Citroën Grand C4 Picasso 1.6 THP, Volkswagen Touran Sport 1.4 TSI (DSG) Review
It's a fast moving world

Story and Photos by Raymond Lai
29 Jan 2010

They might have relatively puny, tax-friendly engines but there's nothing pedestrian about the way these people carriers shift.

Tour de force

For the past one and a half years, the Volkswagen Touran Sport has been the MPV of choice among family people who wants some performance from their rides. The Golf-based MPV was first introduced way back in 2005 but it never caught on with MPV buyers here perhaps due to its premium pricing, unimaginative styling and last but not least, its links to being a taxi. Back then, the Touran offered only average performance in both 1.6 and 2-litre guises.

And then Volkswagen facelifted the Touran in 2008 and did the best thing ever to their compact MPV - to shoehorn the Golf GT's twincharged TSI engine under its bonnet. With its new 170bhp heart, the Touran Sport offered performance levels that are rare for a compact MPV and it finally gained popularity and recognition among local MPV buyers. The Touran was recently updated with mild tweaks as well as a new seven-speed DSG gearbox which means its appeal is stronger than ever.

But the Touran Sport is not exactly all perfect though - its looks are still a tad on the unimaginative side, the exterior dimensions too compact for a spacious cabin and its Germanic efficiency and no-nonsense approach might be a bit uninteresting for the slightly more adventurous type.

For those who are of the abovementioned type, there's now an alternative to the Touran Sport. The Citroen Grand C4 Picasso has always been one of the most stylish MPVs around but its package was somewhat marred by lackluster performance from its 2-litre normally aspirated engine in the past. This shortcoming was addressed thanks to its new power plant introduced last year- the Peugeot 308 Turbo's turbocharged 1.6-litre. The engine is not as powerful as the VW's twincharged motor but it should run the Touran close in all other areas.

Next Page - Styling

Sell Fast With Ease - SwiftQuote

With SwiftQuote, you get:
Best value for your car A peace of mind when selling Fast sale from start to end

HIGHEST PRICE FOR YOUR CAR

Best offer with no obligations.
Start Now!

Vehicle Number*

Name*

Mobile Number*

I agree to the collection, use and disclosure of my personal data by Carousell and/or such other third party (as may be necessary) and to be contacted (via email, phone call and/or text message) for any purposes in connection with the application of and transaction of the vehicle, in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 and Carousell's Privacy Policy.

I would like to extend my gratitude to Renai from SwiftQuote to make the transaction a smooth and pleasant experience. I would highly recommend the team from SwiftQuote!!
Mhd Hkl - 3 hours ago

Very fast respond and friendly. Got a good quote for my car as well.
NG Peng Yam - 1 day ago

Fast and efficient. Good and reasonable quotation.
Ong Wei Chuan - 2 days ago

Prompt action, good service and keep it up. Will back again in future. Thumb up for Angie Ng
Wong Kim Hua - 6 days ago

Sold my car through SwiftQuote within a day after with reason price. highly recommended
Lee Chia Zheng - 6 days ago

Good recommendation!
Wong Kelvin - 6 days ago

Selling was a breeze. I did not expect it to be that fast. I will definitely recommend to others. Keep up the good job guys.

Md Faizal - 1 week ago

Good, Faster and Reliable service. Highly recommended
Sam Chusu - 1 week ago

Thanks for your quick response in getting me a buyer really impressive , I am thankful . Please keep up the good work . Cheers
Joseph Tay - 2 weeks ago

I like the service provided. It's a one stop service center. Received follow up after receiving the highest quote. No unneccessary haggling from professional dealers.

Stanley Huang - 2 weeks ago