Skip advert
Advertisement

Citroen C4 Cactus review - driver appeal of a different kind - Citroen C4 Cactus engine and gearbox

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

Engine choice revolves broadly around two separate units, a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol, and a 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel. The former, branded PureTech, is available as either a naturally-aspirated PureTech 75 or PureTech 82, or the turbocharged PureTech 110.

That’s 74bhp, 81bhp and 108bhp respectively, with 118Nm of torque for the naturally-aspirated pair and a more useful 205Nm from 1500rpm for the turbocharged car.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The diesel has just one power output, badged BlueHDi 100 and developing 99bhp with 254Nm of torque. All nice and simple so far, and it doesn’t get much more complicated after that – there are only three transmissions available. A five-speed manual is standard across the Cactus range, and on all but the 74bhp petrol there’s also a five-speed automatic. The diesel’s auto gets six speeds, and the top petrol is manual-only.

The manual’s shift is light and fairly precise, but not a tactile joy – like everything else on the Cactus, it’s more about ease-of-use than it is shifting just for the hell of it. It’s still a better option than the automatics though: badged ETG (Efficient Tronic Gearbox), it’s an automated manual rather than a dual-clutch or torque converter automatic, and like most non-sporting automated manuals it delivers fairly jerky, slow shifts.

A skilled driver can work around the gaps, but if you’re choosing an auto the main appeal is not having to adapt your driving style to work with the mechanism. A regular auto, or even a CVT, would be more in-keeping with the way the Cactus makes progress.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming
2025 Porsche 911 GT3
News

Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming

The 911 will get even more exclusive and desirable variants with increased customisability going forward
12 Mar 2025
New Mercedes CLA revealed – BMW 2-series rival packs EV and hybrid power
2025 Mercedes CLA front
News

New Mercedes CLA revealed – BMW 2-series rival packs EV and hybrid power

Mercedes’ junior four-door saloon will reappear in its third iteration in 2025, with electric and AMG guises to follow
13 Mar 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
10 Mar 2025