6:43 am, July 24, 2014
Can the C4 cactus really solve a lot of the problems that modern life throws up?
WHAT IS IT?
Think of this as the C4’s urban cousin: a rough-and-ready city cruiser that has been hardened from years on the ‘streets’ yet manages to pull off boundary-pushing style without looking like a complete buffoon. It’s Citroen’s answer to the Nissan Juke – a funky, urban crossover with a number of unique gimmicks that attempt to solve the many problems life throws at the modern vehicle owner.
WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?
A 1.2-litre petrol engine in three states of tune (75bhp, 82bhp, 110bhp) and a new BlueHDi diesel unit in two states of tune – 92bhp and 100bhp – will be available at launch, both offering impressive fuel economy figures, with the diesel dropping below the 90g/km CO2 emissions level.
Not surprisingly, the diesel looks set to be the UK’s biggest seller and customers can choose from either a five-speed manual gearbox or Citroen’s ETG auto.
WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?
The C4 Cactus is very competitively priced so expect base Touch models (starting at £12,990) to spare the niceties. There’s no air-con and alloy wheels to make way for fifinancial savings, but the ace seven-inch touchscreen display and innovative Airbump technology remain as standard. Spend around £14,500 for a Feel model and you get air-con, alloy wheels and a much larger array of colour and personalisation options.
Go wild and splash out £17,190 on a Flair model and you get a reversing camera, sat-nav, improved infotainment functionality, mood lighting inside and larger wheels. Massive panoramic roofs with built-in UV protection and park assist are further optional extras, as well as leather interiors and personal exterior flourishes.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
This car really doesn’t try to be anything other than a comfortable everyday cruiser. There is some body roll when thrown into a corner but not enough to cause alarm, the engines aren’t particularly punchy but they will happily overtake slower moving traffic when needed and the steering is geared towards practicality rather than ‘fun’. It’s an extremely easy car to live with and perfectly comfortable over distances.
WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK?
MSN Cars said: ‘The Citroen C4 Cactus is a real blast of fresh air.’
Top Gear said: ‘An immense amount of thought-power has gone into making it a car to relax and soothe you.’
WHAT DO WE THINK?
Funky, urban crossovers can be a little irritating but there’s something quite charming about the C4 Cactus. Its styling will certainly prove divisive but the brilliantly uncluttered interior, comfortable sofa-style seating, intuitive touch-screen infotainment system and family- friendly useability will likely attract customers to the French marque. The fact that it drives pretty well and doesn’t cost a fortune will only help matters.
Find out what Citroen CEO Linda Jackson thinks of the C4 Cactus here
