Citroen’s latest creation, the C4 Cactus is in their own words ‘playing with design’ and is a complete revelation that bears no resemblance to anything we have seen before.

It arrived in Citroen showrooms at the weekend and was officially launched in the Dublin docklands on Monday.

Its stand-out feature and main talking point is its unique Airbump pads that protect the doors from ugly scratch marks but there is a lot more to it other than what you see on the surface. Fitted to the front and rear doors, the tough air-filled thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) capsules protect against minor bumps and scrapes. Airbump panels require no specific maintenance and reduce the stress and expense associated with car park dings and dents – cutting service and repair costs over the lifetime of the car.  

Based on the platform of the DS 3, the Cactus is aimed at those who want to stand out from the crowd and catches the eye instantly. It may look a little radical to some but Citroen are offering the Cactus at a reasonable price, starting at just €17,795 rising to €23,845 for the top of the range model. There are three petrol and two diesel versions with the second stage Feel versions likely to be the main sellers in Ireland.

Standard in all models, the fully digital Touch Drive interface features a 7-inch touchscreen to control all the main vehicle functions, including; - Automatic air conditioning, Media (DAB radio, audio streaming, mobile connections, music and photo storage), Navigation (map view, speed limit display, fuel-efficient routing), Driving Aids (reversing camera, Park Assist, speed limiter/cruise control), Telephone (hands-free via Bluetooth, contacts, call management) and Vehicle Settings.

There’s a lot to like about the new C4 Cactus and while many will look twice before they will form an opinion about the looks, Citroen designers deserve to be lauded for their bravery in stepping outside the box.