blee
06-18-2017, 06:45 PM
I just got back from a week in southern Norway. 1: Norway is an amazing place, and if it weren't for silly things like career commitments (and fuel taxes, and gun laws...) I would probably move tomorrow. 2: Unlike my trip to Sweden a few years ago, there seem to be a lot of cars that aren't available in the states. (There are, however, TONS of Teslas out there, and Norway apparently has more plug-in electric cars per capita than any other country.)
Anyway, I got to spend some time behind the wheel of a newish Citroen C4 Picasso with less than 13000 km on the clock. This is a four-door, five-passenger, mini-minivan-like vehicle, sort of in the spirit of the NLA Mazda 5 without sliding doors. Not sure what kind of trim level it was, but the car had leather seats, heat and massaging up front, adjustable leg rest thingies on the passenger side, front and rear distance sensors, motorized tailgate, etc. etc. Interior materials were quite nice -- not luxury-level, but on the better end of what you'd get in, say, a Ford. Visibility from the cabin is excellent.
My rental had a diesel engine, which means it made either 118 or 148 hp and 221 or 270 lb-ft of torque, mated to a pretty decent six-speed automatic. The early torque of the diesel was apparent but I did notice that it ran out of breath as we got to higher speeds. However, there was more than enough power to tote five adults around the city and local highways. Speed limits didn't exceed 80 km/h, and I personally never got the car past 90 or so, and we didn't lack for passing or merging. The paddle shifters were fine, not any better than other versions I've driven. I wasn't really able to "test the handling," but the steering wheel was nicely connected to the front suspension and the car handled bumps in the road quite gracefully.
There is apparently a seven-passenger version available as well, but while I was driving it around, it occurred to me that this was a great family vehicle. We had quite a lot of luggage with us, and the car swallowed it up without any complaints. It was powerful enough to be fun, felt lighter than it was, and was pretty easy on (diesel) gas to boot. To top it all off, it was pretty easy to drive this thing through the narrower streets in town, and parking was never an issue as long as I could find an open space. (In my Silverado, this can be a bit of a challenge at times, even here in good old 'Murica.) I kind of wish Americans hadn't given up on this form factor because I think they would give minivan and crossover buyers something more interesting to consider.
Anyway, I got to spend some time behind the wheel of a newish Citroen C4 Picasso with less than 13000 km on the clock. This is a four-door, five-passenger, mini-minivan-like vehicle, sort of in the spirit of the NLA Mazda 5 without sliding doors. Not sure what kind of trim level it was, but the car had leather seats, heat and massaging up front, adjustable leg rest thingies on the passenger side, front and rear distance sensors, motorized tailgate, etc. etc. Interior materials were quite nice -- not luxury-level, but on the better end of what you'd get in, say, a Ford. Visibility from the cabin is excellent.
My rental had a diesel engine, which means it made either 118 or 148 hp and 221 or 270 lb-ft of torque, mated to a pretty decent six-speed automatic. The early torque of the diesel was apparent but I did notice that it ran out of breath as we got to higher speeds. However, there was more than enough power to tote five adults around the city and local highways. Speed limits didn't exceed 80 km/h, and I personally never got the car past 90 or so, and we didn't lack for passing or merging. The paddle shifters were fine, not any better than other versions I've driven. I wasn't really able to "test the handling," but the steering wheel was nicely connected to the front suspension and the car handled bumps in the road quite gracefully.
There is apparently a seven-passenger version available as well, but while I was driving it around, it occurred to me that this was a great family vehicle. We had quite a lot of luggage with us, and the car swallowed it up without any complaints. It was powerful enough to be fun, felt lighter than it was, and was pretty easy on (diesel) gas to boot. To top it all off, it was pretty easy to drive this thing through the narrower streets in town, and parking was never an issue as long as I could find an open space. (In my Silverado, this can be a bit of a challenge at times, even here in good old 'Murica.) I kind of wish Americans hadn't given up on this form factor because I think they would give minivan and crossover buyers something more interesting to consider.