Taking the C4 to another level

The DS4's major selling point will be style. 'The DS4 is more outspoken, more daring and more luxurious than the C4,' says Jean-Michelle Marmiesse, the product manager for both cars.

'We analysed the coupe and hatchback markets very carefully. Our hatchback customers wanted the looks of a coupe but the practicality of a saloon.'

The rear door handles are hidden in the window surrounds, a trick first employed by Alfa Romeo to try to disguise a saloon as a coupe. With its rakish good looks, you could believe the DS4 is a coupe if you don't scrutinise the tight shutlines around the rear doors too carefully.

The sweeping roofline means access to the rear is worse than in the C4 and there's less head- and kneeroom once you're on board, even though the DS4 is a wider car.

Given that the C4 is merely average for space in the back, this does not bode well for the DS4's practicality. It does have a large split-level boot, however, and the rear seats fold in conventional hatchback fashion if you need a bit more space.

The range structure is likely to echo that of the DS3, Citroen's sporty hatchback, with DSign, DStyle and DSport trim options. Citroen promises there will be an extensive list of luxury and personalisation features that buyers can add, including a choice of five leathers, massaging seats and blind-spot monitoring.

Take a closer look
Get closer to the Citroen DS4 by having an intimate look around its dashboard. Simply click on the icon in the bottom right corner of the photo below, then move your cursor around the photo for a closer look.

Click the 'magnify' icon in the bottom right corner of the image: then use your cursor to navigate around the photo.