Citroen C4 Cactus Petrol 2016 Review

Citroen C4 Cactus
Local Launch Review
Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Citroen has landed its C4 Cactus in Australia, two years after the French-owned / Spanish-made small SUV was launched in Europe. Built on the same PF1 platform that underpins the Citroen C3 and DS 3 (and ergo Peugeot’s 2008), the succulent SUV is differentiated by its adventurous styling and ‘Airbump’ panels on the doors and bumpers. Priced from $26,990 (plus on-road costs) the C4 Cactus lands with myriad personalisation options – and perhaps just as many rivals. But does this prickly little number have what it takes to win-over Aussie buyers?

Looking around at the ever-growing number of small SUVs on our roads, it's probably no surprise the segment has grown 800 per cent over the past decade.

Citroen has added a 26th competitor to the fold this week with the launch of its new C4 Cactus. The adventurously styled, oddly named, high-riding hatch will go toe to toe with established competitors including the Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, Skoda Yeti and cousin Peugeot 2008. Available with a choice of petrol and diesel powerplants, the C4 Cactus is priced from $26,990 (plus on-road costs).

It's a model that sits proud of most front-wheel drive competitors on price, but is offset, Citroen says, by a generous standard equipment list.

The petrol entry variant offers kit that includes Bi-Tone Cross 17-inch alloy wheels (with a 15-inch steel spare), a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, six-speaker ARKAMYS audio system with 7.0-inch touchscreen and satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and digital radio, electric front windows and pop-out rear windows.

It also scores single-zone climate control, automatic headlights, cornering foglights, cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring, a two-tone leather steering wheel, disc/drum brakes and 60:40 split-fold rear seats.

The more expensive diesel model adds paddle shifters, an 'aircraft-style' park brake and a 'sofa-style' bench-seat with arm rest to those options listed for the petrol model.

Cost options including a variety of paint schemes and trim options, a panoramic sunroof, roof rails and alternate alloy wheel patterns are available individually. Citroen Australia says its C4 Cactus is available with up to 23,184 wheel, trim, interior and paint-colour combinations.

All models are equipped with a tyre pressure monitor, six airbags [the front passenger airbag is deployed from the roof], seatbelt reminder warning, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and emergency brake assist, stability control and hill-start assist – and all variants feature Citroen's 'Airbump' padding on the doors and bumpers to soften the blow of car park scrapes.

The C4 Cactus currently scores a four-star EuroNCAP safety rating. It is not available with the latest electronic driver assistance aids offered in some competitors including autonomous emergency braking or blind-spot monitoring.

For the petrol variant, we find an 81kW (at 5500rpm) and 205Nm (at 1500rpm) 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol mated exclusively to a five-speed manual transmission. Fuel consumption is rated at 4.7L/100km with CO2 emissions of 107g/km (on the ADR Combined cycle). Citroen says the model is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 9.3sec.

The diesel model – and the only 'automatic' option in the range – is powered by a 68kW (at 4000rpm) and 230Nm (at 1750rpm) 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel paired to a single-clutch six-speed robotised manual transmission. Fuel consumption is listed at 3.6L/100km on the ADR Combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 96g/km. The diesel model will hit triple digits in 11.4sec.

Both models are fitted with idle-stop technology.

Sliding into the C4 Cactus, we find comfortable seating and a minimalist dashboard. The narrow, high-set dash-pad is finished with a strap-and-stitch motif and topped with tablet-style digital gauge and infotainment clusters. The latter provides access to all of the Cactus' ancillary controls, reducing button clutter, but possibly adding to user complexity, at least initially.

The push-button gear selector in the diesel variant is set low in the centre stack freeing up space the console would ordinarily occupy. In diesel models there's a bench-seat arrangement with folding armrest to fill the void, though we note that the setup does away with dual cup-holders, the Cactus instead served by a single cup-holder low on the tunnel and bottle holders in the generous door pockets. Oddment storage is otherwise generous – especially the large storage bin set where the glove-box would usually be – though we note that in the rear seat this abundance of stowage does come at the cost of powered retracting windows.

