For looks, the Cactus is a segment leader, inside and out. Pictures / Ted Baghurst
For looks, the Cactus is a segment leader, inside and out. Pictures / Ted Baghurst
Admirers can't keep their hands off the cute hatch
Sometimes drivers get in prickly situations when parking, the result being dented panels and plentiful scratches. Citroen has created a car that will prevent that - the Cactus.
Based on the C4 hatchback, the car has revolutionary Airbumps on the side and rear panels. The air-filled plastic bumps act like bubble wrap and prevent dents to the car.
This makes the car ideal if you have a tiny car park or you're accident-prone.
During pre-production time, the Airbump was tested 9000 times and during Driven's weeklong drive I reckon we had just as many pokes to the panels by passersby wherever I parked the cute hatchback.
The Airbumps also give the Cactus a sporty appearance, especially when you add the floating roof, which gives it a larger road presence than the C4 hatch.
Citroen Cactus
Citroen New Zealand is bringing in the five-speed manual 81kW turbo petrol (from $33,990) but the biggest seller for the company so far is the 1.6l turbo 68kW diesel engine, priced from $35,990.
Citroen NZ boss Simon Rose said that in Europe the Cactus was "attracting a young audience, in their 20s, to the brand".
Here, Rose expects it to be a conquest car with potential buyers in the wide demographics of ages 30 to 50.
Sitting on 17in alloys, the Cactus has as standard such features as city camera pack that includes a reversing camera and rear parking sensors. The Cactus also has the same 7in touchscreen infotainment screen as the C4.
Citroen Cactus
The diesel is paired with a six speed clutchless-manual transmission, aka semi-automatic, gearbox giving the fuel economy figures of 3.6litres/100km, Citroen says, thanks in part to start-stop technology.
The transmission takes a while to adapt to - give it too much leeway and it hops from first to fourth, with fourth to sixth gear the ideal placement. But steady application to the acceleration from start up to 50km/h and you have a smooth transition.
The transmission is engaged through funky buttons on the dash - R, D, and N. Just below the "gears" is an aeroplane-style handbrake. Bench-seat-style front seats plus latched rear windows add to the retro feel of the car.
Image 1 of 24: Citroen Cactus. Photo / Ted Baghurst
It is competing here against the Nissan Juke and Skoda Yeti in the looks department, plus the Holden Trax and Ford EcoSport for size, it is a segment leader when it comes to styling - both inside and out.
The Cactus gets the new panoramic glass roof features that does away with a cover and instead has advanced heat protection that filters light and to keep the heat out.
Another nifty design factor is "magic wash" where the windscreen washer nozzles are built into the tips of the wipers and release a small amount of fluid instead of having it sprayed from the bonnet on to the window, roof, cars behind you and beside you plus any passing cyclist.
