We have received a lot of spy shots lately, and today we got a new set of what looks to be the next Citroen C3 Picasso. Of course, you probably think it looks a lot like the Opel Meriva, and that’s Okay – you should. The Opel Meriva and the C3 Picasso both share the same platform and general design language. They both have their own styling cues, of course, but they are generally the same car with a different badge.

The C3 Picasso we see in the spy shots is under pretty heavy camo, so it’s hard to make out a lot of the details. At this point, Citroen even went so far as to cover the rear, side windows in camo as well to prevent any sneaky shots of the interior – I guess the driver has to stick his head out of the window to check his blind spots. Anyway, let’s take a look at what we can make out from the photos here, and maybe even speculate a little on what we’ll see when we get all of the official details.

Update 08/29/2016: We're getting another look at the upcoming C3 Picasso through a second round of spy shots. Very little camo has been shed, but this time it has production-ready taillights.

Continue reading to learn more about the upcoming Citroen C3 Picasso.

2017 Citroen C3 Picasso

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Citroen C3 Picasso
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Spy Shots

August 29, 2016 - Citroen C3 Picasso caught testing once again

June 10, 2016 - Citroen C3 Picasso testing in Southern Europe

January 27, 2016 - First testing session

Exterior

Overall, the new C3 Picasso shares the same shape as the current model. Right away I noticed the A-pillars have been dramatically changed. On the current model, each A-pillar travels almost straight down inside, while, on the outside, there is a pane of rounded glass. On this model, that glass no longer exists. Instead, the doors look to have been lengthened a bit, with a separate pane of glass that may function like the vent windows in older vehicles. Up front, we expect to see a new headlight design that appears to sport a completely clear lens. If the new model has fog lights, they are concealed by camo. I suspect the daytime running lights to be integrated into the new headlight assemblies.

The hood looks to have taken on a new, more muscular shape, and looks to extend farther forward on the new model. The model in the spy shots also appears to have an air damn positioned below the grille – something the current model doesn’t have. The rear-most side windows will likely have a different shape compared to the current model.

The rear end looks like it will change a lot compared to the current model. First off, we can see the taillights sit a bit higher and look to be of a multi-cluster, 3D design. If these are the production taillights, it will give the C3 Picasso the most interesting rear end the little MPV has ever had. The rear fascia looks to be rather smooth, but under the padding, we can see what appears to be either a large reverse light on each corner or large reflectors that are sunk in just a bit. Closer to the center of the rear fascia, there are two more sunk-in ovals under the padding. At this point, these are a mystery, but they could be large sensors from some semi-autonomous technology or maybe even cameras to help alleviate potential blind spots.

08-29-2019 Update

The C3 didn't lose much in the terms of camo, but this time around we can make out the tail lamps that will be used in production. They are still mostly covered by black tape, but we now know that they will be square units that wraparound on the body. They will protrude from the rear quarters a bit and will feature an updated lens layout. From the look of things, the reverse lights will be located at the bottom of the lights. So, they won't be the multi-cluster 3D units that we saw before, unfortunately, but they should still had a bit of dramatic flare to the rear end.

Interior

The interior of the next C3 Picasso is still a huge mystery. The spy shots are absolutely no help, as it is hard to even make out the general shape of the dash through the front windows. In current form, the interior is rather basic. A rather primitive digital display and instrument cluster is positioned in the middle of the dash, with a short center console. I suspect a touch-screen display may replace the CD player and pocket in the center console, but at this point, that is all speculation. The C3 Picasso is more of a “budget” city car, so I don’t expect to see a lot of high-end features like we see in some of its more-expensive competitors.

Drivetrain

When word surfaced that Citroen was revamping the C3 Picasso, it was originally believed that it would share a drivetrain with the Opel Meriva. It would make sense considering they are practically the same car, but according to the word around the campfire, Citroen will place its own drivetrain under the hood of the new C3 Picasso. We have no idea what engines or transmission will be offered, but considering the three-cylinder, Turbocharged, PureTech engine used in the current model won the 2015 International Engine of the Year Award, I bet we’ll see more of the same with the new model. We’ll have to wait for official details to know for sure.

08-29-2016 update

The interior has yet to be unveiled in detail, however, a zoomed in shot has provided us with a blurry glimpse of the dash. The dash looks to feature two square HVAC vents on each end of the dash, and there appears to be a two-tone scheme going on. As far as we can tell, the dash on this tester is black with silver accents. The dash will sit rather low ahead of the steering wheel with the instrument cluster protruding from the top, coming to a level point with the top of the steering wheel. The infotainment system looks like it will have to be embedded into the center stack as there is clearly nothing on top of the dash in the middle. We're looking forward to seeing how the interior turns out on the finished product.

Prices

No information on pricing will be released until closer to the debut of the new C3 Picasso, but the current model starts out at £15,805 or $22,526 at current exchange rates. I suspect the new model will see a small increase in price, but don’t expect to break the bank if you decide to purchase one. An increase of $500 or so wouldn’t be out of the question, given the work that has gone into redesigning the C3 Picasso.

Competition

Ford B-Max

The Ford B-Max is another one of those little MPVs that are perfect little city cars overseas. In current form, the B-Max is offered with three variations of the 1.0-liter gasoline engine, two diesel engines in 1.5-liter and 1.6-liter form, and two other gasoline engines displacing 1.4-liters and 1.6-liters. The range of 1.0-liter gasoline engines offers 98 horsepower, 118 horsepower, and 123 horsepower. The 1.4-liter gasoline engine offers 88 horsepower and the 1.6-liter offers 103 horsepower. The 1.5-liter diesel offers 73 horsepower and the 1.6-liter diesel offers 93 horsepower. Aside from this wide option of engines, the B-Max offers similar passenger and cargo space, as well as a decent list of technology. The B-Max starts out at £13,195 or $18,808 at current exchange rates.

Read our full review on the Ford B-Max here.

Hyundai IX20

The Hyundai IX20 is another great competitor for the Citroen C3 Picasso. It is currently offered the choice of a 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter, four-cylinder, gasoline engine, or a 1.6-liter diesel powertrain. The 1.4-liter gasoline sucker puts out 90 horsepower and the 1.6-liter running on the same fuel puts out 125 horsepower. In diesel form, the 1.6-liter pumps out 115horsepower. The 1.6-liter diesel manages to pull off 64.2 mpg while the 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter gasoline engines achieve a combined rating of 50.4 and 43.6 mph, respectively. The IX20 starts out at £14,145 or $20,162 at current exchange rates.

Read our full review on the Hyundai IX20 here.

Conclusion

Spy shots give us a small glimpse into what the future holds for each model in a manufacturer's lineup, but there is always some mystery to them, and that is what makes us so lucky to get them. When you think about it, these spy shots allow us to use one of the most basic abilities that make the human species so unique compared to the thousands of different species on this planet – our imagination.

So, now that you’ve read my review based on these most recent spy shots, I encourage you to use your imagination and tell us what you think about the model so far in the comments below. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of little cars like the C3, Ford B-Max or Hyundai IX20, but I can appreciate what they bring to the table in the form of amazing fuel consumption and a lot of space in a little package. Regardless of what we’ll actually when the camo is lifted, the C3 Picasso is sure to fulfill its intended function as a compact MPV, and isn’t that what really matters?

Update History

Updated 06/10/2016: Our spy photographers caught the upcoming C3 Picasso out for a new testing session, this time during hot weather testing in Southern Europe.