The quirky Citroën brand we all knew and loved is making a comeback of sorts with the all-new and very different C4 Cactus crossover that was officially revealed today, following a set of leaked photos on Tuesday, and ahead of the compact model’s world premiere at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in March.

Citroen says the C4 Cactus, which has remained remarkably close to last year’s concept car, offers “a real alternative to the traditional compact hatchback” with the car heralding the brand’s new approach to automotive design that places more focus on “design, comfort, useful technology and reduced ownership costs”.

We’ll begin our analysis with the C4 Cactus’ exterior design that has a funky, conceptual vibe to it, aided by the available vibrant colors and the striking ‘Air Bump’ side panels that are offered in four colors (Black, Grey, Dune and Chocolate), and which incorporate air capsules to absorb impacts and hence, reduce vehicle repair costs.

The same feeling is continued in the interior, which is simple yet modern looking and equipped. The French firm says its first priority was to “create more space for the driver and passengers, and to de-clutter the cabin to provide a friendlier, more relaxing environment”.

As such, the C4 Cactus comes with a sofa-style front seat bench and an optimized dashboard layout with storage compartments, with Citroen adding that the Cactus offers the same amount of rear passenger space as the C4 hatch, with more compact exterior dimensions. The boot capacity for the crossover model is 358 liters.

The seat upholstery, door trim and dashboard will come in a choice of three colors, named Stone Grey, Purple Highlight and Habana Highlight.

Other notable features inside include the ‘Easy Push’ button system that replaces the conventional automatic lever on models fitted with Citroen’s Efficient Tronic Gearbox (ETG), a standard 7-inch touchscreen for the infotainment and air-conditioning systems, and a fully digital instrument panel behind the steering wheel.

The compact model is 4,160mm (163.8 inches) long, 1,480mm (58.2 inches) tall and 1,730mm (68.1 inches) wide, riding on a 2,600mm (102.4 inches) wheelbase, and featuring very short front and rear overhangs. It’s smaller than the your usual compact hatch but marginally bigger than the Fiat 500L.

Citroen based the C4 Cactus on its Platform 1, found on the latest Citroën C3 and Peugeot 208 models. According to the French carmaker, the C4 Cactus tips the scales at a lightweight 965kg (2,127 pounds), or 200kg (441 pounds) less than the C4 hatchback.

While this was not mentioned in Citroen’s release, Autocar magazine reported that the low base weight was partially achieved because the French firm engineered it for a vehicle that will have a maximum top speed of 118mph (190km/h), which reduced the need for stronger and heavier chassis components (i.e. suspension), brakes, and even cooling systems.

The availability of small displacement engines also helps, as the C4 Cactus will initially be offered with a 81bhp 1.0-liter three-cylinder turbocharged petrol, an e-THP 108bhp, a 91bhp eHDI diesel and a 99 bhp BlueHDI diesel that consumes 3.1l/100km (equal to 75.9mpg US / 91.1mpg UK) and emits 82g/km of CO2. Further details about the car’s powertrains are to be announced in Geneva.

By John Halas

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