DS is slightly higher on the automotive ladder than Citroën. Or at least, that’s what DS wants to be… The model range was quite sparse for years – with only the DS 3 Crossback and DS 7 Crossback – but now things are starting to take off. This is the new DS 4. It is no longer an eccentric cross between a hatchback and SUV like its predecessor, but a C-segmenter with a clear focus on the BMW 1-series and Mercedes A-class.
DS 4 as a hatchback and as a crossover-like
And as it is nowadays, the DS 4 is of course not just any premium middle class. According to DS, the car is an “ambitious SUV coupe” and a “traditional hatchback”. The fact is that the DS 4 comes on the market in two variants: as a five-door hatchback and as a raised, crossover-like DS 4 Cross.
DS 4 is longer than a BMW 1 series
It follows the DS design language used with the DS 3 Crossback, DS 7 Crossback and DS 9. And that means a hexagonal grille, piercing headlights, sharp creases and pinched taillights. The DS 4 is also a fairly large car, with a length of 4.4 meters, a width of 1.83 meters and a height of 1.47 meters. This makes the Frenchman 8 centimeters longer than a BMW 1-series.
Top version is a 225 hp plug-in hybrid
When the DS 4 comes on the market – only in the fourth quarter of this year – it will be available in three engine versions: with a petrol engine with 130 hp or 180 hp and as a plug-in hybrid. The latter comes to a combined power of 225 hp and can drive up to 50 kilometers fully electric on its 12.4 kWh battery. All DS 4s are equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard.
DS 4 La Première available in gray or white
The DS 4 La Première is only available as an E-Tense 225 plug-in hybrid in the colors Gloss Gray or Crystal Pearl (pearl white), with a black roof. You can recognize a La Première by its specific grille, its number 1 badge and its high-gloss black exterior accents. It stands on special 19-inch Sevilla wheels.
Interior is finished with wood and leather
In the interior, it is mostly leather that keeps the clock, with nappa leather on almost all surfaces and an edge of real ash wood here and there. The seats are finished in a watch strap structure. They have a heating, cooling and massage function. Furthermore, the DS 4 La Première – the price of which is not yet known – has a head-up display, an infotainment system with gesture control and an active chassis.