On the plus side, entry and exit are easily managed and cabin accommodation ample for four adults [the Cactus is a five seater]. The view out is decent through all but the thick C-D pillar, though the standard reversing camera and parking sensors make backing-up a cinch.

Boot space is generous, the deep cargo area offering 358 litres of space. Flip the 60:40 split-fold rear seats and this grows to over 1000 litres. The rear seat is now serviced by both ISOFIX and top-tether child-seat restraint points.

We found the sofa-style seating of the diesel model especially plush, and note decent leg and kneeroom throughout. Headroom, on the other hand, is a little tight, especially when the panoramic roof is optioned. It's also a shame the Cactus fails to offer telescopic adjustment of the steering column which is only adjustable for height.

Ventilation is generally up to task, the single-zone climate control coping well with mid-30-degree heat. The outlets, however, are strangely positioned by virtue of the funky dash layout, offering two low-set vents in the centre stack and one on driver's outboard side. The front-seat passenger does not receive and outboard vent nor do rear-seat passengers receive face-level vents. But hey, at least they have weight-saving pop-out windows...

Like all models fitted with robotised manual transmissions the Cactus does slur and pause between ratios. It's a sensation that can take time to get used to, and impedes both brisk runs from standstill and calls to overtake. In a way it's a shame. The diesel engine is a smooth and quiet unit with accessible low-end torque. It's a unit that would likely be better served by a manual transmission or a regular, epicyclical automatic. Neither option is offered locally (and the latter not at all in the French marque's current global Cactus line-up).

The manual transmission fitted to the petrol model is a better option for those chasing flexible performance, the five ratios offering a decent compromise between drivability and fuel economy (we managed less than 6.0L/100km in both variants). Yes, the clutch take-up is a little high and the gearshift throw a little long, but it suits the Cactus' personality better than the robotised transmission, and is a far more liveable option in this writer's humble opinion.

Dynamically, the C4 Cactus is better suited to city streets than the twists and turns of the Putty Road north-west of Sydney. That said, it did remain competitive to its aforementioned rivals, but is outshone by peers such as the Mazda CX-3 and Honda HR-V, for example. The steering will suit Citroen's target market ideally being light and fluid. This does, not surprisingly, come ultimately at the cost of road feel.

The firmer suspension and 17-inch alloy wheels provide a stiffer ride, and we noted single-wheel impacts as especially harsh. On loose surfaces, such as gravel, we also found the front-end to be inclined to skate, though not to the same degree as Fiat's now (locally) defunct Panda. Grip is much-improved on asphalt, and, excusing a few plastic rattles, NVH levels are generally low. There's a little tyre rumble on coarse chip surfaces, sure; but after all, this is a Cactus and not an S-Class.

If you're looking to break the regular small SUV mould, the C4 Cactus could be the car for you. It might feel more like a Toyota Rukus or Kia Soul than any of its other rivals, but for some buyers that's bound to be a good thing.

2016 Citroen C4 Cactus (petrol) pricing and specifications:
Price: $26,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 81kW/205Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 4.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 107g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Four-star EuroNCAP

2016 Citroen C4 Cactus (diesel) pricing and specifications:
Price: $29,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 68kW/230Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automated manual
Fuel: 3.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 94g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Four-star EuroNCAP

Also consider:
>> Fiat 500X (from $28,000 plus ORCs)
>> Jeep Renegade (from $28,000 plus ORCs)
>> Skoda Yeti (from $23,490 plus ORCs)

C4 Cactus trivia:
Citroen decided on the 'Cactus' name for its pint-sized SUV because like the plant, the C4 Cactus doesn't need a lot to drink and is able to protect itself with its door and bumper-mounted Airbumps. OK, so I've never seen a shopping trolley attack a real cactus, but it's a cool analogy all the same.