THE French do little discourage the belief that the first MPV was a Gallic creation in the shape of Renault's Espace.

In fact firms like Volkswagen and Fiat were developing the concept decades beforehand but it's a segment French firms have come to specialise in and be renowned for.

Citroen, Peugeot and Renault have embraced the MPV concept wholeheartedly and by and large their creations are characterised by a clever and imaginative approach to design which is to be admired.

Citroen's crop of MPVs have delivered much, with a good range of cars covering compact to full-sized options.

The Grand Picasso is a stretched version of standard C4 Picasso, essentially offering more room and a third row of two seats.

Size-wise it has much to recommend it. It's not so large that it ends up having an identity crisis about whether it's a car or a minibus-like MPV and is a great example of that aforementioned clever and imaginative design.

While in some ways it sticks solidly to the MPV boxy design blueprint it manages to combine some flowing lines, albeit in a subtle rather than an overt way.

The result is a car that's pleasing to look at but still fit for purpose when it comes to fulfilling it's role as a people mover.

The interior impresses too, though having the dials and instrumentation located centrally does take a little getting used to. It seems curiously out of place in the middle but rather like bifocal lenses for glasses wearers - you do get used to it and quicker than you might think. The futuristic colour digital display looks good too and is clear and easy to read.

The facia has a slightly curious angular and asymmetrical design but again this works well and it looks sturdy and well built.

Other features also impress. I loved the leg rest that folded out under the front passenger seat - even though I didn't get to try it - but I was assured by those who did that it was a hit. It works rather like one of those funky folding armchairs or sofas that look comfortable enough to snatch 40 winks in.

If that weren't enough the front seats also had massagers and seat warmers. Never mind the old adage about never having to leave the comfort of your armchair - with seats like this one need never leave the comfort of the car.

The centre well offers oodles of space - though given its depth one does wonder what precisely it's been designed to store.

One of the great things about the Grand Picasso is the time that's been taken to enhance the passenger experience and not just in the front but the rear too.

Sliding seats mean passengers in the middle row can enjoy limo-like levels of comfort with the seats slid back. In addition there are two folding tables that even come with lights.

Another bonus is the fact all three seats are the same size - great when it comes to avoiding those arguments among younger passengers about who's going to sit in the middle. There are however only two folding tables, so different arguments might still persist.

The third row of seats is an occasional/small passenger/short journey feature but they fold away neatly and are exceptionally easy to operate.

There's a range of diesel and petrol engines available but the 1.6-litre HDi is expected to be the biggest seller. It comes in 89bhp and 115bhp power variants. This higher-powered one felt super-smooth and potent enough to cater for most motoring needs, even with a full load. An efficient stop-start system also comes as standard on the diesels.

Petrol engines include two 1.6-litre units, a 118bhp VTi 120 and a more spirited 154bhp THP 155.

The ride quality is impressive in large part as a result of Citroen's new lightweight EMP2 (Efficient Modular Platform) architecture which is shared with Peugeot.

For an MPV the Grand Picasso handles nicely. Body control is good and though there's a little pitch and roll it's kept to a minimum.

The six-speed manual gearbox is smooth and slick and the steering nicely weighted and responsive.

I have to say I really liked the Grand Picasso - a lot. Each day I discovered some new feature or characteristic that appealed. It was also a big hit with the younger travellers who accompanied me in it.

Overall it ticks pretty much every box in the book and all honesty it would be difficult to find a better all-rounder.

With high residuals predicted too it demonstrates Citroen have got pretty much everything right this time around.