Citroën CEO Hints At The Demise Of Traditional MPVs From Its Range

MPV sales have dropped significantly since SUVs are offering a similar level of practicality combined with rugged styling that is more popular with buyers. Citroën is aware of that and, apparently, they might stop offering traditional MPVs (aka minivans) sometime in the near future.

Speaking to Autocar, Citroën’s CEO Vincent Cobée admitted they have been “the last of the Mohicans for a number of years”, referring to the C4 Spacetourer that is still on sale. More importantly, he added that “We need to acknowledge that we’re overly dominating that segment and the segment is fast, fast, fast disappearing,” which could be a hint that the French company is actively considering dropping the model from its range.

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In summer 2020, Cobée stated: “We will continue to sell the C4 Spacetourer as long as we can – as long as we can make it and as long as we can find customers,” adding that they would keep upgrading the existing car but keeping a rather skeptical approach on a possible next generation.

It is true that the French company is one of the few automakers that are still offering compact MPVs alongside Renault (Scenic) and Volkswagen (Touran), although both of the aforementioned models are reportedly walking on thin ice. Most competitors have already used their small and compact SUVs as indirect successors of five-seater MPVs, with medium-sized SUVs and passenger variants of light commercial models taking the role of versatile seven-seaters. We suspect that this will be the case for Citroën in the near future since the range has plenty of models to make up for the demise of the aging compact MPV.

See Also: Redesigned 2021 Citroen C3 Aircross Shows Its New Fish-Like Face For The First Time

The C3 Aircross B-SUV is practical enough for small families while for those who want more room there is the larger C5 Aircross that offers five individual seats and a large boot. For buyers who want maximum practicality, there is the Citroën Berlingo that’s available in both regular and long-wheelbase variants, and also comes with a fully electric powertrain. Similarly, the even larger van-based SpaceTourer and E-SpaceTourer take up the upper end of the spectrum.

The good thing about van-based proposals is that there is always room for a next-generation model since the development costs are shared between several companies and the LCV segment is growing, hence bringing more money into the automaker’s registers.

A Short History Lesson On Citroën’s Compact MPVs

Citroën’s first compact MPV was the Xsara Picasso that was introduced in 1999 as a competitor to the Renault Scenic which was a pioneer in the segment. In 2006, the all-new C4 Picasso and C4 Grand Picasso were launched as more practical variants of the C4 hatchback with taller bodies and a significantly roomier cabin.

The latest compact MPV from Citroën was the second-generation C4 Picasso and Grand C4 Picasso that were unveiled in 2013 based on the EMP2 platform with futuristic styling. The models received a mid-life facelift in 2016 with subtle styling tweaks and new engines, while in 2018 they were renamed the C4 SpaceTourer and Grand C4 SpaceTourer rescpectively.

The end of the line for the C4 Spacetourer started in 2019 when the five-seater version was discontinued for markets outside France, with the production ending in summer 2020. However, the seven-seater Grand C4 Spacetourer kept going and it is still available today after getting subtle updates and a special edition last year. Given its slow sales and Cobée’s statements, though, we suspect that it is living on borrowed time.