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Citroen C4 Cactus: Queen Of The Supermarket Parking Lot
CITROEN C4 CACTUS
QUEEN OF THE SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT
Words: Marco Rallo
Photography: Bartolomeo Lazzarini
Thank God there is Citroen making the world less boring. When a few years ago – it was 2014 – it threw the C4 Cactus into the fray, in fact it aroused opinions to say the least conflicting. Of course the passionate who is looking for luxury and performance goes elsewhere, but that slice of the market represented by the common drivers remains the widest and therefore the one that can make the difference in terms of sales and company budget. Impossible not to be attracted by those rubber profiles on the sides, the Airbump, that secures most of the doors and bumpers. An innovative solution, certainly risky, but also functional and at the same time manages to combine its usefulness with a young and different look than usual. It is here that Citroen has played one of those hazardous shots, which, however, after four years has paid all the efforts. I have driven the little Cactus, right before the incoming facelift ready to be introduced during the year, and I discovered that there are not only Airbump here, but a lot of goodies in every corner.
The top of the range model is represented by the three-cylinder petrol version, a 1.2cc that outputs 110 horses. Traction is obviously distributed on the front axle only and having opted for an engine with a cylinder less than usual introduces the concept that explains the choice of the name. Cactuses in fact drink little and in this case, thanks to the Airbump, protect from external shocks thanks to the same principle of packaging bubbles. But to limit fuel consumption, the French company has also held the weight as close to the ton as possible, stopping the needle at just 1,125 kg, which with two occupants on board remains without problems below a ton and a half. For doing this the design has been kept simple and linear, the interiors are comfortable and the plastics are light and rigid. The seats are 5, but to be honest, the space is ideal for only 4 people – different speech for the trunk, which although many accused it for not being exceptional, it was easily accessible and convenient for our every need. Staying in the back area, who sits behind will have to deal with pop-out windows and then the air circulation, especially in hot seasons, will not be the best. In front the situation is different, with a good air conditioning system, ample space for legs, head and shoulders and the two displays on the dashboard, a smaller one located behind the steering wheel, which indicates the fuel level, the gear you’re running in and the speed, the other in the middle of the dash, a 7-inch full color touch screen, from which you can manage vehicle settings, satellite navigation, radio and climate, in this case also through a couple of quick button, placed at the base of the screen itself. Finally, another goodie is represented by the glovebox in front of the passenger, a sort of vintage suitcase with non-slip rubbers on top, always made of rigid materials, but with a unique design and a very large compartment.
To better face the city life we also have the opportunity to equip our Cactus with an automatic transmission, a 6-speed fast and accurate enough that has proved up to every task entrusted, even on the motorway or on b-roads. You can also set it in Sport or Snow mode, thanks to the two buttons next to one of the many storage pockets scattered here and there in the cockpit. Finding the ideal driving position is easy, visibility is noticeable and the rear view camera facilitates parking, but the Cactus proves to be a winner because it represents the desire to face the most hectic everyday life with a smile on your face and without having to accept the fact of finding a new dent every time you go shopping. You can breathe a bit of retro inside, but in the same way it is expertly mixed with those touches of modernity that can reinvent something we all need, that is the maximum practicality in a car that has to do a hundred things in one. The 50-liter tank empties slowly and the choice to keep a limited weight and a reduced size of the engine pays off soon, without the need for some extra horsepower. The 110 of the model tested are delivered linearly and the 205Nm of torque are available almost immediately – you will not be the fastest in the neighborhood, but you will not live at the gas station. Another strong point.
After almost a month of cohabitation, I confirmed my first impressions, that after just a few hours at the wheel, it seems that the C4 Cactus has always been part of your life. Comfortable, friendly, practical, suitable for any situation and never embarrassing as it happens for some of its competitors, it has the right size (173cm wide and 416 long) and doesn’t cost you crazy money, with the entry level starting at just € 16,750. For the top of the range as in our test, we must instead consider exceeding the threshold of twenty thousand Euros and spend € 21,950, but the package includes alloy wheels (16-inches front and 17 at the back) and many others options that do nothing but improve an already excellent basic offer. The manual transmission can save some coins, but the clutch is not the best you could find, better bet for the automatic that is always accurate, even with cold engine. While for the color, better to indulge, choose yellow or red (there are 11 colors available) and remember that for driving in boring situations, you do not have to drive boring cars. Thank God, there’s the Cactus!
CITROEN C4 CACTUS
Layout – front-engined, front wheel drive
Engine – 3 cylinder 1.199cc – turbo
Transmission – 6-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 110 hp @ 5.500 rpm
205 Nm @ 1.500 rpm
Weight – 1.125 kg
Acceleration – 9,7 sec.
Top Speed – 188 kph
Price – from € 21.950
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