Citroën SpaceTourer | Video Review | CarsIreland.ie

Published on 18 April, 2018

If space and versatility are what you're after, there are very few options out there which offer as much of both as the Citroën Spacetourer

Overview

Overview

The last year has seen a flood of seven-seaters hit the market, meaning the choice for those with a larger family has never been better. But what if your family is bigger than that again? Or you have growing kids and teens who no longer fit quite as comfortably into that folding row of seats in the back? Citroen have come up with a very capable solution in the Spacetourer.

While it might not be the slickest-looking thing in the world on the outside, the space and perks on offer in the cabin more than make up for it. Honest. There are eight full size seats on board - as in proper, full-size, an-adult-will-fit-in-to-them-quite-comfortably, bona fide seats. They are laid out in two rows of three behind the driver and passenger and all rear seats come equipped with Isofix anchors, meaning technically, you can carry six childseat-age children in the Spacetourer at the same time. Now there's a scary thought.

Even with all six seats up, boot space is pretty decent, but you can increase it hugely by dropping the back row of seats when they are not in use. All seats can be either folded flat, or removed completely, which will essentially turn your Spacetourer into a van should the occasion demand it. The boot requires a lot of space to open fully which could limit parking options but luckily Citroen have thought of that too, with a much smaller, less dramatic hatch opening which you can use to drop the shopping in without too much fuss.

The electronically operated sliding doors are also handy for the same reason, as you won’t need to worry about kids dinging doors in the car park.

There’s plenty to play with up front and the cabin itself is quite a cheery place to be thanks to a huge windscreen and abundance of glass that lets lots of light in. Equipment highlights include a seven inch touchscreen display complete with DAB digital radio, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, Mirror Link and Apple CarPlay. That’s all standard on the Feel trim, as are automatic lights and wipers, rear parking sensors and dual zone automatic air-conditioning.

Safety features on offer are also quite impressive; you can get automatic cruise control, blind spot monitoring, speed limit information via a head up display and emergency braking - all very reassuring to have when you’re carrying your family around.

The entry level engine is the diesel-powered 1.6 litre BlueHDi which, pushing out just 115hp might at first glance seem a little puny for a behemoth of this size.  Fortunately, that's not the case on the road and while it's not fast, it doesn't feel underpowered either. The claimed fuel economy of just 5.2 litres per 100km and €280 tax bill make it quite good value to run.

In terms of the drive, unsurprisingly it's not exactly laugh a minute, but there are positives as well as negatives. The considerable bulk means yes, you do have to plan each manoeuvre quite carefully, but on the plus side, that high driving position gives you a great commanding view over other traffic and can become quite enjoyable once you get used to it.

The steering is nice and light which makes it easier to be accurate with turning and negotiating car parks, and those standard parking sensors come in handy there too. There's a bit of engine noise in the cabin, but nothing outrageous, and still not enough to drown out the noise of six kids in the back (unfortunately). It is an extremely comfortable drive - the seats are supportive, and the suspension supple enough to take the jolts out of any ramps or potholes.

Starting at €38,675 - it doesn’t exactly come cheap but there are plenty seven-seaters out there that can quickly climb up to the same price once you’ve specced them up, and the Spacetourer comes with a lot of what you need as standard.

At first glance the SpaceTourer might be seen as more of a solution to a problem than the world’s most desirable car but if space is what you need – there are very few options out there that give you as much of it as this.

Facts & Figures

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives