PetrolBlogPetrolBlogPetrolBlogPetrolBlog
  • Home
  • 70s cars
  • 80s cars
  • 90s cars
  • 00s cars
  • Manufacturers
    • CITROËN
    • PEUGEOT
    • RENAULT
    • Alfa Romeo
    • Audi
    • Dacia
    • Daihatsu
    • Fiat
    • Ford
    • Honda
    • Hyundai
    • Lancia
    • Matra
    • Mazda
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
    • Opel
    • Proton
    • Saab
    • Seat
    • Skoda
    • Suzuki
    • Talbot
    • Toyota
    • Vauxhall
    • Volkswagen
    • Volvo
  • Features
    • 10 of the best
    • CarTunes
    • General Bunk
    • It’s time to appreciate
    • Major Waffle
    • New cars
    • Regrets
    • Reviews
    • Save Our Scrap
    • Shatchbacks
    • Shednesday
    • The Barn
    • Whatever happened to?
  • Garage
  • Shop
0

Perfectly imperfect: life with a Citroën C4 Cactus

Published by Gavin Big-Surname at 27th April 2016
Citroen C4 Cactus long term review

Anyone unfortunate enough to follow me on Twitter will know that, back in June 2015, I took delivery of a new Citroën C4 Cactus. It was properly new, with only delivery miles on the clock and I even had the opportunity to spec the car myself. If you’re the proud owner of KW15 KKO, you can either blame me or thank me for the specification.

Sadly, it has now returned to Citroën HQ, with its time as a Diesel Car long-termer drawing to an end. I always promised myself I’d write a few words for PetrolBlog, because, on paper at least, it has all the necessary ingredients to be a PetrolBloggy kind of car. But after 14,000 miles and 10 months, did the Cactus stand the test of time?

Put it this way: having read a rather scathing long-term review on the hallowed pages of Car online, I feel like I should jump to the defence of a personal friend. Because, while the C4 Cactus is not beyond criticism, my experience suggests it’s far better than the report would have you believe.

I’ll start with the negatives, of which there are many. It’s a bit like a child’s school report – we’ll get the problems out of the way first, before ending on a string of positives. You know how these things go.

OK, here’s a list of Citroën C4 Cactus irritants:

  • The front armrest (standard on Flair/optional on Feel) offers little in the way of storage and gets in the way when manoeuvring around town.
  • The infotainment system is lethargic and slow to respond.
  • There’s no air vent on the passenger side of the car.
  • The steering wheel doesn’t adjust for reach.
  • The rear seat doesn’t (or rather didn’t) split.
  • You can’t wind down the rear windows, merely ‘pop’ them open.
  • The single cupholder is far too small.
  • There are no cupholders in the back.
  • On my test car, the cruise control would ‘kangaroo’ when travelling downhill.
  • There’s no light for rear seat passengers.
  • At night, the infotainment screen is too bright and has to be dimmed to its lowest setting.
  • Tied in with the above, too many controls have been confined to the touchscreen, which makes minor adjustments a big deal.

After 14,000 miles, that’s all I could find. A case of love is blind? Quite possibly, because I’ll readily admit that I’m a big fan of the Cactus and what it stands for. But I’d be more than happy to recommend it to a friend, which must say something. Heck, I even made enquiries about buying it from Citroën.

Some have criticised the driving position and I’d agree, it isn’t perfect. I’m 6 foot whatever and it took me a while to get used to it, but I soon found a compromise that suited me. Oh sure, finding a compromise is hardly a glowing reference, but after 14,000 miles and a recent history of sciatica, it had the potential to be a big problem. It wasn’t.

Citroen C4 Cactus Pearlescent White

Others have criticised the ride quality, unfairly referencing the likes of the XM, Xantia and DS. Agreed, when comparing the Cactus with cars blessed with Hydropneumatic or Hydractive suspension, the Citroën with the prickly name finishes a distant second. But on the 15-inch steel wheels (fitted as part of the optional Airdream package), I found the ride quality to be rather good. Whether on long motorway trips or on potholed urban roads, the C4 Cactus was one of the smoothest cars I’ve driven in recent years.

OK, not as good as the Rolls-Royce Wraith, Volvo XC90 or indeed the Mercedes-Benz W123, but we’re hardly comparing pommes with pommes here.

I should confess that I wasn’t able to go properly French and spec the lowest grade Cactus imaginable. The headline price of £12,990 looks great, but in reality few will spend this little. As I was running the car for Diesel Car, the first option box ticked was the one marked BlueHDi 100, which resulted in an immediate jump to mid-spec Feel trim level and a price of £16,155. Right, so much for poverty-spec motoring.

