Used Citroen C4 Spacetourer 2018-2019 review

The market for five-seat MPVs may have gone out of fashion in favour of SUVs, but saving money certainly hasn't. So while you could follow the herd and buy the SUV that replaced the C4 Spacetourer, the Citroën C5 Aircross, you could potentially save a fortune by buying a used example of the car in question; a vehicle that seats just as many people and comes stuffed with much of the same gadgets and convenience features that make family life a breeze.

You can pick between a lone 128bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine, or two diesels: a 128bhp 1.5-litre or a 158bhp 2.0-litre. Both the 1.2 petrol and 1.5 diesel can be had with a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic, whereas the larger 2.0-litre diesel can only be found with the auto 'box.

There's a choice of three different trim levels with the C4 Spacetourer. The range kicks off with Touch Edition that comes with 16in alloys, rear parking sensors, auto lights and wipers, dual-zone climate control, DAB radio with a 7in infotainment system that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Mid-range Feel adds larger 17in wheels, front parking sensors, extra storage trays under the front seats and the snazzier 12in digital instrument display. Top-of-the-range Flair gets the biggest 18in alloys, an electric tailgate, a reversing camera, sunblinds for the rear doors along with extra safety tech such as automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring.

As you might expect for an MPV, the C4 Spacetourer handles in a similar way to the previous C4 Picasso. The steering is light and easy for parking manoeuvres, but is ultimately quite numb and lacks the more engaging feel you get with a Ford C-Max. There's a fair degree of body lean in bends, although it never pitches uncontrollably, and with strong grip levels the C4 Spacetourer feels pretty secure on the road. Where it excels is on the motorway because both wind, road and engine noise are well supressed and the ride (while a touch fidgety at town speeds) is supple enough to despatch with most lumps and bumps in the tarmac.

Parents of younger children that need car seats will appreciate the three individual rear seats in the second row, plus the seats themselves have small flaps that cover the gap between the seat and boot floor to give you a near-flat load area. The boot itself is massive and of a usefully square shape: ideal for today's oversized pushchairs and whatever day-trip paraphernalia you need to take with you. There are also lots of neat storage cubbies throughout the interior to hide smaller items away.

The dashboard itself is covered in plush materials that make the C4 Spacetourer feel classy inside, and the 12in digital dash display in mid-range models and above make it look more modern. What isn't quite so good is the infotainment; it can be slow to respond, the shortcut buttons are't immediately intuitive and the menu layout can be confusing. There is at least plenty of adjustment in the front seats and steering wheel for even the lankiest of drivers to get comfortable, although we would prefer a bit more lower back support.

Like the previous C4 Picasso, the C4 Spacetourer has a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating and every model has six airbags, an electronic stability program and automatic emergency braking. You will have to upgrade to a Flair version to get additional safety tech such as blind spot monitoring and lane-keeping assistance, or find a Feel model with the optional Convenience Pack that has these features.

If you're interested in finding a used C4 Spacetourer, or any of the other MPVs mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.

There aren't as many C4 Spacetourers for sale as there are C4 Picassos, because it was only on sale for just over a year. However, expect to pay £12,500 for a 1.2 Puretech Touch Edition; £13,000 for a mid-range 1.5 BlueHDI Feel and £15,000 for a top-of-the-range Flair.

Check the value of a used Citroën C4 Spacetourer with What Car? Valuations

Find a used Citroën C4 Spacetourer for sale here

MPG

Fuel economy is pretty decent for a large, tall vehicle, and it is inevitably the smallest 1.5-litre diesel that has the best combined figure of the range, at 70.6mpg. That's followed by the 2.0-litre diesel at 58.9mpg and the 1.2-litre petrol with 54.3mpg.

Road tax (VED)

All C4 Spacetourers will have been registered after the tax system changed on 1 April 2017, so you'll have to pay a yearly flat-rate fee. This is currently £165 per year.

Servicing

The C4 Spacetourer should be serviced annually or every 10,000 miles. A Citroën service plan starts from just £15.99 per month on examples that are less than 12 months old. Alternatively, you can pay on the day, with the first service being £199 and the second year being £249.

Once your C4 Spacetourer is more than three years old, you'll can opt for fixed-price at £179 for a minor service, and £299 for a major visit.

Engine

The sole 1.2 petrol engine option is fine if you only commute in town, but on balance we'd suggest you go for the 1.5 diesel for its extra efficiency and greater slug of low rev torque; it'll pull heavy loads better and is more relaxing to drive because you won't need to change gear as frequently.

The manual gearbox can feel notchy and its action is imprecise. You could eliminate the need to change gear yourself altogether if you go for the automatic, but you'll need to weigh up if you can put up with the sluggish way it responds when setting off.

Specification

Touch Edition gets all the items you really need, but the mid-range feel is the better bet since there are more of them and you additional niceties such as front parking sensors, more storage spaces and the more advanced digital instrument cluster. Try and find one with the optional Convenience Pack for additional safety tech.

Our favourite Citroën C4 Spacetourer 1.5 BlueHDI 130 Feel

The Ford C-Max would be the one to go for if you want a range of punchy engines and you value the driving experience above all else. Like the Spacetourer, the C-Max is a strict five-seater only, but each seat folds individually for greater practicality and there's enough space for adults in the back.

Another five-seater MPV is the Volkswagen Golf SV. Much like the Golf upon which it is based, you get a similarly comfortable ride, tidy handling and excellent range of engines as its smaller sibling. You can't, however, fold the seats individually, putting the SV at a disadvantage to the Spacetourer.

If you're interested in finding a used C4 Spacetourer, or any of the other MPVs mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter here