Skip advert
Advertisement

Citroen C4 Cactus review - driver appeal of a different kind - Citroen C4 Cactus ride and handling

Not an 'evo' car in the traditional sense, the Cactus is nevertheless quite a likeable car

Evo rating
RRP
from £12,990
  • Interior design, comfort, light weight
  • Overly light steering, quirky styling may put off some

The Cactus feels very much like an older Peugeot or Citroen product in its ride and handling balance. There’s a pliant ride over most surfaces – only larger road zits send a shudder through the cabin – and a sort of relaxing, loping gait on country roads and motorways.

At the same time, the car’s light weight means it’s not all at sea when the road gets twisty, and while there’s a reasonable degree of body roll these movements are well controlled.

The steering isn’t quite as direct as in some rivals – in fact, it’s very light and a little slow to respond around the straight-ahead, which does make you wonder whether the car will react to your initial inputs – but once there’s some load through the tyres it’s precise enough. Like those old Peugeots particularly, the rear axle even feels like it’s helping to share the load – though the balance is ultimately safe, so you’ll rarely need any steering correction.

Advertisement - Article continues below

What it won’t do is entertain like an old Pug or Citroen hot hatchback. While that would normally be a disappointment, there’s something quite refreshing about the Cactus’s dismissal of superficial sportiness in favour of relaxation and more flowing driving characteristics.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
News

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV

If you have to have an SUV, a Stelvio QV is acceptable. Now it's being heavily discounted.
8 Jul 2025
MST Mk1 Sports is a more affordable less extreme Ford Escort recreation
MST Ford Escort front
News

MST Mk1 Sports is a more affordable less extreme Ford Escort recreation

Costing a tenth of most made-new classics, the MST Mk1 Sports is comparatively accessible
8 Jul 2025
Mini JCW 2025 review – too feisty for its own good
Mini JCW – front
Reviews

Mini JCW 2025 review – too feisty for its own good

The petrol-powered JCW lives on – for now. But in its latest incarnation, has this supermini survivor become too hardcore?
6 Jul 2025