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- Changing expectations in terms of modernity, style and use have turned customers away from the MPV market. Citroën brings an end to a fantastic saga by ceasing to sell the Grand C4 SpaceTourer.
- It is the end of a real chapter for Citroën which, for almost 30 years, has constantly innovated to be at the forefront of the progress of this market.
- Today, the brand is putting all its know-how in terms of style, comfort and modularity, as well as versatility of uses, into recent models such as New C5 Aircross or New C5 X which offer character and practicality with a very attractive positioning. Transporting 7 people or more continues to be possible thanks to the electric models ë-Berlingo and ë-SpaceTourer.
- Production of the Grand C4 SpaceTourer at the Vigo site in Spain will cease early July after honouring the current portfolio of orders.
Because customer expectations have changed, because modernity and value are now expressed by different silhouettes, and because the way we think about mobility is also evolving, Grand C4 SpaceTourer is today bowing out. Citroën’s family car offer now features the recently restyled C5 Aircross, which offers all the space and modularity of an MPV, and C5 X which is a great, affordable family vehicle offering unrivalled comfort. Those who need to transport their large family can always opt for ë-Berlingo or ë-SpaceTourer.
CITROËN AND THE MPV: A SUCCESS STORY
Citroën has real expertise in developing innovative, versatile and spacious cars which are a joy to travel in. Needs that were perfectly met by the arrival of MPVs, a segment in which Citroën was a major player and a constant source of new developments. In thirty years, the brand sold almost 4.5 million MPVs around the world.
Let’s look back at this saga, which began nearly 30 years ago, in 1994, with the launch of Citroën Evasion offering 7 seats and standing out by its sliding side doors. Restyled in 1998, it left of the range in 2002 after over 120,000 sales. It moved aside for the larger C8, which was a step up in all aspects and was sold until June 2014, after more than 150,000 sales.
The MPV “phenomenon” really took off in 1998 with the presentation of Xsara Picasso which was produced between 1999 and 2012. It was the model that took the MPV segment into a new dimension. Its completely new, curvaceous look and exceptional comfort and modularity with three equally accommodating back seats, sliding and modular independently of the others, were a revolution in this segment. No less than 180,000 vehicles were sold in its first year of sales. Thanks to the further developments made during the production life of this vehicle, this star model conquered a wide public with over 1,760,000 sales worldwide.
In 2006, C4 Picasso entered the range with an unprecedented, long, 7-seater version, and then a short 5-seater version which arrived in 2007 and whose production stopped in 2020 under the name of C4 SpaceTourer. This multi-purpose vehicle made its mark on the segment with its more dynamic style featuring an incisive front and a plunging bonnet, inspired by the hatchback of the same name, and revisited access to the controls via the steering wheel – exit the dashboard – which freed up space for four storage compartments on the dashboard, as well as a refrigerated central compartment. The larger dimensions of the vehicle logically gave more elbow and leg room. It also offered the biggest boot volume in the segment. Bursting with new technologies, it was equipped with air suspension, laminated glass windows, automatic quadri-zone air-conditioning, air quality detector, video screens embedded in the head rests, as well as a HiFi system with 8 speakers and an mp3 player.
The year 2007 was the highpoint for the MPV segment. For Citroën it was a peak of sales of its two MPV models, Xsara Picasso (115,000) and C4 Picasso (215,000) which shows just how much the MPV was trending because it responded to a lifestyle choice. 891,000 units of C4 Picasso were sold between 2006 and 2013.
In 2009, C3 Picasso, Citroën’s “Space Box”, joined C4 Picasso to enhance the MPV range. This little cubic MPV, brimming with new ideas, turned heads because it was spacious despite its compact dimensions, offering a boot volume of 500 litres. C3 Picasso stopped being produced in 2019, after 657,807 vehicles had come off the assembly lines of the Slovakian plant of Trnava.
The current generation was launched in 2013 and represents 732,000 vehicles sold. Despite the rising popularity of SUVs, sales remained stable between 2014 and 2017, holding a pace of around 120,000 sales per year until the arrival of C5 Aircross and the end of production of the compact 5-seater version.
Even today Grand C4 SpaceTourer presents a very attractive and modern design. Restyled in 2016, it has convinced 352,243 customers around the world and has earned a reputation for its unrivalled suspension comfort, its loft spirit with the very popular Pack Lounge (massage front seats, front passenger seat with extended comfort function and relax head rests for the driver and front passenger seats), its wheelbase of 2,840 mm for top-notch on-board space (lots of leg room), its exemplary modularity (2 foldaway seats, 3 individual and equally accommodating seats, fold-down passenger seats, a boot volume that can go from 575 to 645 litres by moving back row 2), clever storage space including a lit-up one in the centre of the dashboard, its glass surface of over 5 m², notably with its panoramic windscreen ensuring excellent ¾ front visibility and its panoramic roof, its various personalisation possibilities (the choice between 4 interior ambiances with quality cloth and leathers). Its complete technological offer has also greatly contributed to the well-being of its occupants: 12″ touch screen, TomTom Citroën Connect Nav, Mirror Screen function, Vision 360, Blind Spot Monitoring System, Active Safety Brake, etc.
