Citroën C4 Cactus - First drive impression

Love it or hate it. That pretty much sums up the new Citroën Cactus, and they know it. It looks unconventional and strange, it’s a radical departure from what we are accustomed to seeing, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

For 2015, Citroën presents the all-new C4 Cactus as a replacement for the outgoing C4 and will join the C4 Aircross and C4 Picasso in their C4 line-up. Geared towards adventure and active lifestyles, the C4 Cactus is marketed as a C-segment SUV. While it lacks the ground clearance that you may get from similar vehicles in this segment, it offers just as much versatility and even more space, taking on the likes of the Nissan Juke and Ford Ecosport.

The Cactus has already received 30 awards internationally, including the coveted Red Dot Design award, over the last 12 months. It’s a game changer for Citroën and they hope to shift at least 100 units per month over the next few quarters, while aiming to differentiate the brand from the Peugeot offerings.

Appearance

The initially impression of the C4 Cactus leaves you wondering how much wine those crazy Frenchmen consumed before coming up with the design. It’s when you start to inspect it and delve into the smaller idiosyncrasies that it starts to make sense and you start to appreciate the thought that went into it.

The most radical aspect has to be the Airbump panels that are found along the flanks and on the front and rear bumpers. These thermoplastic polyurethane air pockets protect the car from bumps and scratches and add some contrast against the colour of the metal. They can withstand a knock of up to 4km/h – ideal for parking lots with their runaway trolleys and doors.

The rest is smooth and rounded, with the A- and B-pillars blacked out to create the illusion of a singular wrap-round window. LED DRL lights rest high up in the nose of the car with the headlights and driving lights stacked below.

Interior

The interior is what one would expect from the quirky French brand. Space is at a premium inside the vehicle with clever relocation of the passenger airbag to the roof in order to create additional leg room and space for the front seat passenger. The glove-box, or “top box” as Citroën refers to it, is styled to look like classic luggage, with straps running down  the hatch, ending off in piano-black inserts.The strap theme is carried to the door handles where stitched straps take the place of traditional mouldings.

From the driver’s seat, the LCD instrument cluster offers a clean and tidy readout, even if it is devoid of tachometer and temperature gauge. Much of the vehicle statistics are displayed in the 7-inch screen mounted on the dashboard, which in the 81kW Shine model, includes navigation. The system controls driver assistance, entertainment, phone connectivity.

The drive

The Cactus is light on its feet and manoeuvrable enough to make parking simple and effortless. In total, the cactus weighs in at 965kg.

Fitted with the aforementioned 81kW 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbo PureTech petrol motor, the Cactus is lively and has no problem with overtaking and getting up to highway speed. In fact, the Cactus is quite quick. 205Nm of torque is available and even with the 5-speed gearbox, very few shifts are required when modulating speed on uphills, if any.

The long throw of the gear shift was initially unsettling, but one soon became accustomed to it, however quick shifts require a little accuracy.

Verdict

The Citroën C4 Cactus is a very likable car with good mannerisms and flexibility. The drive, while initially unconventional, is pleasant and fun. I don’t doubt that Citroën is targeting a younger market with the C4, while still remaining practical and useful for those with families.

Three models are on offer, the 1.2-litre 60kW PureTech Feel, the 1.2-litre 81kW PureTech Turbo Feel and the 1.2-litre 81kW PureTech Turbo Shine, all with 5-speed gearboxes and an automatic option planned for later.

Citroën C4 Cactus 1.2l PureTech 60 kW FEEL	R224 900
Citroën C4 Cactus 1.2l PureTech Turbo e-THP 81 kW FEEL	R259 900
Citroën C4 Cactus 1.2l PureTech Turbo e-THP 81 kW SHINE	R284 900

The pricing includes a three-year/100 000 km warranty, a five-year/100 000 km service plan, as well as roadside assistance. There is an option to upgrade to the FreeDrive or five-year/100 000 km warranty extension.  Services are at 15 000 km intervals.

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