I was also quite choosy about the colour of my Airbumps, which is something I never thought I’d write. I wanted, nay demanded Chocolate Airbumps, which resulted in the closure of many colour option doors, leaving a choice of either Arctic Silver or Pearlescent White. I chose white and the price rocketed to £17,765.

Next I went for the Habana Highlight Pack to match the chocolate-coloured accents on the outside. Christ, this is all sounding a bit Carol Smilie and Changing Rooms. With the price already over the £18,000 mark, I opted for a few more luxuries, taking the overall cost to over £19,000. Hardly the Parisian-spec crossover I had imagined.

Citroen C4 Cactus steel wheels

But here’s the thing: given the chance to spec my own Cactus again, I wouldn’t change a single thing. I was especially pleased with the 15-inch steelies, not least because I only ever saw one other car doing the whole ‘no alloys for me’ thing. The steel wheels certainly helped the economy and I’m convinced they improved the ride quality.

Yeah, about that economy. The official figure for the BlueHDi Airdream Pack is 91.1mpg, so my 57.4mpg over 14,000 miles is way short of the claimed figure. This is partly a symptom of its use, which was predominantly airport runs and family duties. When I did manage to do some hypermiling, I saw figures of 80mpg and above. With patience and a featherlight approach to the right pedal, you could easily achieve something in the high 60s or 70s.

What else can I tell you? Oh yes, I adored the interior. Citroën deserves a huge amount of credit for making the cabin feel so special. This was achieved by focusing on the touchpoints, most notably the strap-like interior door handles, the Allegro-style steering wheel and the wonderfully comfy armrest on the door. The Cactus never feels like a car at the budget end of the Citroën range and somehow manages to out-trump the current DS range of vehicles.

Citroen C4 Cactus interior

It could be improved. The cupholder should be increased in size. Citroën should also produce some trays or inserts to make more use of the luggage-style glovebox. We managed to get round the issue of no cupholders in the back, simply by putting some cardboard takeaway coffee holders in the rear door bins. That’s some useful consumer advice, right there.

As for the overall driving experience, the C4 Cactus isn’t what you’d call a drivers’ car, but then would you expect it to be? The gearbox is comically spongey and the steering is devoid of any feel. But cornering is a joyous experience, not least because the Cactus has a sack load of grip.

You just need to be aware that the Cactus can feel a little off the pace, most notably on hills and when overtaking. Occasionally there just isn’t a gear low enough, so you need to plan ahead. Unless you enjoy getting stuck behind caravans and trucks on crawler lanes. Trust me, it’s not fun.

Weirdly, and I appreciate this might sound strange, you can actually feel the car’s lightness when you drive it. You’ll find yourself creeping towards the car in front when crawling in slow moving traffic, simply because the Cactus is carrying less weight than most other cars. It’s the antithesis of the bloated crossover or SUV.

Look, I’ve written far more than I intended to write, so it’s probably time to draw a line under the Cactus. I’ll close by saying that ‘the funny looking Citroën with those bumps on the side’ swallowed everything we threw at it. Even a 2,000-mile trip to Austria didn’t trouble the Cactus, where it coped with altitude sickness and extreme temperatures in the high 30s. Not once did any member of the family complain about discomfort or long to be in something a little larger.

It even tackled the Klausen Pass with aplomb, much to the bemusement of fellow travellers on this legendary road. Somehow, we managed to emerge at the other end with all four wheel trims still in place.

Citroen C4 Cactus on the Klausen Pass

Eighteen months since its launch, the Citroën C4 Cactus still manages to turn heads. In my experience, the majority of onlookers like what they see, with only a small minority finding the overall look rather offensive. One thing is for certain: the C4 Cactus is the most eye-catching compact crossover you can buy.

I’ll miss the Cactus. It’s a rare example of a carmaker daring to be a little different, so as a result it stands out in the me-too world of the crossover. It also has charm and character in abundance, two things lacking in the majority of new cars. Some won’t ‘get’ it, but those who do will love it.

Au revoir, C4 Cactus. And thank you. Life isn’t quite the same without you about the place.

