I have good news if you were one of those people umming and aahing about buying Citroen’s C4-based people carrier because they called it Picasso because that’s all changed this years and it now falls under the SpaceTourer moniker that also included the C4 Grand SpaceTourer and the nine-seat SpaceTourer minibus.

Despite the label these are strictly Earth-based modes of transport rather than direct competition for Richard Branson’s SpaceShipTwo and dropping one from the belly of a plane at 51,500ft is not recommended.

It isn’t simply of changing the name, however, because Citroen have also given the C4 a mild makeover, adding new technology, a new BlueHDi diesel power unit and a new EAT8 automatic gearbox to the options list. So much newness.

There are three trim levels – Touch Edition, Feel and Flair – but only the top-of-the-range Flair gets a new safety pack that includes Driver Attention Alert, Speed Sign Recognition and Recommendation and Active Safety Brake that enables automatic emergency braking at speeds up to 49mph.

The name may have changed – a little – but the face remains the same. The model’s signature three-tier front lights are present and correct while chrome inserts frame the indicators and sweep towards the centre of the car where they meet to form the iconic double chevron.

At the rear the C4 wears attractive 3D-effect lights and rides on handsome 17in diamond-cut alloy wheels.

The interior layout is, as you would expect, very practical. The rear bench’s three seats slide fore and aft and can be reclined or folded flat independently of one another. There’s no raised tunnel in the back, which means that whoever draws the short straw and ends up squeezed into the middle seat will at least be able to sit with their knees together.

Taller passengers occupying the outermost seats might find shoulder room impacted on by rear windows that slope in quite sharply.

Material quality in the cabin is top notch and there is an appealing blend of materials and textures. The controls are nicely laid out and easy to reach and, on the whole, operate with a reassuring, well-damped action.

The driving position is good, with plenty of flexibility in seat and steering wheel to help you get comfortable. A little lower-back support would be welcome, however. All versions are equipped with adjustable armrests on the front seats though, when lowered, I found that it obstructed the gear lever a little.

Visibility is excellent out the front and sides – as you'd expect with the vast amount of glass that surrounds you – and decent out the rear three-quarters and the back. The windscreen sweeps back over the heads of front-seat passengers, flooding the cabin with light.

You get a standard seven-inch dash-mounted touch display with smart graphics and decent-sized icons. The screen is flanked by capacitive shortcut buttons that, while useful, would be even more so were they labelled more clearly.

The menu system is a little confusing too, and the touchscreen isn't the most responsive with some lag between prodding the display and the system reacting.

Feel and Flair trim models are also equipped with a stunning 12in panoramic high-definition central display complete with the French firm's impressive Connect Nav.

Bluetooth and an aux socket are standard, as are the 12v sockets strewn generously around the passenger space and boot.

Other standard equipment includes cruise control and speed limiter, dual zone air con, DAB radio, automatic lights and wipers, LED daytime running lights and leather-bound steering wheel.

My test car was fitted with a 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 128bhp (130PS) – it's also available with 108bhp – and it proved to be flexible and, though a distant three-cylinder thrum could be heard when pressing on hard, refined.

The steering is light, which makes it a doddle to manoeuvre in tight, urban spaces but there's nothing in the way of feedback so trying to tackle twisty roads at pack can be a bit of a suck-it-and-see exercise as you're never quite sure what the front wheels are doing.

There's certainly plenty of grip, and it corners reasonably flat too with very little wallowing despite the relatively soft suspension set-up.

It deals well with bigger bumps, but high-frequency imperfections can unsettle the C4 as it struggles keep up with constantly changing surface under its wheels.

The C4 SpaceTourer is a car that's focused on comfort and practicality and, measured on those two metrics, it scores highly. It's why, if you're looking at buying a car for a growing family – or a grown one – the lack of a 'fun factor' won't be of a concern. And nor should it be.

The C4 is well-built, well-equipped and well priced. It also do the job that it was built for very, very well.

What more could you ask?

Citroen C4 SpaceTourer Flaire PureTech 130 S&S 6-speed manual

Price: 25,83

As tested: 27,095

Engine: 1.2-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 130hp

Max torque: 230Nm @ 1,750rpm

Max speed: 125mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 10.1sec

Urban: 46.3mpg

Extra urban: 65.7mpg

Combined: 56.5mpg

Emissions (CO2): 116g/km

For more information visit www.citroen.co.uk