Citroen C4 Cactus tested in South Africa 2015
Citroën, the French carmaker, has created something of a mengelmoes with its latest C4 Cactus and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Given that we live in a multi-cultural, rainbow nation, the Citroën Cactus should feel right at home on our streets. After all, Citroën is the carmaker, who is world renowned for producing some of the strangest and most beautiful motorcars throughout history.
The 2CV is an icon, while the DS4, which was crowned the most beautiful car a few years ago, was certainly a worthy winner. There is no denying that Citroën is not conventional when it comes to car designs and innovations – and the Cactus is no different.
A thorny topic
Everyone will tell you that styling is objective, but I’m also certain many will agree that the C4 Cactus is something of a revelation in car designs. The eccentricity in its styling with perfectly sculptured lines makes for an eye-catching vehicle.
Through the streets of Joburg, this flamboyant Frenchman got many gazes. Maybe it’s because of the massive bumps all down the side of the car that gets people’s attention.
The lumps and bumps I’m speaking about is, in fact, Citroën’s innovative Airbump technology. Besides giving the Cactus a unique design perspective, the Airbumps really work. They designed to protect your car from rogue trolleys and door dents from other vehicles in parking bays. And after a short social experiment, (I, basically, bumped a trolley into the Cactus) I can report that it has curves and bumps in all the right places.
Even the front and rear bumpers are designed to take a punch and a knock, should you accidently reverse into an object.
It’s certainly a nifty concept that should be embraced by the “unfortunate” drivers who seem to constantly nick and bump their cars.
Sharp, inside, and out
I may have just waxed lyrically about the Citroën’s innovative design, but the French have done a good job of adopting the same design elements inside too.
The seating is very plush and the square lines and bumps on the dashboard, hint towards the Airbumps. And if you looking for roominess, with over 358 litres of boot space, this Cactus will swallow everything thrown at it.
The cabin is spacious and airy, while the user-interface is distinctly Citroën in its approach. The 7-inch Touch Drive interface provides all the critical vehicle information at a glance.
French power
The Citroën feels composed on the road and well thought out. Measuring in at 4.16m long with a wheelbase of 2.60m, the same as the Citroën C4, it’s certainly not tiny.
Powered by a petite 1.2-litre turbo engine, our test mule was the top of the range Shine model which churned out 81 kW of power and 205 Nm of torque. Even fully loaded, the Cactus never struggled to gain speed and the five-speed manual gearbox was slick while sending power to the front wheels. It’s no wonder then that this superb petrol motor has won coveted awards.
Wrap up
The Citroën C4 Cactus has that wow factor going for it and you can’t help but love it. With fuel consumption figures of 4.7 litres per 100km it’s frugal. But I can’t help wonder how this vehicle will age over time. Hopefully it’s not a passing craze, but with rear windows that don’t wind down, Citroen have done so much in the way of innovation, but didn’t follow through all the way.
Like much of the Citroën range, you’ll either love the Cactus or hate it, but if given a chance, it has a way of winning you over with its charm.
| Quick Facts | |
| Base Price | R284 900 |
| Warranty | 3-year / 100 000km |
| Engine Capacity | 1199 cm³ |
| No. Of Cylinders | 3-cylinders |
| Aspiration | Turbo |
| Power | 81kW @ 5 500 r/min |
| Torque | 205Nm @ 1 500 r/min |
| Transmission | 5-Speed Manual |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| Acceleration | 0-100 km/h in 9.3 seconds (claimed) |
| Top Speed | 188km/h (claimed) |
| Fuel Consumption | 4.7 l/100km (claimed combined) |
| CO2 Emissions | 107g/km |
