The next-generation version of the Citroen C4 Cactus could ditch the chunky, funky crossover looks and instead return to a more conventional hatchback format.
Released back in 2014, the C4 Cactus was an instant hit with buyers and has been credited with helping to reinject vigour into the Citroen brand.
However, Citroen’s product planning head Xavier Peugeot told Auto Express that while the manufacturer would ensure to “keep the spirit of Cactus alive”, the next version will be very different.
It’s understood that the Cactus will revert to a more conventional hatchback design reminiscent of the standard C4 hatch, with Citroen’s new C3 Aircross and C5 Aircross models filling the crossover niche.
Citroen promises that the new Cactus will be bold in design, though it’s expected that the car’s unique Airbumps, which have cropped up on cars like the new C3 and the Aircross models, will be ditched.
The product planning boss said: “We need to avoid being prisoners of certain items such as the Airbumps, so we will play them like cards differently according to the models, the segments and the regions.”
Aside from that, not much is known about the next-gen Cactus other than it will be the first Citroen car to make full use of the manufacturer’s new Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension.
Due to replace Citroen’s ubiquitous hydropneumatic suspension, the new hydraulic cushion system aims to increase driving comfort, reduce noise but also maximise the amount of available interior space.
Currently, Citroen is keeping tight-lipped about many of the aspects of its new suspension system and on the future of the C4 Cactus, but you can expect to know more by the end of this year.