Used Citroen C3 Picasso review and buying guide (2009 to 2017): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Citroen C3 Picasso should you buy?

There's no clearly safer year of C3 Picasso, so buy on the individual car's history rather than its age. It was on sale from 2009 to 2017, with a revamp in November 2010, and there are no known faults on record for it. That isn't a clean record: it means little's been logged, and the owners' reports that do exist point at the same two weak spots.

Electric power steering failure is the one that turns up most. Owners of 2011 and 2012 cars reported the assistance going at 34,000, 49,000 and 50,000 miles, and one owner had it happen on two C3 Picassos in a row. The motor was swapped under a technical bulletin on at least two of them, so a car with that work already done on paper is the one to want.

The other is water reaching the fusebox. Several owners, a 2009 and a 2010 car among them, had washer fluid or water get in and corrode it and the wiring loom, knocking out the lights. Later cars aren't shown to be immune, though; it's just that fewer reports mention them. The late 1.2 PureTech petrol cars have very little on record either way, which is a gap rather than a good sign.

Which C3 Picasso engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

No C3 Picasso engine carries a known fault on record, so none can be ruled out, but none has a clean bill either. The engines owners have reported on are the 1.6 HDi diesel, the 1.6 petrol and the 1.2 PureTech 110 petrol, and each has just one or two individual reports against it rather than a pattern.

The 1.6 HDi's reports centre on its particulate filter. One 58,000 mile car threw repeated antipollution warnings and cut out eight times on a long drive, with the additive for the filter a suspect, and another had the filter's pump short out and put the airbag light on.

The 1.6 petrol had one report of an antipollution fault traced to an inlet manifold sensor, with the cooling fan running nonstop. Separately, one owner's 2010 car (engine not given) was using a lot of oil. On a 1.2 PureTech 110 from 2015, one owner had the engine lose all power at 2,916 miles and again a week later, and the dealer couldn't pin it down. Another owner's car needed a new clutch when it was 4 months old, having covered just 1,400 miles.

There's no conventional automatic. The EGS is an automated manual with paddles, and one owner of a 2011 car found it wouldn't change up unless they lifted off the throttle, getting worse over time. Back in 2011 there was also word of gearboxes failing on new cars, with replacements hard to get. On an EGS car, check it changes up cleanly without you lifting off.

What should you check when viewing a used C3 Picasso?

Turn the steering from lock to lock with the engine running and feel for any heaviness or a sudden loss of assistance, because failed electric power steering motors crop up in several owners' reports. Ask for the invoice if the motor's been replaced. One dealer said Citroen would fit a new one as goodwill on cars up to 80,000 miles and 8 years old, but a car that was self-serviced got turned away.

Switch on every light, dipped beams and sidelights included, and top up the washer bottle to look for drips near the fusebox. Washer fluid leaking from the reservoir pump or down the loom has corroded fuseboxes on several cars, and one owner of a February 2010 1.6 HDi paid £300 to sort the lights. Check the rear lamps and headlights for damp as well; one 2016 car kept misting up after new units were fitted.

Look under the back for the silencer's mounting brackets. On one 1.6 petrol at 34,000 miles the mild steel brackets rusted through and let the exhaust drop. Listen for knocks from the front anti-roll bar, as one 2009 car failed its MOT at 53,876 miles on worn ball joints and failed again a year later after cheaper parts went on.

Get the recall paperwork. There's a 2011 recall on right-hand drive cars because a front passenger's feet could press the brake linkage, battery earth cable recalls in 2011 and 2012 because a failure could stall the engine, and a 2012 recall for ABS and ESP faults. On a diesel, ask when the particulate filter additive was last topped up.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Citroen C3 Picasso cost to run?

What do C3 Picasso owners like about them?

The cabin's the big draw: there's generous room for the people inside, so it's an easy car to share with passengers. The boot's roomy as well, and its floor can be set up in more than one way, which makes it a useful shape for whatever you're loading that week.

It's an undemanding car to drive, the kind you can get in and just go without it asking much of you. That easygoing nature is a big part of its appeal, and it suits someone who wants a practical, calm car for daily use rather than anything that feels sporty or needs effort behind the wheel.

• The C3 Picasso offers ample room within its cabin, providing a comfortable environment for occupants.
• The boot of the C3 Picasso is spacious and features a versatile floor for flexible storage options.
• The C3 Picasso provides an easy and relaxed driving experience, making it pleasant to operate.