CITROEN has in the past made a virtue of quirky styling, often polarising opinion.

The firm is still doing it, but adding a touch of French chic to the some of the more bizarre designs. The result is cars which look good, but still have that touch of individuality.

And just like its Peugeot stablemate which shares the same platform, the firm has significantly upped its game with classy interiors and a wide range of standard equipment, but still at a competitive price.

The C4 Picasso embodies all of these things  and is now 140kg lighter for extra fuel efficiency, which is already excellent thanks to the range of efficient, clean engines. This particular model features a 1.6 diesel with stop/start technology, which emits just 105g/km of CO2 and a claimed fuel economy of 70mpg.

It is a smooth and refined unit, mated to a slick, six-speed gearbox. As a family MPV it is designed for comfort and practicality and the smooth ride delivers both comfort and pace on normal roads and motorways.

All models get keyless entry and start-up, motorised tailgate and reversing camera, touchscreen display, a huge panoramic windscreen, Bluetooth connectivity and air conditioning, while optional extras include a 360-degree parking camera and a parking assist system - a useful or irritating extra - is the lane departure warning system which rattles the seat belts if you cross white lines.

The design is eye-catching with the headlight arrangement bucking the trend and going for less is more  with a pair of slim headlamps with even slimmer LEDs merging with the Citroen chevron grille above. Below that is a wide air scoop. It has a dynamic look and with its slippery shape and large alloys, demands attention.

As people carriers go, the Citroen matches up to the best in its range with one-touch practicality, masses of flexibility and cleverly designed stowage space throughout the cabin. It also boasts the largest boot space in its class with 537 litres available expanding to 630-litres with the rear seats forward.

The front passenger seat folds forwards to increase load space by more than 2.5 metres while the three full size rear seats can be folded flat or tilted for increased comfort and huge stowage capability, giving totatl space of 1,851 litres.

The layout of instrumentation is simply space age in what Citroen calls its loft-style interior which includes a huge windscreen and panoramic glass roof to allow plenty of light into the interior.

An elderly passenger said he would not be able to cope with all the dials, digital readouts and other bells on whistles. A bit of an exaggeration, but this model featured what the company call a full-digital dual screen driving interface with seven-inch touchpad and 12-inch wide HD screen.

The touchpad controls all the in-car functions such as dual-zone air conditioning, navigation, audio, telephone and driving aids while the screen displays essential driving information.

The rest of the dash features satin-finish chrome and gloss black inserts enhance the overall effect and the whole cabin has a feeling of high quality often seen on much more expensive brands.

The model also features the highest standards of safety equipment including, traction and stability control, all round airbags, cruise and hill hold control control and ABS.

With a starting price of £17,500, it offers a lot for the money with the range topper offering all the equipment you could need, but at just a smidge over £25,000.

It's a car hard to find fault with.