Pint of Milk
0
Pint of Milk
You Don’t See Many of Those
0
You Don’t See Many of Those
0
Cheap, cheap
Petrol Station Forecourt
0
Petrol Station Forecourt
0
PetrolBloggyness
PetrolBlog
0
PETROLBLOG SCORE
Share
2


Related Waffle


Club PetrolBlog most beautiful

Club PetrolBlog members at their most beautiful

Aug 20, 2021
Renault Avantime in Geneva

You won’t believe these facts about French cars

Aug 19, 2021
2008 Citroen C5

Berlin or bust: the Unmistakeably German ad campaign

Aug 12, 2021
History of Citroen ZX Big Read

History of the Citroën ZX: 30 years of understated brilliance

Jan 29, 2021

11 Comments

  1. Alex says:
    27th April 2016 at 9:29 pm

    Perfect, a wonderful review in what’s been a great series of Cactus love. Couldn’t agree more on the spec, because it looks incredible. Am sorely, sorely, tempted to swap my Altea for a Cactus off the back of this

    Reply
    • Gavin Big-Surname says:
      27th April 2016 at 9:48 pm

      There’s a whole lotta love for the Cactus.

      Try one and let me know what you think. I reckon a petrol-engined Cactus would be a lovely thing to run!

      Reply
    • Colin Canderwell says:
      24th December 2016 at 7:01 pm

      Ending PB, as indicated in the latest article, would be a good idea. It as been poor of late and one can see its well past its sell by date.

      Reply
  2. Ant says:
    27th April 2016 at 9:35 pm

    Nice report. Also a fan of the Cactus, you’ll be unsurprised to hear.

    Spent a lot of time in DS3s and 208s recently with a similar infotainment system so I feel like I’ve got used to that aspect now and it wouldn’t be a problem. The one that always comes to mind is temperature, but really I don’t spend long adjusting that – maybe once at the start of a journey, with a change later if I feel like it. Still not as good as physical knobs, but a physical control does seem a bit redundant if you barely ever use it.

    Out of interest, because this is a feature on the DS3, does the Cactus have a “night panel” mode, a la Saab? In the DS3 it switches off everything bar the speedometer (absolutely everything – the screen, the footwell lighting, the lot). It’s quite blissful at night and I suspect it’d be welcome in the Cactus.

    Reply
    • Gavin Big-Surname says:
      27th April 2016 at 9:47 pm

      Funny you should mention that…

      I referenced the Saab Night Panel in one of my updates. There isn’t a button as such, rather an option to turn off the central screen via the touchscreen itself. All that’s left is the speedometer, which, when dimmed, is great. As you say, it makes for a blissful driving experience.

      Some people have criticised the Cactus for the lack of driver info. I never found it a problem, although I would prefer to have a rev counter. Twingo doesn’t have one, but you can run a rev counter via your smartphone!

      Your point re a physical control for the temperature is similar to something said by a chap at DS. Guess I’m a bit of a Luddite!

      Reply
      • Ant says:
        29th April 2016 at 8:06 pm

        If the chap at DS is who I think it is, it might be the guy who actually came up with the idea for Peugeot’s i-Cockpit and the touchscreen display used across PSA in the first place. I do see the thinking behind it, but there’s still no method I prefer more than the sliders used in my MX-5, so perhaps I’m a Luddite too…

        Reply
  3. Josh says:
    28th April 2016 at 8:03 pm

    I was eagerly waiting for the much promised review of your life with a Cactus and it was a joy to read.
    The car itself (which I haven’t driven yet) is one of the few cars (if not the only one) that can make me smile in the automotive world where I found most of the products to be bloated, too grey and too german lately.
    Thanks for your work!

    Reply
  4. Adrian says:
    28th April 2016 at 10:53 pm

    stopped in my tracks… on a trip to France I saw them as they were launched and it was enough to make me turn the car mumble excuses to my wife and kids and drive back to the Citroen shop to see this new lime green cat us liveried padded car. Citroen lead the way in car design for mass produced family cars. Makes bmw and Audi look like dullards. Tres Bon ! inspirational unconventional and beautiful ( for a family wagon) . There I said it . well done gbs.

    Reply
  5. Derrick Hobbs says:
    9th May 2017 at 10:21 pm

    My wife choose the cactus so I checked the reviews​ thinking it wouldn’t​ be good reviews but it was,so we test drove the diesel and petrol turbo 110bhp and both were more than quick enough,I was negative with the Citroen but as soon as i had a test drive I wanted one,the more I noticed the look of the cactus the more I liked it.
    We brought a 100bhp diesel in white, after driving it for over a month and 2000 miles of distance and around town driving it’s very economical for the size of the car and very comfortable compared to our 2005 Astra.
    We don’t have any real complaints as we knew what we’re buying, I’m even happy with the pop out Windows as I’ve always found if there part down in the back you get that annoying air tone hum and if I had the car when our children were young pop outs would have been Ideal.
    The controls and touch screen are great and you soon get used to them,love the dab radio.
    Only very small moan would have liked two cup holders up front and four speakers as STANDARD​, other than that well done Citroen. ?

