THERE have been Grand Tourers in the motoring world for almost as long as I can remember, but it is not often that you can take a truly comfortable grand tour and experience the remarkable interior qualities of what amounts to a transport of delight.
Ideally set-out to enable you to do just this is Citroen's newcomer to the full-blown MPV sector, the C8, which boasts an interior stacked with an impressive level of standard kit.
Large, wide-opening doors welcome you into a cabin which is devoid of clutter. With the handbrake mounted to the right of the driver and the gearstick situated in the centre console, much more manoeuvrable space has been freed up for front seat occupants.
The aesthetics, too, are easy on the eye, with the dash housing a trio of luminescent turquoise dials set eye-catchingly beneath an arch which sweeps the full width of the windscreen.
The climate and air conditioning controls are to be found in the centre console, and the sound system is accessed via steering wheel mounted controls - good safety move this - while the tasteful use of aluminium-look insets on the dash and doors adds a touch of class to the front of the cabin.
Boasting all the signs of quality build, this versatile MPV is light and airy and comes with the option of six, seven or eight seats, with entry to the back rows being accessed via innovative, easy on the biceps, electric sliding doors, which come as standard on all models except the entry level C8 LX.
The C8 is both higher and wider than the outgoing Synergie and this extra space has been put to good use in a cabin blessed with stacks of room in which to manoeuvre even the largest family while the completely flat floor should be a boon on the long haul.
There are a legion of places in which to store things - Citroen actually admit to around 50 - although, despite the ease of movement on board, I didn't take the time to count them!
Safety levels, too, have been properly addressed, the C8 coming with a sextet of airbags as standard including two curtain airbags to protect the heads of passengers in all three rows.
The rear seats do all the usual MPV tricks. The slide, they fold and, courtesy of the Quickfix System, can even be consigned to the garage, thus freeing up a substantial area for load-carrying, while the front pews rotate to allow for polite conversation at picnic stops!
The sister car of the Peugeot 807, the Citroen C8 comes with four engine options, two petrol and a brace of diesels, while there are four trim levels from which to choose.
Our test car, the fully-stacked Exclusive fllagship model features seating with armrests and the full leather upholstery treatment, including heated and electrically adjustable front seats. The test car's six-seater set-up would be my preference, being a format which wouldn't compromise luggage area as much as the full complement of eight seats.
Adding further to an already generous equipment level enjoyed by its stablemates, the flagship C8 also boasts a trio of electric sunroofs with retractable blinds, plus blacked out windows flanking the rear seating.
Powered by the 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine - although there is also a perfectly acceptable two-litre HDI option - the Citroen C8 does its work in highly competent fashion, this power unit providing plenty of pull without protest.
While it is more car-like in appearance than some of the genre, the C8 is still a large vehicle, but it handles surprisingly well, responding firmly to the communicative power steering and proving pretty composed, providing a smooth, refined ride, paricularly when cruising the motorway.
Despite current buyers indicating a preference for smaller MPVs rather than the full-blown versions, the Citroen C8 does make quite a case for itself with equipment levels and price, particularly at entry level, providing quite a sound incentive for potential buyers - especially with the current £2,000 cash back offer which is available until the end of March.
FAST FACTS
Citroen C8 Exclusive 2.2HDi
Price: £26,095
Mechanical: 130bhp, 2179cc 4 cylinder turbodiesel engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 113mph
0-62mph: 12.6 secs
Combined mpg: 38.2
Insurance group: 12
CO2 emissions: 199g/km.
BiK rating: 24%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 12yrs anti-rust; 3yrs paint