DS No 4 review

You’ve probably heard of the song Mambo No 5 and the perfume Chanel No 5. Well, now there’s the...er…DS No 4. Yep, that naming policy has ruined what would’ve been the perfect intro, but never mind. 

The No 4 name has been introduced as part of a recent facelift – the model was previously known as the DS 4. Other changes include a fresh front end and a new 10.25in driver’s display. There’s also a new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version. 

What’s stayed the same is the model’s goal of tempting buyers away from the premium-badged heavyweights. The Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class are very popular family cars, and DS considers them the No 4’s main competition.

We believe most people will be best off with the DS No 4’s 134bhp mild-hybrid petrol engine, called the Hybrid Automatic. It delivers acceleration that’s fine for any situation but, as the somewhat mild 0-62mph time of 10.4sec suggests, it’s not as punchy as some rivals. For instance, the Audi A3 is quicker, even if you settled for the entry-level engine. The BMW 1 Series comes with a punchy 1.5-litre engine straight off the bat, delivering 0-62mph in just 7.8sec.   

To outrun the 1 Series, you’ll want the Plug-In Hybrid 225. Its 1.6-litre petrol engine and electric motor totals 221bhp and allows for 0-62mph in 7.4sec. You also get up to 50 miles of official electric range. 

Mind you, company car drivers are likely to be swayed more by the Audi A3 TFSIe, because it has a 88-mile official range and, as such, sits in a lower BIK tax band. Mind you, the 1 Series lacks a PHEV variant and the Mercedes A-Class PHEV has been discontinued. What’s more, at least the No 4 can fight back with its fully electric version – the DS No 4 E-Tense – which is something those German rivals lack. 

What the German rivals do have are good driving experiences, particularly the A3. It’s agile and sharp to drive yet comfortable and quiet. The No 4, on the other hand, is a bit of a mixed bag. 

The relatively soft suspension makes for a generally supple and comfortable ride. However, unlike the A3, there’s a small fidgeting sensation and sharp abrasions which trip it up, sometimes sending a thwack through to the interior and jostling you around in your seat.

What’s more, while the No 4 is a safe and secure handler, no matter how it’s driven, it much prefers a relaxed driving style. Push on and you’ll notice that body lean is more pronounced than it is in the more planted A3. The steering is less consistent with its weighting as well, and you generally feel less connected to the front wheels. 

At motorway speeds, there’s some wind noise to deal with. Nevertheless, on the whole, this is a hushed cruiser – generating less road noise than the A3 in S-Line trim. 

“I appreciate the variety in the engine range but I don’t see any of the available options as class-leading.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

The DS No 4's interior really puts on a show. It's curvy and very uncluttered, with the few buttons that do exist, such as the window switches on the driver’s door and the physical controls for the air-conditioning, blending seamlessly into the design.

This style is met with a good amount of substance, thanks to an extensive use of soft-touch materials. Build quality is largely solid as well. Overall, the No 4’s interior has a plush feel befitting of its premium billing, but just be aware that as soon as you bring in rivals like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series you’ll find that they’re even classier inside. 

There’s plenty of adjustment in the driving position and, next to those German rivals, you sit slightly higher up, helping give you a good view ahead. Rear visibility isn’t quite as good because of the large rear pillars that restrict the view when you look over your shoulder. Fortunately, all versions get front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera to help with manoeuvring.

A 10.25in digital driver's display is standard on all versions and shows key information clearly and precisely. On the Étoile trim, it’s supported by a large head-up display that projects your speed onto the windscreen and can be configured to show sat-nav directions.

The DS No 4’s 10in infotainment touchscreen has reasonable clarity but takes a while to respond to inputs, and the icons are rather small, which makes them tricky to hit on the move. There’s also no handy dedicated climate panel like there is in the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class. A DAB radio, sat-nav, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, and Bluetooth connectivity are standard across the DS No 4 range. 

“While plush up top, some of the scratchy plastics lower down reminded me of cheaper Stellantis-owned brands such as Citroën.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

There's lots of leg and shoulder room in the front of the DS No 4. However, it's best to avoid the optional sunroof if you're tall because it reduces head room.

Despite the minimalist dashboard design, you’ll find plenty of storage spaces, including a covered cubby containing two cupholders, a USB port and a place for your phone.

There's also a small recess in front of the armrest for your keys and a deep bin inside the armrest itself. The door pockets aren’t the largest, but you’ll still be able to fit a small drinks bottle in there.

Sadly, rear space isn’t that generous, and six-footers will wish they had more knee room. There's a good amount of space under the front seats for their feet, which alleviates the issue a little, but head room is disappointing, especially if the optional sunroof is fitted.

The DS No 4 has a ski hatch in the back seats so you can feed long items between two passengers. The seat backs split and fold down in a 60/40, which is not as versatile as the 40/20/40 split in the Audi A3, Mercedes A-Class and (if you pay extra) the BMW 1 Series. 

The No 4 does at least have a bigger boot than those cars. At 430 litres, you get more space than if you were to buy an A3 (380 litres), A-Class (355 litres) or 1 Series (300 litres). There’s one caveat to be aware of, though, and that’s that if you choose the PHEV, boot space drops to 390 litres – this is due to space being taken up by the battery.  

“I found the ski hatch handy for passengers wanting to reach and grab something out of the boot.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

The entry-level DS No 4 will cost you a bit more than an Audi A3 and is roughly on par with the Mercedes A-Class and BMW 1 Series. That said, all of those rivals are expected to hold their value better.

We believe private buyers will be best off with the Hybrid Automatic. It’s punchy enough and has a good official fuel economy figure of 54.3mpg. Company car users should look at the Plug-In Hybrid 225. Like we said, though, its somewhat average 50-mile range means BIK tax payments will cost you more than they will with the A3 TFSIe (due to its 88-mile range).  

We’d stick with entry-level Pallas+ to keep the cost down. Plus, it comes with kit including keyless entry and start, two-zone automatic air conditioning, automatic windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, acoustic laminated side windows and a rear armrest. You also get a ChatGPT-enchanced voice command system. 

Étoile is too pricey to recommend, but it adds a head-up display and a different style of 19in alloy wheel. There’s also the Étoile Nappa Leather which, as you might have guessed, is like Étoile trim but with Nappa Leather on the seats and other parts of the interior. It also gets electric adjustment for the seats and a heated steering wheel as standard. 

The DS No 4 was absent from our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey and unfortunately the brand of DS was absent as well. Mind you, if something were to go wrong, every DS is covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. That’s near-enough on a par with the cover Audi, BMW and Mercedes offer.

The No 4 (then the DS 4) scored four stars for safety when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2022, but received five stars in Étoile trim, which includes extra safety equipment – blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.

“I think it needs to undercut all the German rivals to really make a case for itself.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Buy it if…

- You want a classy interior with a Paris-inspired design 

- You sway towards comfort instead of sportiness

- You’d like an above-average boot

Don’t buy it…

- You want a roomy interior

- You want a class-leading PHEV electric range

- You want a first-rate driving experience

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