Citroen used to be known for giving us outlandish cars. From the svelte DS to the

quirky Citroen 2CV, and C4 Cactus, first launched in 2014.

Trouble is, it wasn't that popular with buyers. So, fast forward four years and

the C4 Cactus has had its styling readressed and it's repositioned to compete

with the likes of the Skoda Octavia, and…

It's a vast improvement!

It's trademark paint protecting air bumps have shrunk

and most of the grey plastic cladding that

adorned the previous car has gone too. On the inside there are still some unusual

touches, such as the square bottom steering wheel, bulbous air vents, and strange

shaped handbrake lever. Keep watching to see if the C4 Cactus

has the dynamic ability to match it's more mature looks, and remember if at the

end of this review you are thinking about buying one. Then head to Whatcar.com

and go to our New Car Deals section, where we can help save you thousands!

First though, let's take it for a drive.

There's a choice of either a 1.6 diesel or a 1.2 petrol with 3 power guises.

There's the least powerful, which is the 82 PureTech petrol model, and it's quite

weedy so it's definitely not our first choice. Then the most powerful is the

130 PureTech petrol model and although that has a lot more power it's

quite expensive to buy. So our favourite is the 110 PureTech

petrol, which is what we're testing today, and it has the right blend of

performance and economy.

It's turbocharged, so picks up well from low

revs, and it's got enough oomph to hold its own at motorway speeds. All three petrol

engines are quieter and smoother than the diesel too.

You can have the 110

PureTech with either an automatic or manual gearbox, we prefer the manual because it

offers better acceleration, and the automatic can be a tad slow to change

gear. If you're really after an auto, then you'd be better off with the dual clutch

system in a Volkswagen Golf or Skoda Octavia.

The C4 has been given fairly

soft suspension which is intended to give the car a comfortable ride over

broken surfaces, so it might come as a surprise to learn that the Cactus isn't

all that comfortable…

Over large imperfections, it crashes and shimmies

and even under light acceleration the setup causes the body to just pitch back

and forth, which, ultimately if you want to be comfortable a Volkswagen Golf and

Skoda Octavia are definitely more capable in this department.

The seat comes with adjustable lumbar support, which at What Car?, we love.

Although there's plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel, not everyone

will find a comfortable driving position because the seat base is so soft, it kind

of puts your legs into an elevated position, you almost feel like you're

trying to drive while sitting on your sofa, if you get the picture. In terms of

visibility, forward visibility is excellent, and it's only really

obstructed by the ‘A’ and ‘B’ pillars, depending on where your seating position is.

Out the back, not quite so good, which is not uncommon for a family hatchback.

Great news though, you do get parking sensors as standard, and if you go for

the range-topping ‘Flare’ model, you also get a reversing camera. Although the

Cactus interior does have some neat touches, such as this flip up glovebox

lid. What we can't overlook though, is the hard scratchy plastic which just

doesn't match rivals interior quality. Whichever C4 Cactus you go for, you do

get this smart looking 7-inch touchscreen, which although is not the

most responsive we've tried, you do get DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The C4 has arguably one of the most striking interiors in its class, but it

is perhaps, not as practical as you might expect. We do have some useful storage

compartments including this flip up glovebox, which I can pop a banana and

some healthy snacks in, and a lot more, because it's a decent size. We've got

two cupholders, and a fairly decent-sized door bin, and some more storage here, and in

terms of head and legroom. Well, it's fairly average in class, but let's check

out the back seats.

The rear bench is more narrow than both the Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Octavia, so

to fit three adults side-by-side in the back is going to prove quite cramped.

In terms of headroom, well it's quite squishy and I'm only

5ft 4 1/2in, so six-footers will feel really quite squashed in the

back here, and then when you combine that with these very old-fashioned opening

windows which I remember on my Citroen AX GT many years ago, rear seat

passengers might feel that they are keen to escape, and not do a long journey. On

a plus point though, there is plenty of storage here because the door bins are

really good size.

Not only that but the back seats don't slide backwards and

forwards, they just fold on a standard 60/40 split, and when they do, there's

quite a sizeable step. There's also no false floor, and if there was it would

eradicate this large load lip, which can make loading heavier bulkier items in

and out quite laborious. In terms of overall size it's reasonable, but the

Skoda Octavia is bigger. We managed to squeeze 6 suitcases into the C4 Cactus

and a whopping 11 in the Octavia.

The Citroen C4 Cactus is affordable to buy, it's good value, and Citroen dealers are

giving generous discounts. In terms of running costs even the 110 PureTech

petrol model we're testing today will return 50mpg if driven

considerately. All trim levels come with a generous amount of equipment

including air-con and cruise control. You'll have to stump up the most cash

for ‘Flair’ trim, but this does add a built-in sat-nav, and important active

safety systems such as Automatic Emergency Braking, and Lane Departure Warning.

However the Cactus interior, trim, and infotainment system, aren't up there

with alternatives from SEAT, Skoda, and Volkswagen, and it doesn't match them for

handling and driving experience either. That said this car will appeal to those

whose priorities are: an affordable price, low running costs and, avant-garde

styling. Just make sure you can live with its foibles before committing to buy one.

For plenty more on the Citroen C4 Cactus, including our full online review,

head to whatcar.com, and remember we can help save you thousands, if you are

thinking about buying one, just go to our New Car Deals section at Whatcar.com.

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