DS DS 4 review

The new DS 4 is a premium hatchback, and choosing one is a bit like when you buy boutique clothing from a cool, offbeat brand instead of going to one of the big chain stores.

You see, while Mercedes, BMW and Audi are considered premium brands, the alternatives to the DS 4 – the A-Class, A3 and 1 Series – aren’t exactly unique or special. In fact, they’re some of the most popular new cars on the market.

If you’re into buying something less obvious, then, the new DS 4 is a really good buy. It does basically everything that those cars do, but wrapped up in a distinctive and elegant body that will certainly be a talking point among your neighbours.

The DS 4 can be had in three distinct flavours: there’s the standard car, which offers a classy look with lashings of chrome and cool light designs, the Premium Line, which ditches chrome for black detailing and sporty Alcantara interior trim, and the Cross, which offers an SUV-like design.

Whichever model you go for, the design is both striking and upmarket. The inside, too, makes a statement with a modern and high-tech feel mixed with traditional levels of craftsmanship and quality-feeling materials. You’ll struggle to find a more special-looking cabin at this price point, particularly as many alternatives demand you tick lots of options boxes to spec them up to the level of the DS 4.

Features found on the DS 4 that are usually the domain of more expensive models include semi-autonomous driving functions, an augmented reality head up display, night vision and DS’s camera-based ‘Active Scan’ suspension that looks at the road surface ahead to decide how each individual wheel should respond to bumps in the road.

There’s also a new infotainment system that, on models above the entry level, uses two control screens, alongside fully digital instruments. The lower screen acts as a control pad for the upper screen, allowing you to select customisable shortcuts for the features you want to access quickly rather than getting lost in various menus to find things. It takes a bit of getting used to, but can be tailored to suit your needs.

One area where the DS 4 doesn’t quite match up to rivals is cabin space. There’s no shortage of room up front, but there’s not a great deal of legroom in the rear for tall adults, and headroom is at a premium due to the sloping roofline. Still, the 430-litre boot (down to 390-litres on the hybrid model) is bigger on paper than most alternatives.

This has to be one of the nicest-looking cabins for the money. DS could show the Germans a thing or two about design.

There’s a decent choice of engines in the DS 4 range at launch. The cheapest is a 130hp 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine – we’ve yet to try it in the DS 4, but it offers decent enough performance in other similarly-sized models. If you want more overtaking punch you can opt for a 180hp or 225hp 1.6-litre petrol, while if you do lots of miles and fuel economy really matters there is a 130hp 1.5-litre diesel engine. It’s worth noting, however, that the DS 4 is inly offered with an automatic gearbox regardless of engine.

However, the DS 4 can also be had in ‘e-Tense’ plug-in hybrid form. This system, which is also found in models from sister brands Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall, mates a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined 225hp and the ability to drive up to 31 miles on electric power alone. It’s a well-proven choice that offers both strong performance and impressive economy, although keen drivers won’t find it especially thrilling, and you’ll need to plug in regularly to get anywhere near the official economy claims.

The DS 4 prioritises comfort over super sharp handling, which will be a boon if your local roads are a festival of potholes. On the whole the ride does a decent job of smothering the worst lumps and bumps, although we’d avoid the largest wheel option if you want to maximise this as it can thump over the worst potholes.

The DS 4 is refined at speed, too, although the trade off is the handling is safe and predictable rather than fun in any way. There’s some body lean when you push hard, and the steering isn’t hugely confidence inspiring. Certainly a 1 Series or A3 is more of a driver’s car, then.

Overall, the DS 4 is a desirable and likeable premium hatchback that doesn’t try to copy the German establishment, instead treading its own path. DS’s suite of high-end customer services could also put it ahead of alternatives in terms of the overall ownership experience.