Behold the latest attempt by DS to convince us French premium hatchbacks are an actual thing. It’s the DS 4.
Because it doesn’t directly replace anything, it’s easiest to understand its size and price by asking DS what cars are rivals to the 4. DS people reply it’s hatches including the Audi A3, plus the lower-slung crossovers like the Lexus UX, BMW X2 and Mercedes GLA.
In an attempt to cover both hatch and crossoveresque bases, it comes in two style options. The straight DS 4 (the white car here) and the DS 4 Cross (orange).
The Cross has more visible black plastic protection around the lower body, and roof rails. But it doesn’t sit any higher up or run different suspension. That said, it does add a slippery-surface traction control and hill descent control. So it’s marginally better cut out for meandering just a little way off-tarmac.
As with the DS 3 and DS 7, the 4’s designers didn’t try any too hard to restrain themselves. This is a car of busy detail and texture. But to our eyes it’s a lot more handsome than the 7, because the 4’s surfaces are tauter and the proportions improved.
The improved proportions are a benefit of a heavily titivated version of the Group’s mid-to-large platform. This has larger wheels, better-contained front overhang and an altered bulkhead allowing the bonnet to be lower and flatter.
The DS 4 brings all the tech innovation of the DS 7 to this more compact class, and point of fact improves on much of it. Especially the driver-assist systems.
The DS 7’s active scan suspension, which uses image processing from a camera to prepare the dampers for upcoming bumps, is also optional. Which sounds clever, good, but never quite delivered in our experience.
Clasp the pop-out door handles and you’re into what’s in some ways a typical DS environment. Lots of glinting knurled metalwork, and soft puffy stitched leather.
And screens. DS has always done screens, and frankly they’ve been a bit gimmicky in their graphics. This time there’s a big increase in function. And, it seems, not too much extra weight of gimmickiness.
The main central screen does most of the heavy lifting. Which of course could result in a lot of finger-jabbing and menu-diving and general eyes-off-road time. To ease that, another small touchscreen acts as a shortcut device. It’s down on the console where you can brace your hand, and the simple inputs mean you don’t need to look at it.
It accepts swipe gestures in any one of eight directions (up/down/left/right plus the four diagonals), and can assign each of those to your own most useful shortcuts. A significant phone number or two, destinations, particular car setups, radio stations, whatevs. You can also use that pad to write letters on, speeding up destination entry. And pinch-zoom the map.
Meanwhile in the driver’s field of view is the kind of large, clear and configurable HUD that’s rarely seen on cars this price. It also displays the optional infra-red night vision.
All DS 4s will have automatic transmissions. A plug-in hybrid will be a strong seller – it has 225bhp total and about 30 miles WLTP electric range. Cherish the simplicity of life without electric augmentation? OK, you’ve got a choice of 130bhp, 180bhp and 225bhp petrol, and a diesel.
The heavily revised platform is, says DS, much stronger than before (before includes the DS 7 and the DS 9), has better underfloor aerodynamics and is significantly stronger for crash-protection, without adding any weight.
Unlike the bigger DSs, the 4 always has a torsion-beam rear axle not the multi-link. Boo. Also, the platform is able to be configured as a full-electric car, even though no such version of the DS 4 is on the immediate horizon.
So DS will bring out two new cars this year, the 9 saloon, which is built in China. It’s clearly more the kind of thing they buy there, and won’t sell many here. The 4 on the other hand is built in Opel’s German factory and is clearly better aimed at European buyers.
Even with just the DS 3 and DS 7, the brand managed to overtake Lexus for sales in Western Europe and is closing in on Alfa Romeo. The Germans are still miles ahead but DS is gaining traction and the 4 should ease it along some more.
