JUST like chefs who serve up posh nosh, most countries have their own recipes for cooking up particular types of cars.

The Italians are masters at producing racy numbers like Ferrari and Lamborghini. The Germans reign supreme when it comes to sports saloons such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes, and we are famous for boardroom luxury in the shape of Rolls-Royce and Bentley... mind you, both these marques are now German-owned.

But it is the French that I'm concerned with here. Because I've been driving the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso and the Gallic dish of the day is without doubt the practical, family MPV. After all, rival maker Renault virtually made the niche its own in the 80s with the Espace.

The seven-seater Picasso, launched here last year, is probably the most exciting and futuristic looking people carrier on the market with smooth flowing lines that disguise its height and girth. And with a myriad of practical features it is a boon to families on the move.

The first aspect that strikes you inside the cabin is the amazing amount of space and general feeling of airiness. A huge glass panoramic sunroof - which sadly doesn't open - together with a giant front windscreen make it feel a bit goldfish bowl-like as sunlight streams in. The sun visors even slide back to make the windscreen even larger - it's a great environment in which to take in the views and countryside.

The dash, dominated by two big screens, is appropriately futuristic although usage can be a bit fiddly. The smaller one allows you to use Tripadvisor, Wikapedia and social media sites. The larger, and top screen, packs in most of the necessary driver information such as sat-nav, reversing cameras and fuel economy details.

I drove the 2.0-litre Blue HDI 150 Exclusive + version - price £27,110 - which includes leather seating, smart alloys wheels, and 360 degree camera for parking in tight spaces. The front seats are like armchairs with a huge amount of electronic adjustment and also heating elements.

There's even an electric footrest for the front seat passengers. The middle row of seats are individual and slide front and back, while the third row which can accommodate the final two passengers is stowed beneath the floor at the rear when not in use. It is fine for kids but a squeeze for adults. Both the centre row and the back one get their own air con ducts.

Despite its commodious proportions, the 148bhp Grand Picasso picks up its heels well with acceleration to 62mph in under 10 seconds and a top speed of about 130mph. The six-speed automatic gearbox, with its selector sited just behind the steering wheel, takes much of the strain out of town driving but it can be caught out on occasions with a slightly jerky change.

The official combined fuel consumption is a staggering 70.6mpg. During real-life driving most owners are likely to return about 45mpg.