Citroen is a brand that tends to take a different approach to most manufacturers – prioritising comfortable, practical and quirky cars.
The mid-size Citroen C4 Cactus very much fits this bill. The latest model lacks the distinctive door-protecting ‘Airbumps’ that the first model came with, but it remains a characterful and appealing crossover.
The latest facelift, on sale since 2018, has made the model more mainstream, with ‘Advanced Comfort’ at the heart of the new model, along with cutting-edge driver assistance features and an improved touchscreen system.
Here’s what you need to know about the Citroen C4 Cactus.
What engines are available?
Citroen offers a relatively small number of engines on the C4 Cactus.
The range starts with a turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine, which is widely used across the PSA Group – the owner of Citroen. Known as the ‘PureTech 110’, this engine produces 108bhp and is available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic transmission.
As for diesel engines, it’s a 1.5-litre diesel unit – known as the ‘BlueHDI’. This produces either 99bhp or 101bhp. The former is the most efficient engine in the line-up – returning up to 58.4mpg, along with low CO2 emissions of 98g/km. The 98bhp unit is also paired to a manual gearbox, whereas the 118bhp variant is only offered with an automatic ‘box. It’s not much less efficient than its less powerful sibling, though.
What trim levels are offered?
Just two well-equipped trim levels are offered on the Cactus – Feel and Flair.
Feel – from £19,070
Standard equipment includes ‘Advanced Comfort’ seats, a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as cruise control and 16-inch alloy wheels.
Flair – from £21,770
On top of the Feel, this model brings rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, satellite navigation and a panoramic glass roof.
What about personalisation?
The original C4 Cactus was known for its bold flair and lengthy customisation options. To make the model appeal to a wider group of buyers, Citroen has tamed things down on this latest version, but there’s still no shortage of personalisation.
Let’s start with the colours, with a range of solid, metallic and pearlescent shades offered. Our favourite are the bright Sport Red and Emerald Green metallic. The wheel choice is quite limited, but buyers can choose gloss black roof rails, which look particularly stylish when in contrast to a lighter-coloured roof.
However, it’s the interior where a lot of the cool personalisation can be made. That’s because Citroen offers the Cactus with a range of ‘ambiances’ – these include ‘Wild’, ‘Hype’ and ‘Metropolitan’. Each offers a different colour combination, and really expands the array of personalisation offered on the Cactus.
As for more traditional optional extras, buyers can select from features such as a ‘Grip Control’ setting that allows for mild ability away from the tarmac. Emergency assistance, a full panoramic glass roof and a parking camera are all available, too.