    Reply
  6. KEITH HORNER says:
    10th December 2018 at 3:15 am

    We bought a top of the range diesel Cactus about 18 months ago. Loved the interior colours and materials, and the space for passengers – after all this a small car. We have covered around 21,000 kms with out any need to for emergency assistance! Economy is amazing, anything from 4.2 – 5.0 litres/100, depending on the driving requirements, and we use air conditioning a lot. Seats are still very comfortable, the ride is quiet, and the engine has good pull rather than fast acceleration! What car doesn’t have possible impotents? The Cactus is nearly perfect value for money but:

    – We are used to the slight clunk in gear change – surely this can be fixed. Our Picasso did not have this quirk.
    – The roof is too low- I’m average height but must drop the driver seat down.
    – Front passenger seat needs more adjustment.
    – Air conditioning/heating should be ducted to the rear passengers.
    – The black metal door check straps need to be fitted with locking washers as they work loose.
    – Yes, those pop out windows are pointless money savers.

    Even now, after all these months, people ask us about the car and are fascinated by the air bumps. We use it around suburban Melbourne, and occasionally for a longer trip. At first, I worried about the small fuel tank but getting up to 1100 kms on a fill means it is no longer an issue.

    This is our second Citroen , after the Picasso, and right now we’d happily buy another one!

    Reply
    • Gavin Big-Surname says:
      10th December 2018 at 7:58 pm

      Good summary, Keith. Great to hear you’re happy with your Cactus.

      Good points about the front passenger seat and vents for the rear seats – both big oversights.

      Hope you continue to enjoy your Cactus.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest PetrolBlog Videos:

https://youtu.be/fXRLAHLNX7M
https://youtu.be/0vnsNaXh7KM

PetrolBlog in print!

Classic.Retro.Modern

Support PetrolBlog – Buy Stickers

  • PETROLBLOG laptop sticker PetrolBlog laptop sticker £3.00 £2.50
  • French Tat bumper sticker #FrenchTat bumper sticker £3.50
  • My car is the goat bumper sticker My car is the G.O.A.T bumper sticker £3.00
  • Too Good to Scrap TOO GOOD TO SCRAP window sticker £3.00
  • Tollfoolery sticker Tollfoolery car window sticker £4.00
  • French Tat window sticker #FrenchTat window sticker £4.00
  • PetrolBlog sticker PetrolBlog car sticker £4.00
  • GOAT My car is the G.O.A.T window sticker £3.00
  • Waffle & Bunk laptop sticker Waffle & Bunk laptop sticker £3.00 £2.50
  • Too good to scrap bumper sticker TOO GOOD TO SCRAP bumper sticker/plaster £3.00

What you’re saying

  • 1st August 2022

    Gavin Southwest commented on Buy this Renault Clio Baccara and be like PetrolBlog

  • 26th July 2022

    Volker commented on AMC Eagle: the original crossover?

  • 25th July 2022

    Alun Morris commented on The Autobianchi Bianchina Panoramica was a shooting brake for ladies

  • 22nd June 2022

    David Cooper commented on Whatever happened to the Talbot Matra Rancho?

  • 8th June 2022

    Astra commented on Has Top Gear wrecked a Matra Bagheera?

Fresh waffle

  • Citroen 2CV resting on the back of a truck1
    PetrolBlog: the chump is coming back
    13th May 2022
  • 2022 Dacia Jogger in Terracotta1
    The Dacia Jogger is a practical remix of the Matra Rancho
    14th December 2021
  • Toyota Land Cruiser No Time To Die2
    No Time To Die in a Toyota Land Cruiser
    13th December 2021
  • Fahnome Knight Rider build your own KITT0
    Sponsored: K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider is now available as a kit
    17th November 2021
  • Hyundai Heritage Series Grandeur rear light7
    The Hyundai Heritage Series Grandeur is the future we want
    12th November 2021
  • Club PetrolBlog most beautiful1
    Club PetrolBlog members at their most beautiful
    20th August 2021
  • Renault Avantime in Geneva0
    You won’t believe these facts about French cars
    19th August 2021
  • 2008 Citroen C51
    Berlin or bust: the Unmistakeably German ad campaign
    12th August 2021
  • Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres1
    PetrolBlog looks at Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres
    11th August 2021
  • Toyota Camry V6 and Porsche 9243
    An unexceptional day out in the Toyota Camry V6
    2nd August 2021

Newsletters

PetrolBlog
ABOUT | ADVERTISING / SPONSORSHIP | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS & CONDITIONS | CONTACT US

The world’s least influential car blog since 2010.

Copyright © PetrolBlog.

0
We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience and analyse site traffic. We also share information about how you browse our site with our advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you have provided to them or that they have collected for your use of their services.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT