Who knew a Cactus could be
government figures. The three cylinder 1.2 is available in 73 and 82bhp outputs, both of which take 12.5 seconds to reach 60mph from rest.
The top-performing turbocharged 1.2 PureTech has 110bhp and covers the sprint in a very creditable nine seconds thanks to excellent weight saving over most similar-sized cars, which also aids the economy.
The e-HDi diesel has 90bhp and gets to 60mph in 11 seconds and the BlueHDi has 100bhp and brings that down to 10.3 seconds. Both have government economy figures of no less than 80mpg.
The superb suspension system smooths out every pothole and blemish in the road surface with complete disdain, and I would say it takes speed humps better than most cars on the market.
It doesn’t use the excellent Citroen Hydropneumatic system but conventional springs and dampers, and it simply wafts over bumps and undulations like a magic carpet.
There is a fair amount of body roll but, if you keep your nerve, it nonetheless grips superbly and very safely even when pressed very close to its high limits.
The standard gearboxes are five and six-speed manuals, but there is an automated manual called the ETG and that’s to be avoided.
It drives like no other automatic, changing very slowly between the gears, and this is only helped by lifting off the accelerator as if it was a manual.
Performance is pretty pedestrian in the lower two petrol engines, but the 110bhp offering is a gem, with a nippy and willing nature, and the 100bhp diesel is not far behind.
Soundproofing is not the best in some models and so there can be a fair amount of both road and engine noise at times.
Inside, the seats have excellent adjustment and reasonable support but there is very little in the way of a dash or instruments.
There is no rev counter and just two digital displays. A small narrow speedometer sits right in front of the driver and almost everything else – radio, climate, and sat nav when fitted – is controlled by a centrallymounted seven-inch touch screen.
There are three basic trim levels – Touch, Feel and Flair – and the mid-range Feel has audio remote control, traction control, front electric windows, remote locking, cruise, alloys and folding rear seats.
Pay about £6,000 for a ’15 15-reg 1.2(82bhp) PureTech Feel, or £9,600 for an ’18 18-reg 1.6HDi (100bhp) Flair.