When Citroen upgraded the C4 Cactus, they chose to remove the distinctive exterior upholstery - which was the car's signature. Has the cactus lost its spines?

The black plastic cushions on the side doors resembled the "Stratos". You know, the chocolate that is blown full of air bubbles. After the facelift, there are now only a few small pillows left - like little "mocha beans" - the chocolate that is always left behind after everyone has had enough.

A lot of car for the money

In terms of size, the C4 Cactus is in the Golf class, but in terms of price it can compete with the class below, without appearing to be a typical cheap car. Although it depends on the eyes that see. Through my own Francophile eyes, I see good taste, good comfort and practical solutions. Still, it's impossible to overlook things that seem cheap. Rear side windows for example. They cannot be opened, only flipped out at the back for ventilation.
 

Like a flying carpet

Citroen has introduced something they call PHC (Progressive Hydraulic Cushions). The system calms down the damping towards the extremes to avoid shocks and jerks. The solution allows for longer suspension travel which makes the car reminiscent of previous Citroens with hydropneumatic suspension. On the road, it is possible to sense a flying carpet, although this only applies to vertical movements. Laterally, the car is stable - as it should be. It rolls through the roundabouts – without feeling unsteady. Plus in the margin for those of us who like the French. I also noticed how the headlights dipped every time we stopped during slow-moving traffic.

With the C4 Cactus on a Sunday trip

The trip went from Oslo through Tønsberg to Nøtterøy where we were invited to dinner over a delicious autumn stew and warm apple cake. We took the motorway from Grelland and followed rural RV35 down to Revetal for a break. From there we went down the Ramnesveien over the Sem to Tønsberg. It is beautiful over the fields when the grain has been harvested. The sports car red Citroen stands out nicely against the yellow autumn colours.
 

C4 Cactus on the road

The PSA group's 1,2-liter PureTech engines are available in several variants, from 68 HP and 82 HP (without turbo), 110 HP and 130 HP (with turbo). Only the last two are delivered with Cactus in Norway. "Our" car had 110 HP with a 6-speed automatic which thrives best within 1500-3500 revs where the torque curve is almost completely flat. The 3-cylinder PureTech engines can get a bit rough and noisy at higher revs. The automatic transmission effectively keeps the revs down under normal driving conditions. I am impressed with the C4 Cactus on the motorway. Not only because of the suspension comfort, the pleasant sound level and the big car feeling, but also the traction when you are at speed. Acceleration from standstill, on the other hand, is not as impressive - at least not with the start-stop system active. You will probably be able to accelerate faster with a manual transmission. The C4 Cactus has no sporting ambitions, but provides a good portion of driving pleasure both in the city and on the country road. I would like to highlight the steering. It gives good feedback from the wheels and feels more direct than I expected.

Place

It is difficult to understand Citroen's model range. Citroen C4 Cactus has the same motorization, external dimensions and wheelbase as C3 Aircross. The latter is taller and therefore offers more interior space. If you are looking for a family car, you should choose the over the C4 Cactus. It amazes me that the Cactus is also smaller than standard C4, which has now gone out of production. From the outside, it looks like a larger car with its crossover appearance. With regard to space, we must remember that although the C4 Cactus belongs in the Golf class, it is priced like a car in the class below. The trunk, for example, at 358 liters is average for cars in the C segment, but superb for cars in the B segment. The back seat also provides decent legroom, but is not particularly wide for 3 adults and gives a slightly poor headroom. Children, on the other hand, sit high and will have a good view there. In front, you sit royally in good condition Advanced Comfort- seats.

Safety

The C4 Cactus series 1 was tested by Euro NCAP in 2014. It received 82% for adult safety and 79% for child safety - a total of 4 out of 5 stars. It is just below what you find in new cars. There were no tests that turned out to be particularly negative. The test dummies suffered the most beatings on the upper body in side collisions and sideways posts. It was given top marks for whiplash protection. Today's model has been upgraded with safety equipment such as automatic emergency stop.

Euro NCAP – 2014 Citroen C4 Cactus

Buy C4 Cactus?

Don't be put off by Citroen's Progressive Hydraulic Cushions suspension system. The system is now being rolled out in several models. The first model after the C4 Cactus is the C5 Aircross. The PureTech engines have been volume sellers over several years. It is the PSA group's "potato engine". Cactus' biggest advantage is primarily price. 2019 models with negligible mileage are now available online for under 200 - and correspondingly favorable leasing. It's a lot of car for the money. In the Oslo area, there seem to be quite a few 000 models in stock.
 

: )
High comfort for the class – especially on the motorway
Pleasant sound level
Favorable price

🙁
Difficult to avoid jerking from a standstill and when driving in slow traffic
Slightly weak dipped beam

Facts - Citroen C4 Cactus 1.2 PureTech 110

Weights and Measures
Length, width, height: 416 / 171 / 148 cm
Wheelbase: 259 cm
Net weight: 1090 kg (without driver)
Max trailer weight with brakes: 950 kg
– without brakes: 580 kg
Luggage compartment: 358 litres
Petrol tank: 50 litres

Drivetrain
Engine: 1,2 PureTech 110 Start & Stop
Number of cylinders: 3
Displacement: 1199 ccm
Power: 110 HP at 5500 revs
Torque: Max 205 Nm between 1500-3500 revolutions.
Gearbox: 6-speed automatic.
Front wheel drive.

Performances
Top speed: 193 km/h
0-100: 10,3 seconds (manual)

consumption
City: 0,58 litres/mile (Mon.)
Country road: 0,40 litres/mile (Mon.)
Combined: 0,46 litres/mile (Mon.)
Own measurement: 0,57 litres/mile (aut.) measured over 212 km with city, motorway, country road and traffic jams.

Tires
Size: 205/50R17 89V
Type: Summer tire
Brand: GoodYear EfficientGrip

Price and equipment
C4 Cactus Feel 1,2 PureTech 110 Man. NOK 254
C4 Cactus Shine Pack 1,2 PureTech 110 Man. NOK 299
Paint surcharge (Red Sport): NOK

About the car
Year of production (series II): 2018-
Place of production: Madrid, Spain
Owner: Europcar
Rented via the app Rent
Model: 2019
Mileage: 26900
Km driven: 212
Source: Citroen.no
 

Pictures of the C4 Cactus

See