A LEAN burning diesel engine is giving Citroen class leading economy with the arrival of the latest C4 Picasso people mover.

The 90bhp version of Citroen's 1.6-litre diesel Picasso can easily nudge 60mpg in everyday use and in one guise it is the only non-hybrid MPV with tax free emissions below 100g/km.

That's for a model fitted with stop/start and a new electronic gearbox yet even in regular set up it is a car that is very easy on the pocket.

We have just tried a five-speed manual in mid-range VTR+ trim and notched up an average of 68.8 to the gallon on an 80 mile trip which took in town driving, country lanes and a good stretch of dual carriageway.

Our test proved it was possible to beat Citroen's official fuel consumption figures such is the efficiency of the diesel engine - on paper it is rated at 67.3mpg with emissions of 109g/km which equates to no road tax for the first 12 months and £30 a year thereafter.

Business users will face a tax banding of 16 per cent. The eco version, which Citroen is calling the Airdream ETG6, is even more tax friendly and rated at 14 per cent for company car drivers thanks to its  74mpg combined fuel figure.  

Such performance makes the third generation C4 Picasso an ideal family car and the VTR+ we tried is priced from £19,455 - some £700 less than the Airdream.

Acceleration is fine, it will achieve 0 to 60 in 12.9 seconds, and on the move there are no complaints about the way the car goes about its business.

Cruise control, automatic air dual zone conditioning, parking sensors and a full trip computer are included as standard but features such as lane departure warning, blind spot monitors and a reversing camera can be had only on higher specification models.

The C4 Picasso range starts from £17,500 and tops out at £24,500 yet throughout the line up it's a very appealing, high tech vehicle.

The instrument panel comprises two display screens with multi function configurations and a minimal amount of buttons to keep operation simple.

There is also an electronic parking brake and overall the cabin is clutter free, roomy and well appointed throughout.

All the instruments, speedo, rev counter and the like are digital and appear in the top display panel which can be configured to customise the view.

The Picasso will seat five with plenty of head and leg room in the back thanks to sliding rear seats.

Boot space ranges from 537 to 630 litres depending on the seating position - larger than the previous generation C4 Picasso - and with the back seats folded flat it is of king-sized estate car proportions at 1,851 litres and capable of carrying objects up to 2.5 metres long.

With practicality a strong point there is also plenty of onboard storage including a deep centre console between the front seats and fold down picnic tables for two in the back as well as underfloor compartments.

It is a car which caters for all and younger families who demand entertainment on the move are catered for with a full set of plug in sockets for smartphones and music players.

A panoramic windscreen is standard and gives excellent vision while a completely glass roof is an option to bring even more light inside.

From the outside it appears more compact than the previous model but it sits on Peugeot Citroen's new EMP2 platform which is clever in design and with a long wheelbase it is significantly larger inside.

A 12 gallon fuel tank gives the HDi 90 diesel a range in excess of 700 miles which with improved ride and handling make the new C4 Picasso a very competent, stylish and appealing all rounder.