This is the 2nd part of a post (Click here to read the 1st Part)

I have been searching for a compact MPV and I am looking for a car that can accommodate my 3 kids with car seats, and offers good mileage as well.

As safety is a priority, I have narrowed my search down to European models and the final selection is between the:

Volkswagen Touran Vs Citroen c4 Grand Picasso

Entering into the car showrooms, we were ready to test the cars and we were looking to be properly served to make an informed choice!

In recent times, Volkswagen has been selling very well, as it has priced its cars against many popular Japanese Models.

With the depreciating Euro, the showroom was really crowded!

However, the showroom was had more than enough room to accommodate the crowds, and it even had a children’s corner, where the kids could sit down and watch TV, as their parents shopped.

I think every car showroom should have a children’s corner, as it really helped in keeping the kids occupied, as the parents went to look at the cars.

Sales Executives

Both showrooms had more than enough executives, but Volkswagen seemed to have a lot more. It was actually so much more significant, that at Volkswagen, they were just sitting around and talking to each other.  Will they provide us with great service when approached?!?

At Volkswagen, we went up to the information counter, and we were introduced to a Male sales executive. On the onset, we were looking forward to test the car, but I must say – that the sales executive made our experience very unpleasant.

He was obnoxious, uninterested, and even when I tried to make “small talk”, he was not very keen at all.  I found out that he has been walking in Volkswagen for make than 8 years, and although he was very experienced, we did not enjoy our time with him.

In retrospect, he must have taught that we were not serious buyers, but after we expressed interest in the car, he suddenly made a 180 degree turn in his attitude and gave us “special attention”

This was a real turnoff- as it came across as being insincere and aggressive!

In contrast, the Citroen sales executive was very patient and friendly. He was willing to listen to our requests and although he was only 3 weeks old in the job, he made us feel very comfortable.  A definite winner in terms of service!

And this was one of the reasons why we chose the:

 Citroen C4 Grand Picasso

Additionally, the Citroen comes with 3 years/ 60, 000km  of free maintenance, while the Volkswagen only had 3 Free services.

Coming with a free “Moon Roof” and free DVD player on the 2nd row seats, the car has great visibility and  lots of gadgets to keep me looking forward to driving it.

The car was also bigger than the Volkswagen, and although the Volkswagen displays better handling and mileage, its small build made it practically a no-brainer!

Let’s put it this way: If I wanted something which is small, nimble and quick, I would have bought a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Well, I caught the COE this week (about 20k) , and I am looking forward to receiving the car this week!

I am believing for a great fuss-free model!

The last few weeks, I had a sudden inclination to go to the showrooms to test drive some cars.

I guess the main cause is that COEs have been going up, and also because recently my Toyota Wish has been giving me problems.

The Toyota Wish is a real functional car, but it has grown to a bit cramp for the family. With the 2 car seats, and 1 booster seat, the car is always fully-packed when we go out. In terms of the car interiors, the kids have maximized all the compartments, and even my cup holder has been stolen by the kids. (Read about it here)

I decided to test-drive a mini MPV instead of a full size MPV(as they have better fuel consumption), and after driving Japanese all my life, I decided to test drive a European car as they offered better road handling and safety.

I was looking at 2 essential ingredients: Safety and Performance.

With these factors in mind, I looked at:

1) The Volkswagen Touran

2) Citroen Grand Picasso

Both of them are Ranked 5 star in terms to European Safety standards and in terms of Performance:

Both cars have a turbo engine, but the Volkswagen has more power and offers better fuel consumption. (I will spare you all the techie specifications, as it might be a bit boring to read if u are not a car enthusiast)

The Volkswagen also needs a smaller area to make a turn, and it is therefore more agile as compared to the Citroen Grand Picasso.

When looking at the Interior:

The Volkswagen is very simple and functional. This is German Efficiency at its best, and everything is placed with no frills and made with a “boring” efficiency.

For the French Citroen Grand Picasso:

The Driving Console was artistically done, with lots of extra compartments to put all your essentials. The car also has a “moon roof” and it has increased visibility with it’s larger than life windscreen.

In the Volkswagen Touran:

Last row seats were small, which were similar to the Citroen. However, the car seemed smaller than the Citroen, and it felt cramped when the family squeezed into the German Automobile.

Both Cars could fold their 2 and 3rd row seats down, so as to carry more luggage, and both had European simplicity in shifting the chairs.

Hmm…Which car should I choose? Power or Functionability?

Find out in the next post…