Latest first drives Citroën DS4 Jul 2011
Meet the Citroën DS4: a high-riding hatchback that's part-coupé and part-crossover. Can it emulate the success of the smaller DS3?
Citroën calls the DS4 a 'four-door coupé'
What’s new?
The DS4 is the second car to emerge from Citroën’s upmarket DS sub-brand. It shares its underpinnings and most of its engines with the C4 hatchback, but adds sleeker styling, sharper handling and a more luxurious interior.
The price premium for the DS4 varies according to model, but expect to pay around 20% more than for the equivalent C4. The entry-level 1.6 VTi petrol costs £18,150, rising to just under £24,000 for the range-topping 1.6 THP petrol and 2.0 HDi diesel DSport versions.
See our review of the Citroën DS3
What’s it up against?
Citroën describes the DS4 as a ‘four-door coupé’ – a more practical alternative to the Renault Megane Coupé, Volkswagen Scirocco or soon-to-be-launched Vauxhall Astra GTC.
That extra pair of doors means the DS4 could also steal sales from mainstream hatchbacks such as the Ford Focus and Mazda 3, and even premium-badged hatches like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series.
Narrow rear window makes parking tricky
Equally, the car’s extra ground clearance (it rides around 30mm higher than the C4) means it could also appeal to crossover buyers considering the Nissan Qashqai or Mini Countryman. However, it’s worth noting that the DS4 isn’t available with four-wheel drive.
Read all our medium car reviews
Why should I buy one?
Distinctive styling is perhaps the DS4’s chief selling point. With its swooping roofline and Alfa Romeo-style hidden rear door handles, it fulfills the ‘four-door coupé’ brief without excessively compromising practicality.
The raised ride height also lends it extra road presence, especially if you opt for larger alloy wheels (up to 19in on top-spec DSport models).
Inside, the DS4 offers higher quality trim and more standard kit than the cheaper C4. As with the DS3, buyers can tailor their cars with a variety of colour and trim combinations.
And where the C4 is set up for comfort, the DS4 ticks the box marked ‘sportiness’. Its firmer suspension and a quicker steering sharpen up the handling and help compensate for that loftier centre of gravity. There’s even a flagship 200bhp 1.6 THP petrol version with a Golf GTI-rivaling 200bhp.
DS4 cabin offers better quality than the C4
Find out our verdict on the Citroën C4
What’s its Achilles’ heel?
There was a time when Citroëns were famed for their ‘magic carpet’ ride quality – not any more.
The quest for responsive handling – and perhaps a desire to distance the DS4 from the softly-sprung C4 – has left the newer car with a fidgety ride that many will find unacceptably hard.
Also, those coupé curves mean a smaller boot than the C4 (385 litres versus 408 litres) and limited rear-seat space for taller adults.
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