NEW SOLUTIONS FOR COMFORT, SPACE AND AFFORDABILITY
Several models in the Citroën range are a good alternative to the Citroën MPV insofar as they have similar advantages in terms of comfort and modularity.
From the Citroën MPV, the C5 Aircross has notably inherited the values of comfort, spaciousness with a boot volume that can go from 720 litres up to 1,630 litres with the back seats folded down, and modularity which are at the heart of its DNA and at the service of driver and passenger well-being. It is the only car in its segment to offer 3 individual back seats. Well-being on board is optimal thanks to suspensions with progressive hydraulic cushions which improve the quality of filtering of the road imperfections, and its Advanced Comfort seats made with an additional layer of 15 mm-thick high density foam. C5 Aircross offers driving aid technologies such as Highway Driver Assist, which transform each journey into a serene experience. Its recent upgrade has given C5 Aircross a new, very muscular front, a three-dimensional rear light signature, new 18″ diamond wheel rims, and a new and more elegant personalisation offer. Inside, the new design of the 10″ touch screen and central console give the interior space even more character. C5 Aircross is available with a plug-in hybrid 225 ë-EAT8 engine, but also proposes a petrol and diesel offer (PureTech 130 S&S EAT8 & BVM6, BlueHDi 130 S&S EAT8 & BVM6).
New C5 X, the new D-segment sedan, a mix of audacity and innovation, is the most complete expression of well-being by Citroën. With its avant-garde, road-cruiser silhouette, the new Citroën flagship combines the elegance of a sedan, the dynamism of an estate car, and the elevated driving position of an SUV or an MPV. C5 X is an invitation to travel in absolute comfort. The interior has been designed to make you feel like you’re at home in your living room – thanks to the Citroën Advanced Comfort seats, the meticulously-worked acoustics, the huge amount of room especially in row 2 (exceptional leg room thanks to the wheelbase of 2,785 mm and generous headroom), the loading volume of up to 1,640 litres with the back seats folded down. The driving comfort is amplified by Citroën’s Advanced Comfort® suspension with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions, piloted on the plug-in hybrid version, which adapts to the three driving modes by strengthening the “flying carpet” effect when cruising on a straight road and road-hold on bends. Everyday travel is made even easier thanks to cutting-edge technologies such as Extended Head Up Display, Highway Driver Assist, and the new 12″ HD digital screen which can be personalised and offers vocal recognition. C5 X is available with a petrol engine (PureTech 130 S&S EAT8 and PureTech 180 S&S EAT8) and a plug-in hybrid engine (225 ë-EAT8).
The ë-SpaceTourer compact van can carry 6 to 9 people without compromising on comfort, versatility and design. This technological model with its muscular lines and remarkably dynamic handling also has some serious qualities in terms of space, practicality and on-board well-being. The electric motor gives peace of mind when accessing zero-emission urban zones and an enjoyable driving experience linked to the smoothness and quietness of electric mode. Customers can choose the length of their vehicle (XS: 4.60 m – M: 4.95 m – XL: 5.30 m), and its autonomy according to usage needs and budget: 230 km* (on the WLTP cycle) with a 50 kWh battery, or 330 km with a 75 kWh battery. By fitting the battery under the floor, all the space, modularity and practicality of the petrol version has been conserved. There are lots of interior layout possibilities thanks to the individual sliding, folding and removable back seats. It is easy to change the boot volume to be able to transport 9 people or to have more loading capacity at the back, with an opening rear window for easy access to the boot.
ë-Berlingo leisure activity vehicle, combining practicality and versatility, is a real Swiss army knife of a
vehicle, ideal for all leisure activities with the added pleasure of the electric engine which offers up to 280 km of freedom* (autonomy calculated on the WLTP cycle). Available in two lengths, it can carry up to 7 people on board. It conserves an interior volume of up to 4,000 litres and a loading length of 3.05 m if necessary, the modularity of the seats (passenger seats in rows 1 and 2 fold flat and the seats in row 3 can be removed), the 26 storage compartments (up to 1,050 litres) including the Modutop® multi-purpose roof which offers 92 litres of storage space within reach, and the tinted opening rear screen which facilitates access to objects without opening the boot, a long list of practical solutions which made the petrol version such as success. ë-Berlingo is a pleasure to drive thanks to the head-up vision and its 10″ HD digital screen displaying all the useful information for the driver and passengers. The deferred charge and thermal pre-conditioning functions can be activated via the digital screen or smartphone thanks to the My Citroën application.