MORE OF A CASE FOR SPACE (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Citroen's SpaceTourer large MPV makes arguably more sense in this re-introduced diesel form. Jonathan Crouch checks it out.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 44

Citroen re-introduces diesel power to its largest MPV, the SpaceTourer. If you dismissed the previous EV version, take another look at this big French contender. If you've your own private parking space outside the maternity unit, it might be just what you're looking for.

Backgroundword count: 180

It's never a bad thing to admit that you are wrong. Let's take this car as a case in point, the diesel version of Citroen's big SpaceTourer MPV. The current generation SpaceTourer (basically the people carrier version of the marque's Dispatch mid-sized van) was originally launched in diesel form back in 2016. But four years on, enthused by the European green lobby, Citroen announced that going forward, it would only be available in full-electric e-SpaceTourer form. It wasn't a popular decision. SpaceTourer customers largely didn't want a car that could go just 136 miles before needing to stop (a figure later improved to 215 miles as part of a 2024 facelift). Sales slowed to a trickle. Some customers turned to the Toyota version of the same design, the Proace Verso, which initially could still be had as a diesel. When that too went full-electric in 2024, Citroen decided to take a fresh look at what customers really wanted in the segment and as a result, diesel power rejoined the SpaceTourer range in 2025, creating the car we look at here.

Driving Experienceword count: 426

There's quite a bit less diesel choice since the last time a SpaceTourer was offered with a diesel option - at its original 2016 launch, when customers could choose between 1.5 and 2.0-litre BlueHDi units. Today, the only diesel unit on offer in this SpaceTourer is the trusty Stellantis 2.0-litre 180hp unit, available only with the conglomerate's usual EAT8 auto which has eight speeds, two more than the earlier model's auto gearbox. For reference, the alternative e-SpaceTourer has a 136hp front motor. News that this Citroen MPV is based on the marque's Dispatch van may lead you to fear the worst when it comes to handling dynamics. Actually though, you should be pleasantly surprised by the dynamics on offer here. The ride should particularly impress. Special wishbone filtering is provided to dampen the impacts from our country's terrible tarmac and the variable stiffness springs and shock absorbers should deliver decent levels of comfort whether the vehicle is loaded or unloaded. Refinement is also surprisingly good for such a large, square MPV. This Citroen corners slightly better than some of its competitors, though inevitably, there's still plenty of bodyroll if, rather unwisely, you start throwing the thing about. If you can ignore both that and the slightly vague steering and find yourself absolutely having to push on, you'll find that there's also more grip and traction than you might expect. It all means that at the wheel of this People Carrier, you can make controlled, steady progress without necessarily over-reacting on the brake pedal at the first sight of a tight bend in the road. Add in a commandingly high driving position and the result is a vehicle that on the move, feels smaller and more wieldy than its outward dimensions would suggest. Testers who'd found the sheer size of a VW Multivan or a Mercedes V-Class quite daunting were, we found, much more easily able to acclimatise to a SpaceTourer when dealing with narrow country lanes and squeezing through gaps in the traffic. A tight turning circle of between 11.3 and 12.9m depending on body style makes town driving and parking simpler. And low speed manoeuvring is further aided by glassy rearward visibility, the standard rear parking sensors and the optional 'Park Assist 180' reversing camera. Plus this Citroen's 1.9-metre roof height is low enough to allow it to fit under car park barriers, so you don't have to search out alternative places to leave the car when you go off shopping. Or get stuck in with the trucks if you ever use the Channel Tunnel.

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