Citroën C4 Cactus. A crossover or a hatchback?
The Citroën C4 Cactus is a car produced by the French Citroen since 2014. Until 2017, it was officially considered a K1-class crossover, and after a restyling in 2018, it received the status of a hatchback. Compared to its predecessor, the restyled Citroën C4 Cactus received a number of dramatic exterior and interior changes, new powertrains, and innovative Progressive Hydraulic Cushions suspension to effectively absorb almost every bump in the road. Today, the first generation Citroën C4 Cactus crossover is available on the Israeli market after the restyling in 2018.
First generation
Citroën C4 Cactus is based on the PSA2 platform, a birthplace of Peugeot 208 and 2008, with McPherson struts in the front suspension and a torsional rear beam. The axle spacing is 2.6 meters. The high-strength steel allowed mass reduction to only 965 kg. The first-generation Citroën C4 Cactus was a bold design solution involving modern engineering. The coolest feature of Cactus was inconventional passive bodywork protection called AirBump. These are inflatable pads located on the corners of bumpers and on doors, the places that suffer most from small bumps and scratches when maneuvering in tight spaces, in parking lots, from being hit by doors of other cars and shopping carts near supermarkets.
Another interesting solution of the first C4 Cactus, are windscreen wipers with nozzles on the ends. This is likely to result in two times smaller liquid consumption. The interior also involves an interesting solution. The front passanger’s airbag is shifted onto the windshield frame! Why? To increase the legroom. The car looks roomy from both front and back seats.
The coolest feature of Cactus was inconventional passive bodywork protection called AirBump. Citroën C4 Cactus is surely not a car to master big pits and bumps because of the drive, clearence, and overhangs, but it drives steadily on the soft ground, and Airbump protects it from scratches.
There was almost no buttons in the 2014 Cactus. Two screens are used instead - one one the central console and one in front of the driver. Besides those of the ‘hot keys’, sensors are responsibnle for most functions. When the armreast goes up, the front seat range becomes a wide and comfortable sofa. Why on Earth? Well, the French know better…
The French classify the first-generation Cactus as a crossover, regardless FWD design and small clearence. Why crossover? Because it’s comfortable to drive across cross-country tracks. Citroën C4 Cactus is surely not a car to master big pits and bumps because of the drive, clearence, and overhangs, but it drives steadily on the soft ground, and Airbump protects it from scratches.
Restyling in 2018
The restyled Citroën C4 Cactus, produced by Citroën since 2018, is now officially considered a 5-door hatchback. The new 2018 Citroën C4 Cactus is based on the same Citroën C3 platformwhere the Peugeot 208 and 2008 are built. The dimensions of the new Cactus are generally the same. Soft pads AirBump, which used to literally ‘cover’ the body ‘around the circle’, were preserved only at the sills and lost their protective function.
Now a front-wheel drive hatchback, the C4 Cactus is the first Citroën in Europe to receive the super-comfortable ‘flying carpet’ suspension - Progressive Hydraulic Cushions (PHC) with hydraulic buffers for compression and rebound. It provides the best smooth running in the segment. According to figurative expression of the developers, the new hatchback achieves the effect of ‘tapis volant’ - ‘a flying carpet’. The new Cactus is also outfitted with very soft Advanced Comfort seats made of polyurethane foam with the shape memory.
A long list of basic equipment, roomy and comfy interior, feul effeciency, exclusive Progressive Hydraulic Cushions and comfortable seats - all these are - Citroën C4 Cactus.
Buyers of the updated Cactus can select one of nine colors of the body and four combination paint options. All the optics are LED. The interior of the restyled version remained virtually unchanged inside, except for the new seats. There are five options for fabric, Nappa leather and alcantara trim - as an option. Noise isolation has been improved with thicker windows. Plus, the 4 Cactus hatchback is equipped with a dozen of electronic assistants. From automatic braking, to marking and driver-tracking, to uphill driving and parking assist, depending on the package.
Though the new Citroën C4 Cactus has lost some exclusive features, it still has the main features of its predecessor, making it identifiable even in the dense traffic. A big list of basic equipment, spacious and comfortable interior, high level of efficiency, exclusive Progressive Hydraulic Cushions, and comfortable seats are the details to tell the new Citroën C4 Cactus from its competitors.
