Two questions I asked when I first saw the Citroen Cactus C4 was ‘what’s that on the doors?’ and ‘why on earth did they name it the Cactus?’

Well, the first question is easy. The lumpy things on the doors are actually Airbumps, designed to protect your car in busy city car parks. After all, say the manufacturers, ‘Why protect your mobile phone and not your car’ - makes sense to me.

How many times have you returned to your car to find a scratch and dent on the door caused by an inattentive driver? Well, with the Cactus it can’t happen.

Built as a small SUV town car it has a style of its with a modular, chunky look. I must admit, after a week you fail to notice the panels, unlike the door scrapes which you would spot from across the other side of the car park.

Putting the bumps aside, the interior is unfussy with an open, spacious feel and provides plenty of room in the front and enough comfort for the three rear-seat passengers.
Its highly stylised dashboard, has a a 7in touch screen, which includes a reversing camera and a really accurate sat-nav, entertainment system which has Bluetooth links to mobile phones and a neat top-opening glovebox.

The cabin is bright, thanks to a full, tinted, thermally insulated panoramic glass roof, which interestingly doesn’t open or have a sliding cover. The rear passenger door windows do not wind up or down, but pop open on a folding hinge, but I was surprised to discover the space remains cool even on the sunniest of days.

The Cactus comes into its own, as you would imagine, in the city environment with nippy acceleration and easy manoeuvrability. It is smooth and performs quietly and efficiently on motorways and handles tight country lanes with ease.

Its 1.6 litre diesel engine delivers great economy which promises a combined 80.7mpg. I managed just around 70mpg, but I’m no model driver and brake too late and accelerate too quickly, so 70mpg is a great return for me. Co2 emissions are low at 92g per kilometre which qualifies it for a free road fund licence.

A final question to ask is which category is it in. The Cactus has a foot in all camps, it’s a family hatchback, a crossover and a small SUV and has the individual looks enjoyed by rivals like the Skoda Yeti or Nissan Juke. Actually, it doesn’t really matter, because at £18,090, it suits most people who want something just a little different but has quality and quirkiness abound.

Oh, and the reason for the name? I can only think, like the spikes on a cactus it wears, its protection is there for all to see.

For more about Citroen cars go to www.citroen.co.uk

Citroen Cactus Flair Blue HDi 100
Price: £18,090
Engine: 1.5 litre diesel
Transmission: Manual
0-62 mph: 10.6 seconds
Fuel economy: Urban 67.3mpg; Extra Urban 91.1mpg; Combined 80.7mpg.