Introduction
What Car? says...
Since splitting from Citroën, DS Automobiles has set its sights on taking on the premium car brands at their own game – and the DS 4 hatchback is the latest model in its growing arsenal.
You may remember the DS 4 from when it still had a double-chevron badge on its bonnet. Frankly, it was a fairly half-hearted and disappointing thing that couldn’t really hold a candle to the competition.
There's also a 221bhp plug-in hybrid E-Tense 225 that can do shorter journeys on electric power alone, cutting your overall CO2 emissions. Every version comes fitted with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
So, the DS 4 ticks a lot of boxes on paper, but can it really trade punches with those well-established German rivals and the massed ranks of family car favourites alike?
In this review, we'll let you know how it compares with the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class, as well as mainstream family cars such as the Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen Golf.
We'll put it through its paces in important categories such as performance, practicality, economy and safety. We'll also let you know which engine and trim combination we reckon buyers should go for.
If you decide the DS 4, or any other make and model of car, is perfect for you, you could get thousands off the list price simply by searching our free What Car? New Car Buying service. It has plenty of the best family car deals.
| RRP price range | £26,350 - £43,100 |
|---|---|
| Number of trims (see all) | 9 |
| Number of engines (see all) | 5 |
| Available fuel types (which is best for you?) | hybrid, diesel, petrol |
| MPG range across all versions | 232.3 - 61.2 |
| Available doors options | 5 |
| Warranty | 3 years / 60000 miles |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £1,565 / £2,619 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £3,129 / £5,237 |
| Available colours |
