FEW could have predicted that a Citroen Xsara MPV offshoot would turn into a family of best-sellers, but that's the Picasso story, currently moving on to a new chapter with the arrival of a C3 version.
That means it is the smallest Picasso yet, but you wouldn't think it stepping into a 4m long car which gives you up to 1,500 litres of load space. Clever and likeable at the same time (like all the Picassos) it has already started garnering awards.
Citroen uses words like Spacebox, which refers to a storage system, but it says something about the design approach, too.
Other family members have gone with the familiar ovoid shape, but not this one. The front end, snub-nosed and with a huge, steeply-raked windscreen, displays its heritage, but after that it's all box angles right to the vertical end in a bid to utilise every bit of space being generated by a tall, upright build.
With just a hint of Multipla about it, the C3 Picasso is not a lovely, lithe-looking car but it is striking and it is immensely practical.
For a start, it fulfils its mini-MPV brief with flexibility.
The rear seats slide so you can choose between extra space for people or luggage, and there's the easiest of mechanisms for tumbling and flattening them to provide a large flat luggage floor. There's further choice here, as well, with two levels available for that floor.
Other items can find a home in the plentiful in-car stowage areas which include a lidded tray on the dash and a drawer under the front passenger seat.
Practicality is outstanding, as well, in the way the car provides for occupant comfort. The tall build creates large expanses of glass to give the lightest of interiors and, with raised, stadium seating at the rear, there is great visibility for all, as well as substantial legroom. And for the driver there is one very welcome trick.
Tall MPV/SUV build has always meant visibility hindrance by the necessarily-strong front pillars, and over the years I've come across quite a few attempts to overcome this, none of which has worked satisfactorily. In the C3 Picasso, Citroen has cracked it, firstly by an extra-wide glass-filled prong and a wrap-around windscreen and secondly by twisting the pillar so that the narrowest profile is facing the driver.
Internal visibility is fine, too, with, in Picasso tradition, bold information presentation in the deep, deep dash. In driving comfort terms, there's reach and height variation of the steering wheel and seat-height variation and the five-speed manual gear-shift comes easily to hand. The handbrake, though, requires a bit of a lean and reach, while footspace in the pedals area is a little tight.
More good marks, though, for very comfortable seating and an exceptionally-smooth and quiet ride, and extra ones for the quality of the steering, very light indeed at low speeds but secure and positive with increasing pace. A 10.6m turning circle is another plus point.
I did fear that the very absorbent, very French ride settings would require some payback, but there are front and rear anti-roll bars at play and winding-road progress was quite assured, especially for a tall car.
This car came with a 90bhp version of Citroen's HDi diesel engines and it is not the swiftest of power packs under acceleration, as indicated by the 14.7 seconds 0-62mph sprint time. But it cruises pleasantly, cleanliness is good and you'll love the economy (70mpg on the open road is claimed). If you want more firepower there's also a 110bhp version of the diesel and two petrol units developed with BMW.
The VTR+ in the test car is the middle of three available trims and included, in addition to items already mentioned, air conditioning, cruise control and speed limiter, front, side and curtain airbags, fog lights, electric front windows and door mirrors, deadlocks, a six-speaker sound system with MP3 compatibility, auxiliary socket and steering-wheel mounted controls and alloys.
Very much a case of good things coming in small packages, expect the C3 Picasso to be a big success.
FAST FACTS
Citroen C3 Picasso 1.6 HDi VTR+
Price: £13,695
Mechanical: 90bhp, 1,560cc, 4cyl diesel engine driving front wheels via 5-speed manual gearbox
Max speed: 108mph
0-62mph: 14.7 seconds
Combined mpg: 60.1
Insurance group: 4
CO2 emissions: 125g/km
BIK rating: 15%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles