel modes: train to Paris from the airport, Metro while in Paris for longer stints, train to Versailles, ferry on Lake Como, cog railway up a mountain in Switzerland. TGV from Paris to Mulhouse was an option, but it would have been more expensive and would have prevented some nice detours on the way, like Dijon.

Great review and trip.  I'd love to have some of those French cars available in Canada.  But only a few Québecois excentriques would buy them...

Offline pi314

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 3755
  • Carma: +59/-95
    • View Profile
  • Cars: VW Golf Sportwagen 4Motion 6MT ;Dearly Departed 2015 Honda Fit EX 6MT
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2015, 10:20:01 am »
Mais une grande majorité des Québécois sont excentriques  :stick: ;D

Offline Blueprint

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 10557
  • Carma: +171/-233
  • Gender: Male
  • member since way back when
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2024 Mazda CX-90 GS-L PHEV, 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited, 1975 Triumph TR6
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #17 on: October 23, 2015, 10:20:56 am »
But outside of walking, we took the subway, buses and TGV...

We also took other travel modes: train to Paris from the airport, Metro while in Paris for longer stints, train to Versailles, ferry on Lake Como, cog railway up a mountain in Switzerland. TGV from Paris to Mulhouse was an option, but it would have been more expensive and would have prevented some nice detours on the way, like Dijon.

Great review and trip.  I'd love to have some of those French cars available in Canada.  But only a few Québecois excentriques would buy them...

Thanks!  :)

Yes, people in QC still think of the Renault 5 as a success story. That success, was very, very local to La Belle Province. We do get many Renault platforms at Nissan, and a French-built Yaris, but that's about it. Citroen's high-level design approach could carve itself a niche, but I noticed the French nameplates drop out of sight once you drive out of France, so again true potential may be limited.

Offline D70

  • Enthusiast
  • **
  • Posts: 427
  • Carma: +13/-153
  • member
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 1990 Mazda Miata
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #18 on: October 23, 2015, 10:35:50 am »
Great to read of trips in Europe by Canadians.

I lived close to Mulhouse for 3 years and was fortunate enough to visit the Museum when first opened to the public before it became the National museum.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/6862694128/in/album-72157629292146274/

Offline Fobroader

  • Car Crazy
  • *****
  • Posts: 35635
  • Carma: +1424/-2124
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Cars: 2020 Toyota Tundra, 2021 Lexus GX460, 2018 Kawasaki Versys X300
Re: Unobtainium Road Trip: 2015 Citron Grand C4 Picasso
« Reply #19 on: October 23, 2015, 10:37:42 am »
Great read, I really like these road trip pieces. As for the car, meh, French Mazda 5.
Lighten up Francis.....