Wider Appeal

The original was a true love-it-or-hate-it Marmite car, but with the latest C4 Cactus model, Citroen is chasing a broader audience. We give the French hatchback a go.

- Tom Wiltshire

From the daft name to the eye-catching ‘airbumps’ strewn across the side panels, everything about the previous-generation Citroen C4 Cactus was designed to be just a little bit different. But with the new C3 Aircross taking its place as the mini-SUV in Citroen’s range, the C4 Cactus has moved upmarket to fill the void left by the C4 hatchback when it was taken off sale last year. That gives it a mixture of mini-SUV and hatchback styling cues, and a price tag somewhere between the two market sectors. It also debuts some innovative new tech that will eventually be rolled out to most of Citroen’s cars.

The big news is Citroen’s ‘Advanced Comfort’ system. Anybody who’s driven a Citroen built in the Nineties or earlier can’t help but remember the pillowy ride bestowed by sophisticated hydraulic suspension — and that’s what the brand has tried to recreate on the Cactus. It’s not a full hydraulic system, but it gains hydraulic dampers on either side of the usual shock-absorber to help reduce the impact from bumps, while still keeping the car stable. Advanced Comfort also brings added soundproofing and some excellent new seats.