NOTHING puts a smile on your face more than a carmaker having the confidence to take a risk.

And Citroën, with its history of producing cutting-edge cars from the Traction Avant and DS to the 2CV, has never been afraid of challenging the norm with quirky and super-successul cars.

So it is little surprise that the C4 Cactus, the French carmaker’s imaginative alternative to the traditional compact hatchback, was instantly voted BBC TopGear magazine’s favourite hatchback of 2014.

Visually striking, the five-seater four-door hatch has a lightweight and simplified design – from the aluminium bonnet to a minimalist interior, and ‘Airbump’ technology for bumpers and doors that provides the ultimate protection from supermarket dents.

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Hop inside and the immediate impression is one of simple design and minimalist clarity. Behind the steering wheel the usual array of instruments is replaced by a simple digital display with a large speed read-out, fuel level and mileometer. And that’s it. Warning lights come on as and when they are needed.

The dashboard is dominated by a seven-inch touchscreen, replacing conventional control buttons, grouping together all the main functions including air conditioning, navigation, vehicle settings, telephone, media, connectivity and driving aids like parking sensors and rear-view camera.

The system also allows connection to a series of applications that include a ‘fuel’ app, allowing you to find the nearest and/or cheapest service station, hotels and restaurants and live traffic information.

It also comes with a range of electronic aids to make driving easier, from park assist, that carries out parking manoeuvres automatically, to hill-start assist, cornering lights and an emergency call and assistance system, provided free for the life of the vehicle that ensures the emergency services can locate the vehicle.

On the move the Cactus, which weighs in at 200kg less than the C4, is light and easy to manage around town, yet quiet, positive and settled at speed.

Comfort comes as standard in every Citroën and the wide front seats of the C4 Cactus are designed in the style of a sofa, with a large panoramic sunroof making the interior light and airy.

In the rear, passenger legroom is similar to that of the Citroën C4. With an equivalent wheelbase, the C4 Cactus provides the same amount of space, but with more compact exterior dimensions. At just 4.16m long – for easier manoeuvrability – the C4 Cactus also provides generous boot space.

As a colleague remarked, there is space in the car market for the quirky, and no one does that better than Citroën.

 

AT A GLANCE
- Insurance group: 18A
- Fuel consumption (combined): 83.1mpg
- Top speed: 114mph
- Length: 415.7cm/163.7in
- Width: 172.9cm/68.1in
- Luggage capacity: 12.6 cu ft
- Fuel tank capacity: 9.9 gallons/45 litres
- CO2 emissions: 89g/km
- Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles



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