Citroen SpaceTourer review

Overview

The non- C4 SpaceTourer is a van-derived passenger MPV, not the similarly named C4 SpaceTourer family car. This review selects the medium-length UK Feel with the 2.0 BlueHDi 150 manual engine and an optional factory third row fitted, giving eight seats. The dated MY2018 manufacturer guide is the identity reference; later electric versions and revised diesel specifications are separate purchases. RoadMatch has not personally road-tested this vehicle. Our original buying analysis considers the packaging and period independent assessments while treating uncertain figures cautiously. The central question is whether you regularly need genuine passenger room. If you only carry five people, a conventional estate may be quieter, easier to park and more pleasant to drive.

Exterior and interior

The upright sides and broad glass area make the SpaceTourer look like a passenger van because that is essentially its purpose. Feel brings a more welcoming cabin than a basic commercial conversion, but the materials and dashboard architecture should not be confused with a premium saloon. Examine the driver's seat bolsters, steering wheel and pedal wear against the recorded mileage, particularly if the vehicle previously carried paying passengers. The high seating position can aid observation, while the long body still needs careful judgement in cramped streets. Check door apertures and seals for wear caused by repeated entry. An immaculate front cabin is insufficient when passengers have spent years using the rear rows intensively.

Practicality

Eight seats are possible, not automatically guaranteed by every MY2018 Feel advert. The factory third-row arrangement must be present, complete and securely fitted; missing seats, rails or belt fittings can be expensive to put right. The manufacturer quotes 1,700 litres to seat-back height in the M body without the third row, so our boot figure explicitly means five occupied seats. It is not luggage capacity behind eight people. Carry your real suitcases and child restraints to the viewing and test access with the seat positions you actually need. Removable seating improves flexibility but creates storage and lifting problems at home. Sliding doors help in narrow parking spaces, though the rear tailgate still needs clearance.

Driving experience

SpaceTourer is best understood as practical, calm transport rather than a sporty large car. Independent reviews identify useful passenger room alongside its van-derived cabin and noise compromises; our assessment adds that the correct tyre condition and seating load will influence your own test. Drive it both empty and, where safely possible, with a representative passenger load. Check visibility when joining a road, low-speed clutch control and the effort of manoeuvring into your normal parking space. The manual gearbox suits drivers comfortable changing gears with passengers aboard, but an automatic alternative deserves consideration in repeated urban queues. A confident driving position does not make the body smaller or excuse a poor turning-space assessment.

Performance

The MY2018 technical guide identifies the 2.0-litre manual diesel at 110 kW, approximately 150 PS or 148 bhp, with 370 Nm. It gives an 11-second zero-to-62-mph figure; we do not substitute a different endpoint from an earlier mixed brochure appendix. This is useful everyday performance for a large passenger vehicle, not hot-hatch acceleration. Test a warm engine for smooth response and inspect clutch slip under an appropriate specialist-led load check. Actual progress with eight occupants and luggage will differ from a driver-only laboratory run. Do not infer that a 150 badge guarantees the same engine, emissions specification or gearbox across all later years. Registration date and the original build specification both matter.

Fuel economy

Period SpaceTourer documents contain differently grouped fuel-consumption tables, so the simple matcher mpg field remains unset until the exact MY2018 Feel M manual value is resolved. That is preferable to presenting a neighbouring body or gearbox figure as confirmed. For ownership planning we assume 38 imperial mpg, clearly a hypothetical budget rather than a claim about every car. Measure your likely motorway and urban mix, passenger loads and journeys long enough for the diesel emissions equipment to operate properly. Roof accessories, speed and frequent cold starts can materially change expenditure. Compare fuel bills against the number of passengers carried, but remember that transporting spare empty seats every day may be less economical than choosing a smaller vehicle.

Reliability

The best evidence is a traceable individual history, not a general claim that a shared commercial platform must be indestructible. Have a specialist inspect diesel emissions equipment, fluid leaks, cooling and service compliance, and ask whether diagnostic warning codes were recently cleared. Inspect the clutch, gearbox and suspension for demanding passenger or towing work. Sliding-door rollers, locks, seat latches and rear climate controls deserve as much attention as the engine because they are central to the purchase. Check the documented mileage against MOT records and invoices without treating those records as a mechanical guarantee. Our reliability judgement is limited-confidence editorial guidance. A cheaper example without coherent maintenance evidence can rapidly become the more expensive family transport solution.

Safety

Euro NCAP published a historical SpaceTourer assessment in 2015 with shared-model applicability context. That is not a fresh test of this specific used MY2018 Feel, and no stars, scores or test images are reused here. Confirm all eight seating positions have the correct restraints and head restraints, then have child restraints fitted to the actual positions you intend to use. Check airbag and stability-system warning sequences and investigate repairs around rails, pillars and seat mounts. Run the government recall lookup and ask Citroen to confirm completed work against the VIN. Driver-assistance options require individual proof; a modern-looking screen or a higher trim advertisement does not establish automatic emergency braking on this car.

Technology and features

The dated Feel equipment list confirms ordinary cruise control and rear parking sensors. Heated electric seats, camera functions and adaptive cruise must remain conditional unless the specific vehicle's factory record establishes them. The standard touchscreen's Bluetooth, USB and Mirror Link references do not by themselves prove modern Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. Connect your own phone before buying rather than accepting a seller's generic smartphone claim. Test the rear ventilation and air conditioning from the back rows, not only the driver's vents. Check both keys, all door controls, charging sockets and the tailgate lock. Practical technology should make a large household's journeys easier, but faulty equipment can undo much of the convenience that initially attracts buyers.

Running costs

Our 14 October 2026 used-price allowance is £14,000–£21,000, an editorial planning range rather than scraped stock or a guaranteed valuation. At 8,000 annual miles, assumed 38 mpg and diesel at £1.55 per litre, fuel is approximately £1,480. Add a rounded £200 tax allowance and £650–£1,650 for routine servicing, MOT and consumables to reach about £2,350–£3,350. Confirm actual taxation, tyre requirements and insurance for the registration and seat configuration. Finance, depreciation and major repairs are excluded. Door mechanisms, emissions components and replacing missing seats need a separate repair reserve. The inexpensive-per-passenger argument only holds if the car's size genuinely earns its keep and maintenance has not been deferred.

Advantages and disadvantages