THE Picasso has been a top seller for Citroen since it was first launched back in 1999 with over 400,000 being sold in the UK alone since it made its debut.

Since the original Xsara Picasso MPV, the French firm has moved on to produce both C3 and C4 models bearing the artist's name and there is also a larger Grand version.

The latest C4 Picasso went on sale in this country back in August. Based on an all-new platform, it is 140kg lighter than before and is slightly shorter and lower but boasts more room inside for passengers.

I have just been driving a C4 Picasso finished in Exclusive+ trim and powered by the popular 1.6-litre turbo-diesel which produces 114bhp.

It is a good looking car for an MPV and is very distinctive thanks to its chevron grille, large low air intake, small headlamps and LED running lights. It has a futuristic look to it even although the rump is round and similar to most other cars in this sector.

A large glass area helps to make the inside feel very spacious and light and the panoramic windscreen stretches to just above the front seats. Blinds can be pulled forward to block out the sun when required.

The interior has a more upmarket feel to it with a big increase in quality. The materials and plastics are better and there are numerous places to store small items.

The dash is very modern and is dominated by two screens situated in the centre. They certainly provide all the information a driver needs but they are not to my taste and I found their positioning annoying to say the least.

I also found the steering wheel had too many buttons for my liking but the driving position and visibility could not be faulted.

This model at £23,995 offers a fantastic amount of kit, including 17in alloys, leather steering wheel, panoramic sunroof with electric blind, one touch front and rear electric windows, dual-zone air conditioning, tray tables with spotlights, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, rear side window sunblinds, satnav - displayed on the upper 12-inch screen and a 7-inch full colour touch screen interface.

You also get a digital radio with six speakers, Bluetooth with media streaming and an 8GB hard drive for music storage. In addition thist car came with metallic paint at £520,  Nappa leather at £1,750 and park assist at £450.

The Picasso is also packed with all the latest safety systems and this model also features active radar guided cruise control with collision alert and blind spot monitoring with an LED indicator on the door mirror.

Boot space varies between 537 to 630 litres depending on the positioning of the rear seats and with them folded goes up to a substantial 1,851 litres. On this model the tailgate can be opened electronically for easy access.

The 1.6 diesel supplies enough grunt to take this big car to 62mph in just 11.8 seconds and has a top speed of 117mph. The claimed combined fuel figure is 70.6mpg but do not expect to get anywhere near that in real world driving.

As expected the Picasso provides a comfortable drive and although there is a certain amount of body roll in the corners it is no worse than any others in this class.

The Picasso makes a strong case for itself in the sector and makes ideal transport for a growing family. The Grand version with seven seats arrives in February.