A New, Probably Less Quirky Citroen C4 Cactus Is On The Way

While the focus for Car Throttle may mostly be fast, exciting things, the Citroen C4 Cactus is one of those ‘normal’ cars we really dig. Thanks to some smart choices made during development it’s seriously light, with some of the earlier models weighing under a tonne. It’s a very different shape to all its competitors, and how can you not love the air bumps?

Unfortunately, though, Citroen seems to have decided it was just a little too quirky. The air bumps were ditched when it was time for the facelift, and its replacement - spotted undergoing cold weather testing - is set to tone down the Gallic idiosyncracies even further.

The new model will replace both the C4 Cactus and the regular C4 hatchback. It’ll be (try your best to suppress a hearty sigh) a ‘coupe-inspired’ SUV. Also, the expectation is for the ‘Cactus’ moniker to be dropped.

The car will be built on PSA’s Common Modular Platform (CMP) architecture, which also underpins the Peugeot 2008. Judging by the engine line-up for that car, the C4 will likely be offered with a 1.2-litre petrol in three different outputs, a 1.5-litre diesel with two available power levels, and a fully electric powertrain.

To give you an idea of how the electric C4 might shape up, the e 2008 has a 50kWh battery pack, a 132bhp motor. The range for Peugeot’s CMP EV crossover is just under 200 miles.

Given the current situation, there’s a bit of question mark over when we’ll see the car in full, but the C4 should still sneak in its debut before 2020 is out, before launching in 2021.