Citroen Spacetourer review

Carzone drives Citroen's family-friendly eight seater

Pros: Space for eight passengers, well equipped, frugal engines

Cons: Ride quality, takes getting used to, short-wheel-base model less desirables

This is the new Citroen Spacetourer and as its name suggests, it serves up space and practicality like few other cars can. With eight seats inside, three wheelbase lengths and electric sliding rear doors, the Spacetourer is hugely versatile and well-suited to ferrying lots of people and their luggage. As the rear seats can be removed easily too, it can lug large loads, cater to mobility needs and even occasional camping if you are so inclined. We spent a week with the Spacetourer XL recently to see what it is like to live with and how it compares with class alternatives such as the Toyota Proace Verso and Peugeot Traveller.

Citroen Spacetourer Ireland

What is it like?

The Spacetourer is quite distinctive from the outside thanks to Citroen’s recognisable chevron front grille, a high bonnet and LED daytime running lights. It is available in three wheelbase lengths, and our test car is the longest XL model. All Spacetourers feature the same FEEL specification which includes 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights and body coloured bumpers. Privacy glass is standard on the rear windows and it helps to keep the rear seats shaded while also improving style.

The Spacetourer’s interior is functional with hard-wearing plastics and an improved layout over it predeccesor. The driving position is high and offers a commanding view of the road, while the two-tier dashboard features an integrated seven-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link functionality. The driver’s area is lacking in places to stow away items and smartphones however. Entry into the rear seats is easy with double electric sliding side doors, which open at the touch of a button from the key fob or from inside the cabin, and the middle row of seats are kitted with picnic tables and sun blinds for long family journeys. 

Spacetourer Interior

Removing the rear seats is simple by tugging a chord and lifting them out, so the Spacetourer can quickly transform from people carrier to load lugger if required. There is also a 220 volt AC socket underneath the driver’s seat which is useful for charging devices and powering electric equipment on the move. The boot door is very long and it can be awkward to open in confined spaces, however the rear window pops open for quick access to the boot.  

Citroen eight seater

The Spacetourer is available with a 1.6-litre diesel engine in three states of tune, 115 horsepower, 150 horsepower or 180 horsepower. We drove the entry-level 115hp engine with a six-speed manual transmission and it offers reasonable acceleration and copes much better with the Spacetourer’s bulk than we would have expected. It also proved very frugal during our test with returns of 5.5l/100 kilometres over a week of driving, while annual motor tax is listed at €280. Those who frequently carry large loads should consider the more powerful 150hp engine, though the 115hp suffices for most tasks.

People Carrier

 A six-speed automatic transmission is also available, but only with the higher power engines. The Spacetourer corners reasonably well on twisty roads and cruises comfortably on the motorway. It is better-suited to smooth roads however, as the ride quality can be choppy on bumpy surfaces. Eight seaters are never going to be known for delivering excitement out on the road, but the Spacetourer is more capable than a lot of its rivals in terms of handling.

Space Tourer Seats

Prices for the new Citroen Spacetourer start from €38,675 in short-wheel-base guise, so it undercuts the Peugeot Traveller and Toyota Proace Verso. Prices increase for the mid and long-wheel-base models, and the default FEEL specification includes 17-inch alloy wheels, dual zone air conditioning, cruise control, rear parking sensors, keyless start and a seven-inch touchscreen system amongst other features. ISOFIX is also standard on all rear seats (up to six sets of mounts) along with full privacy glass. In terms of safety, the Spacetourer includes driver, front passenger, side and curtain airbags, along with electronic rear child locks and a rear seat observation mirror. 

Rear Window Car

Carzone verdict: 3.5/5

If you need space and lots of it, then the Citroen Spacetourer is one to shortlist with good servings of technology, clever seat configurations and a pleasant drive. Inside, it offers real-world space for eight people and their luggage, and removing the seats is incredibly easy. The Spacetourer is firmer on the road than some of its rivals however, so ride quality isn’t its strongest point, and space is somewhat restricted in the short-wheel-base models. For this reason we’d recommend either the middle or long-wheel-base models.  

Citroen Ireland

Test Car Details:

Model driven: Citroen Spacetourer M Feel BlueHdi 115 S&S

Prices from: €38,675

Price as tested: €40,175

Annual Road Tax: €280

Engine: 1560cc four-cylinder turbocharged diesel

Power: 115bhp

Top Speed: TBC

0-100km/h: TBC

Transmission: Six speed manual

Body style: MPV

Boot Space: 554 litres

 

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