Used Citroen C4 Cactus cars for sale

Used Citroen C4 Cactus pros and cons

Is a second hand Citroen C4 Cactus a good car?

The Citroen C4 Cactus is an odd car — very Citroen in some ways. The Cactus name means that it was designed to use as few resources as possible, just as a real cactus needs only minimal water to survive. That was a nice idea, and the early models were very affordable, almost down to Dacia prices. Citroen later updated it, though, and tried to convince us that it was a VW Golf rival, which it just wasn’t.

However, what the Cactus always was, was comfortable. It was one of the first modern Citroens where the French brand returned to its roots of making cars with squishy suspension and with seats like sofas, so for an affordable car, the C4 Cactus offers comfort like almost no other. 

It was also the first Citroen to feature the ‘Airbumps’ cladding on the side doors, which were like robust bubble wrap and which protected the doors from dings and chips. A genuinely useful and unique thing, which was later toned-down when the car was updated, losing the Cactus a lot of its personality. 

Even so, later versions were still pretty distinctive, and they still stand out in a car park, not least thanks to some vibrant colours which are much preferable to the default metallic grey that everyone else picks. 

The interior never changed much over the Cactus’ lifetime, and that was a good thing. Citroen went to town on the quirkiness, so you got a top-hinged glovebox that was meant to look like classic steamship luggage, and little loops of leather instead of door handles. You also got those wonderful front seats, filled with mixed-density foam, which make them squashy but supportive (although a bit more support for longer journeys would be welcome).

Headroom in the front was always good, but it’s less impressive in the rear, where even though there’s enough width to get three adults in the back, there’s not enough headroom if they’re tall adults. The fact that the rear windows only pop out rather than roll down is a bit of a limitation too. 

The C4 Cactus’ boot isn’t very big, either. At 358 litres, it holds barely any more than a VW Polo, whereas the likes of the Renault Captur and Dacia Duster have vastly more luggage space. There’s also a relatively high load lip, which makes it awkward to get heavier items in. There is space for baby buggies, though, and the back seats fold flat to open up 1,170 litres, although the seat backs don’t lie fully flat. 

The Citroen C4 Cactus could be hugely economical though, living up to the Cactus billing. Early models came with a choice of 1.2-litre petrol three-cylinder engines, or a 1.6-litre HDI diesel. That diesel, thanks to the Cactus’ low weight, could easily crack the 60mpg barrier, and the 1.2 petrol can easily do 45-50mpg. 

The C4 Cactus is hugely comfortable to drive, with trick suspension that makes it exceptionally smooth, especially over big urban lumps and potholes. It glides, almost like a classic Citroen, over bumpy roads. The glass in the windscreen and side windows was also specified to be slightly thicker than normal, so as to help keep noise out and that actually works very well. 

The slightly raised ride height and big windscreen gives you a good view out in town, but the rear vision isn’t so great, so it’s worth finding one fitted with the optional reversing camera. The C4 Cactus’ light steering makes easy work of tight parking spaces, and it’s actually quite a compact car overall.

If you want the highest technical specification, find a Flair model, which came with lots of extra equipment, although in all models the touchscreen is obstructively difficult to use. 

It’s a quirky car, the Citroen C4 Cactus, especially the earlier models, but that quirkiness gives it a character that others lack, and it’s a stylish alternative to mainstream small SUVs. 

What to look for when buying a used Citroen C4 Cactus

While Citroen has seriously gotten on top of its reliability game — hence an impressive fifth place finish, out of 32 brands, in the Driver Power satisfaction survey, with only 15% of owners reporting a problem with their car — there are some issues to keep an eye on with the C4 Cactus. 

The most common is the ‘wet belt’ problem for the 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engine. This sees the engine’s cambelt pass through the oil system, which can over time weaken the belt, and clog up the oil system with plastic particles. It means you need to keep a close eye on the belt for wear and tear, and preferably get it changed well ahead of the recommended schedule. 

Elsewhere, there are reports of issues with the touchscreen and the air conditioning, while the optional automatic gearbox can be troublesome. If the C4 Cactus you’re looking at has a sunroof, check for damp carpets or marks on seat upholstery, as these can leak. 

If it’s a diesel version, check the mileage. Low mileage diesels may be more prone to problems with the exhaust particulate filter.