We drive new Citroen C4 Cactus
FIRST DRIVE Crossover is reinvented as a compact hatch
WHEN the Citroen C4 Cactus was launched in 2014, it was classed as a crossover. But this new, updated version is intended to fill a gap left in the Citroen line-up by the C4 hatchback. With the VW Golf rival gone, and a new one still a few years away, the fresh C4 Cactus will carry out a new role for the firm as a compact family car.
The C4 Cactus’s ride height remains exactly the same, but the car’s looks are quite different. With the Aircrossbranded models now firmly positioned as Citroen’s SUV offerings, the Airbump panels of the Cactus have been reduced to lining the bottom of the doors.
It’s the same story with the tailgate; it’s more conventional than before, with new tail-lights. The roof rails have been removed to distance the Cactus from its crossover past, too, and it gets the latest Citroen family face.
Comfortable
The interior doesn’t change a great deal, although UK cars now come with the brand’s new Advanced Comfort Seats as standard. These use a new high-density foam which Citroen says is softer and more comfortable. You’d probably have to sit in the old and new back to back to really sense a difference, but the new ones are more sculpted and add a bit of extra snugness to the cabin.
A boot sizing up at 358 litres with the seats in place puts the C4 Cactus on par with the SEAT Leon, but many family-focused hatches in the car’s freshly adopted market are more practical. For instance, the Honda Civic is streets ahead, with 477 litres.
Under the bonnet the most popular option with UK buyers will remain the Puretech 110 three-cylinder petrol linked to a five-speed manual gearbox. It’s still an impressive small engine, serving up its 108bhp and 205Nm of torque gladly and proving a solid all-round performer around town and on motorways, with decent claimed economy figures.
A bit of additional sound insulation on this new model means that trademark three-cylinder thrum is kept well distanced from the cabin, too, but the five-speed manual it’s linked to feels loose and isn’t much fun to rifle through.
Driving engagement isn’t really the C4 Cactus’s strong suit; a turn of the light and vague-feeling steering wheel will tell you that much. Instead, what you’ll notice while driving is that this new car rides very well. The new Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension system (standard on all but the entry-level Feel Edition model) hits back at potholes and speed bumps impressively to deliver a cosseted ride nearly everywhere.
It’s trademark Citroen, but it does mean that the car’s set-up is very soft, and more vigorous driving easily induces plenty of body roll, together
“The new suspension hits back at potholes impressively to deliver a cosseted ride”
with the odd side-to-side wobble as the car’s mass gets too much for it.
Range-topping Flair models will be the most popular with British buyers, boasting a spread of new safety and assistance features as standard. Auto emergency braking is present, as are traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, driver attention warning, a tiredness alert system and keyless go.
Feel trim does without these systems but they are optional, while blind spot monitoring is an extra on all trims. A seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system is fitted across the board. As before, this set-up is slick to use, but it’s the only way to change climate control settings – not ideal on the move.
Regardless of trim, list prices are competitive, as are the firm’s monthly PCP offerings. As such, the C4 Cactus is still an attractively priced car for families looking for something a bit different.