2019 Citroen C4 Cactus long-term review: Farewell

[@bogdanmalavrazic959]

My parents bought me a 2016 Cactus with a 1.6 Diesel engine and manual transmission. It has a ton of character and I cannot count how many times I have been asked about the car from strangers walking up to me when I exit the car. It’s really economical, nice to drive but as you said in the interview the infotainment is sometimes painfully slow to respond but 9/10 times it works without problem. I drive it a lot on gravel and old mountain roads and additional ground clearance is a plus here. I wish it had all wheel drive. And an advice for anyone who may be considering this car, option for a panoramic roof because it changes the experience completely, I don’t have it and that is for me the only drawback. All in all this car is fun and practical.

[@vimmo]

I also have a 2016 (petrol, no panoramic) and I absolutely love it! I live in Sweden and winters can be very harsh here, but it never fails to start and runs great in -10 Celsius or beyond . Sure, in hindsight I would have gone with the bigger 110hp engine, but all in all it's the best, most charming and unique Citroen I've ever owned. And I have had quite a few... : ) I'm not sure what I think of the new C4 yet. Might upgrade in three or four years. Hmm... What do you think of it?

[@stephenberry1205]

@@vimmo In Sydney I have the 110 hp 6 speed auto and panoramic sunroof... a sheer delight. Just did 5,450 kms in a 19 day road trip... very spirited light car for eating Aussie vast distances.

[@stephenberry1205]

I have done 30,000 kms in my Cactus. Transmission and engine are very smooth and tractable. Love it more than expected.

[@bigchief2331]

great and unique car, and the moonroof is beautiful a must have on any Peugeot/Citroen

[@Dessert_x_Tat]

I love my "think outside of the box" C4, in red!

[@stephenberry1205]

I bought exactly this model and colour in June 2019 in the model runout at a bargain price. Love it. Transmission is excellent as is the low down torgue. Excellent seats for my iffy back and ride quite good. Don't like the Start/Stop and mostly switch it off. Annoying that the default setting of S/S is on, so you have to switch it off each time you start it. I have a matching blue Smartwave 3500 boat with 25 hp 4 stoke Yammie, to make for a great recreational ensemble. Would have loved the Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension in the new Cactus and C5 Aircross.

[@DundeMan]

How is the car holding up mate. Any hardship with repairs?

[@stephenberry1205]

@@DundeMan All my Citroens over 50 years have been very reliable and very rewarding to own - 3 x 2CVs from new over 42 years were the ultimate in simplicity. Absolutely no items to be fixed in the first 3 years on the Cactus. Just standard service once a year plus 2 new wiper blades. In March 2022 we just did 5,450 kms from Sydney in 19 days to the Eyre Peninsula to swim with sea lions and dolphins at Baird Bay & beautiful Venus Bay. Last trip to SA was in a 1997 Citroen Xantia turbo diesel including Flinders Ranges, Oodnadatta Track and Kangaroo Island. Superb comfort and space. The first 3 days we covered 1,950 kms and finished the trip attending a Citroen Car Club rally in Cowra. We were the only Cactus but there were 4 Citroen SMs with Maserati V6 motors and 3 C6s with V6 diesels. Both rare in Australia. Peter McLeod the former racing driver was a guest speaker. Over the years he has brought in over 25 SMs to Australia to restore from the US. Some he converted to RHD. The Cactus was a great touring car and fairly spirited overtaking huge road trains where 130 to 140 kph needed to pass safely and returned 6.8 l/100 kms. Being metal sprung it misses out on the superb touring rocket ship glide of my previous DSs, GSs and CX Prestige. The fuel injected DS & CX would cruise at 150-160 kph and top out at 190 kph. But the Cactus was a whole lot better distance machine than my 1990 2CV6 and tops out at 115 kph with same consumption as the Cactus.

[@DundeMan]

@@stephenberry1205 Mate this detailed comment is a beauty. I truly appreciate your insight into cactus. Hopefully I can snag a used Cactus C4, either a 2016 diesel engine or the newer 2018 petrol.

[@stephenberry1205]

@@DundeMan The Cactus is well regarded in the second hand market. Hard to get a modest / low mileage car for less than $20K. My run out Cactus was $22,500 new as a run out model instead of $32,500 retail on the road. They threw in half leather seats and a full sunroof. With high used car prices it is now worth $24,500 after 3 years and 35,000 kms. If you get a diesel Cactus ONLY GET A MANUAL which is rare in Australia. Turbo petrol 1.2 is great in the auto. We leased a C4 Cactus 1.6 turbo diesel with the ETG (Eccentric Temperamental Auto) Automated manual in the European spring of 2015 for 8 weeks and 11,500 kms from Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England and back to France with Pozieres & Paris. Fantastic economy - 4.6 l/100kms. The ETG is a very flawed transmission being a single clutch that is automated. Often a bit jerky in traffic. Uphill reverse parking can end up smelling of burning clutch... Find one with 4 wheel disc brakes like mine in Sydney. The dealer also advises the Cactus is very low maintenance and high reliability.

[@DundeMan]

@@stephenberry1205 Absoletely mate, thanks for these golden tips. Gonna ring everydealship for these cars, doesnt matter if they are in a different state. Manual Diesel should suffice for me. Fuel economy on these cars is just another chefs kiss.

[@Robde84]

Love my Cactus - have driven 100,000km all over Australia now. Its the 1.6D with that clunky trans which is actually not bad. Have not had any issues at all and get economy of 5L/100 or 900km to 42litres. Strangely compared to the video I find the seats crap and have to use a cushion, and the suspension is some weird euro tune and not suitable for Aussie roads at all. - Potholes are my nemesis😂. Ground clearance I find quite low to despite the strange suv look. I maintain it myself and am hoping to get 250k out of it.

[@Drivecomau]

Thanks for sharing Rob hope you get to 500k!

[@timtube1663]

The airbag is high up on the passenger side rather than above the glove box.

[@craigstevenson7708]

The verdict seems to be they thinks it's so expensive so HERE WE GO USED market one for $14k on car sales rn

[@sejautie]

I have the citeron C4 cactus rip curl grip control edition?

[@HologramJones]

Passenger Airbag is at the top.

[@alextaylor5808]

Name of the car says it, it’s cactus

[@williamrae9954]

Mandy spend last night tethered to the dungeon....neck marks? ;)

[@amezcuaist]

Normal humans don`t say "Price Point".

[@justinbussell7637]

What is with car makers slapping cheap black plastic around on the panels and having slim headlights, looks awful.

[@muresandaniel3812]

Lol ,those are the things that makes it really cool

[@erikh1041]

you’re basically completely safe when parking in huge parking lots though. no need to worry about people bumping their doors or carts into the sides as thats why those black rubber things are on the doors

[@DoubtingThomas333]

Those aren't headlights...they are DRL's The headlights are below

[@jmjtv92]

First ??!!!