Citroën has never gone so far in renewing a model. The new C4 Cactus was revised not only in terms of visuals, but also in terms of technology, and even its positioning was changed.
The C4 Cactus was born as a crossover, but the recent launch of the compact SUV (as the brand defines it) C3 Aircross — which stands out for its abundant space supply, surpassing even the C4 Cactus — seems to have posed some positioning problems in the your models.
To better differentiate the purpose of both, the renewal of the C4 Cactus makes it move away from the universe of crossover and SUV and closer to more conventional cars. Although the crossover genes are still evident, the new C4 Cactus more closely follows the formula applied to the new C3.
Goodbye Airbumps
On the outside, on the side, the new C4 Cactus stands out for the disappearance of Airbumps, or almost. They've been reduced, repositioned — in the underbody area — and redesigned in a similar way to what we can see on the C5 Aircross. The front and rear were also "cleaned" of the plastic protections that characterized them, receiving new front (now in LED) and rear optics.
Despite the cleanliness verified, there are still protections around the entire bodywork, including the wheel arches. But the look is clearly more sophisticated, as well as the customization of the model is enhanced. In total it allows for up to 31 bodywork combinations — nine body colors, four color packs and five rim models. The interior was not forgotten, being able to receive five different environments.
The return of the "flying carpets"
If there is a characteristic for which Citroën is historically known, it is the comfort of its models — merit of the hydropneumatic suspension that equipped the most varied Citroën up to the last C5.
No, hydropneumatic suspensions have not returned, but the new C4 Cactus brings new features in this chapter. Progressive Hydraulic Cushions was the name chosen and consists of the use of progressive hydraulic stops — their operation has already been explained here . The result, according to the French brand, are reference levels of comfort in the segment. Is it the return of the Citroën “flying carpets”?
Complementing the new suspension, the C4 Cactus debuts new seats — Advanced Comfort — which receive a new, higher density foam and new coatings.
Two new engines
The C4 Cactus maintains the engines and transmissions we already knew. For gasoline we have the 1.2 PureTech in the 82 and 110 hp (turbo) versions, while the Diesel is the 1.6 100 hp BlueHDi. They are coupled with a manual and an automatic transmission (available in engines of 100 and 110 hp), five and six speeds respectively.The revision of the model brings as a novelty two new engines that become the most powerful. The 1.2 PureTech gasoline is now available in the 130 hp variant, while the 1.6 BlueHDi is now available in the 120 hp variant. The 130hp PureTech adds speed to the manual gearbox, while the 120hp BlueHDi is paired with the EAT6 (automatic).
More equipment and technology
The safety equipment is reinforced, with the new C4 Cactus having 12 driving assistance including automatic emergency braking, a roadway maintenance system, blind spot detector and even parking assistance. Grip Control is again present.
The increased level of equipment and superior soundproofing make the new C4 Cactus gain 40 kg. The revamped Citroën C4 Cactus arrives in the first quarter of 2018.
