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Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £18,999. Borrowing £17,099 with a £1,900 deposit at a representative APR of 11.9%.

48 monthly payments
£316.09
Fixed interest rate
11.9%
Total amount payable
£24,886.14
Cost of credit
£5,887.14
Optional final payment
£7,814.00
Purchase fee
£10.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

DS 4 buying guide

What DS 4 trim levels are there?

A lengthy and slightly complex DS 4 lineup is available to buyers, but we’ll deconstruct it for you now. The standard DS 4 range includes Bastille+, Trocadero and Rivoli, and two Performance Line trim levels. You might also come across used examples in the La Premiere launch edition spec. Then there’s the DS 4 Cross, which gets a marginally chunkier look – roof rails and scuff plates – and is also available in Trocadero and Rivoli trim levels.

All cars come with LED headlights, a 10-inch touchscreen, push-button start, rear parking sensors and cruise control. Bastille+ rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, while Trocadero and Rivoli up the size of the wheels to 19 inches. Trocadero also includes sat nav, voice recognition, a head-up display, front parking sensors, a reversing camera and auto emergency braking.

To this, Rivoli adds black leather upholstery, tinted rear windows, upgraded headlights and additional driver assistance tech – which adds up to give the DS 4 an element of self-driving capability.

Performance Line and Performance Line+ swap the upholstery for Alcantara suede and gain black exterior trim and wheels. The former comes with everything included on Bastille+ as well as front parking sensors and a reversing camera. Performance Line+ adds the fancy headlights, sat nav, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and the head-up display.

DS 4 interior and technology

Inside the DS 4, you get the impression that the French brand has tried hard to make it stand out against the A-Class and 1 Series. The suede trim that lines the dashboard and seats on the Performance Line versions feels great, and there are knurled and textured surfaces wherever you care to touch.

You get a widescreen infotainment system as standard, and a digital instrument cluster with DS’ trademark diamond graphics. The screens are cleanly integrated into the dashboard, giving you an uninterrupted view of the road ahead. Generally, the touchscreen is responsive, even if it might take you a couple of seconds to work out where everything is. Interestingly, there’s a small touchpad by the gear selector, which works as a controller for the touchscreen if you don’t want to reach that far. A long press on this screen takes you back to the home menu, while you can also use it to write letters when inputting postcodes.

DS 4 boot space and dimensions

The DS 4 is 4.4 metres long, under 1.5 metres tall and around two metres wide. Those dimensions are almost identical to the Mercedes A-Class, but DS has managed to pack in a little more space. Legroom is fine, while headroom is good unless you’re considerably taller than average. It’s not particularly roomy for three adults across the rear seats, but neither is an A-Class.

Behind the rear seats, the DS 4’s boot space is a little bigger than an equivalent A-Class, 1 Series or Audi A3. Petrol and diesel versions offer 430 litres – matching a Peugeot 2008 or Range Rover Evoque – while the E-Tense hybrids aren’t too far behind at 390 litres. That’s 80 litres more than the A-Class plug-in hybrid.

DS 4 engine range explained

DS 4 1.2 PureTech 130 petrol

As an entry-level option, the DS 4 has a 130hp 1.2-litre petrol engine that’s also used in cars like the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208. Here, it’s attached to an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard (all engines are), and provides a best-case fuel economy figure of 48.6mpg – not bad for a petrol car. Acceleration is respectable with 0-62mph taking 10.4 seconds.

DS 4 1.6 PureTech 180 petrol

A more powerful 1.6-litre petrol engine is available on higher-spec trim levels, and tips the scales more towards performance while still offering decent fuel economy. This engine knocks nearly 2.5 seconds off the 1.2’s 0-62mph time and returns up to 44mpg. With DS’ more premium positioning, we think this engine is a better choice for the DS 4 if you can afford the slightly higher running costs than the 1.2.

DS 4 1.6 PureTech 225 petrol

This engine has a little more power than the 180hp version, but doesn’t offer any benefits when it comes to acceleration or fuel economy. By all means choose it if it’s featured in a used car that you’re looking at, but don’t discount the 180hp engine as the two are so similar.

DS 4 1.6 E-Tense 225 plug-in hybrid

Matching the power and acceleration time of the 225 petrol, the E-Tense plug-in hybrid adds a 12.4kWh battery to the powertrain. This enables a fully electric driving range of up to 38 miles and, if you drive in the right way, you can see more than 200mpg.

DS 4 1.5 BlueHDi 130 diesel

Long-distance DS 4 drivers might be best off with the sole diesel engine. It isn’t quick but offers the best fuel economy of the purely fuelled cars, with an official figure of 61.2mpg.

FAQs

The current DS 4 is the second-generation model, and went on sale in the UK in 2021 – three years after the quirky first-gen DS 4 went off sale. There are a wide range of trim levels on the current car, including Performance Line versions that ape Audi’s S Line and BMW’s M Sport trims, and Cross versions with a slightly SUV-like design.

For the best blend of performance and economy, we’d pick the 1.6 PureTech 180 petrol engine. If you’d like the ability to drive solely on electric power around town or on your commute, go for the E-Tense plug-in hybrid.

Yes, the DS 4 would work well as a family car – as long as cars like the Mercedes A-Class and Audi A3 are also roughly the size of car you’re looking for. The DS 4 has a good amount of rear-seat space and a larger boot than its main rivals. At 430 litres, the boot is big enough for a weekly shop, a large pushchair or several suitcases. If you need a big family car, check out the larger DS 7 SUV.

The DS 4 isn’t directly made by Citroen but it uses a lot of the same parts as you’ll find in Citroen cars. DS started as an off-shoot of Citroen but now both brands are under the Stellantis umbrella, which means there are similarities with Peugeot and Vauxhall products, too. It’s built in an Opel (Vauxhall) factory in Germany.

Petrol DS 4s can achieve up to 48mpg (1.2-litre engine) or 44mpg (1.6-litre engines), while the diesel DS 4 is able to return 61mpg. On paper, the plug-in hybrid DS 4 E-Tense is the most efficient, promising over 200mpg, but this completely depends on you driving short distances and using the battery power as much as possible.

As it’s still quite a new car, it’s hard to say definitively whether the DS 4 is a reliable car or not. But its engines and many of its parts are used in a huge range of cars, none of which are known for being unreliable. If you’re at all worried, consider purchasing an extended warranty with your DS.

Yes, the DS 4 is a good car and is well worth checking out if you’re after a premium hatchback. It boasts eye-catching styling, a high-tech interior, solid practicality and an accomplished driving experience.