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What to check: Citroen C4 Picasso / SpaceTourer

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Ranked across all years of the Citroen C4 Picasso / SpaceTourer, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this modelDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 11.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this modelWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 6.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.2%

Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this modelOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 4.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

Steering playRuns high on this modelWith the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 2.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%

Brake pipes underneathRuns high on this modelFollow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 2.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%

LeaksLook at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 2.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

ExhaustRuns high on this modelListen along the exhaust at cold idle for blowing or chuffing, and give the tailpipe a push to check nothing hangs loose. Small blows only get louder.Recorded on 1.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.3%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourRuns high on this modelCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 31.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 20.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%

Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this modelScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 1.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.8%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Select an automatic (EGS/SensoDrive on Mk1) and try several gearshifts, including a hill start.Hesitation, a clunk, or fluid staining under the gearbox area points to actuator or pump problems.

Apply the electric parking brake on a slope and check the dash for a 'parking brake faulty' message.A warning lamp or message means the cable or motor may already be failing.

Cold start the diesel and watch for rough running, smoke, or a flashing warning light in the first minute.Rough idle or a limp mode warning can mean a failing injector.

Push down hard on each rear corner and release, and get a passenger to listen while you drive slowly over speed bumps.Creaks or knocks from the rear point to the subframe bushes or axle, the model's known weak spot in the MOT data.

Check the front wheelarch liners are properly clipped in, especially after wet weather.A loose or flapping liner is a known Mk2 niggle, cheap to fix but a sign of sloppy previous ownership if ignored.

Cycle through the dash and look for any ESP, ABS or tyre pressure warning lights, and ask if any have been intermittent.A history of lights that come and go without a fix logged is the main driver of this model's below-average MOT reliability record.

On an automatic, listen for a whirring or whining noise on light throttle and at speed.Some noise may be normal for this gearbox, so get it compared against another example before assuming it is faulty.

Full Citroen C4 Picasso / SpaceTourer reliability report