Citroen will drop the C4 hatchback from its range and doesn’t plan a direct replacement up until 2020, leaving temporarily the C4 Cactus as the sole player in the compact segment.

That’s why the French car-maker made the extra effort and significantly re-engineered the Cactus, making it the first European model to come fitted with its new hydraulic suspension, as it targets now to a much wider audience.

An all-new replacement for the C4 hatchback won’t be ready up until 2020 or 2021 while the new C4 Cactus will be launched in Europe at the start of 2018.

“The current C4 is a seven-year-old design and we had to make a decision. We will stop production and the C4 Cactus will take its place,” said Xavier Peugeot, product planning boss to Autocar.

Apart from the new hydraulic suspension, the new C4 Cactus comes with 80 percent new body panels and a more premium front end with extra bits of chrome. Citroen has also added new optional seats that are filled with high-density foam for even more comfort.

“We are talking here about 21st-century comfort in suspension and seats. But it is more than that, Citroën is about well-being and peace of mind,” said Citroën boss Linda Jackson.

CITROEN C4

CITROEN C4 CACTUS