Skip advert
Advertisement

DS 4 review - French luxury hatch sets its sights on prestige rivals - DS 4 design

Fledgling luxury brand needs stronger cars than DS 4 to prosper

Evo rating
RRP
from £20,045
  • Improved ride, impressive quality and materials
  • Dull dynamics, unimpressive performance

Design

This is the DS 4’s strongest area, as it’s a lovely thing to behold. There are some idiosyncrasies, though, such as the rear side windows… which don’t open at all. Also, that curvaceous rump means the C-pillars are pretty thick, which doesn’t help with rearward visibility when driving. Nevertheless, it cuts its own stylistic path in this market and should be praised for doing so, with a dominant front end working particularly well. It manages to not look gargantuan, despite its crossover leanings.

Advertisement - Article continues below

And if DS is going to be taken seriously as a brand for the fashionistas of the world, then personalisation is key. The roof and door mirror caps of the DS 4 can be painted in contrasting colours to the body, while the alloy wheels are – for some reason – named after Australian cities: the 17-inch design is the Canberra, the 18-inch wheel is the Brisbane and the 19s are called Cairns.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Volkswagen Passat 2025 review – a breath of fresh air next to leaden EVs
Volkswagen Passat front
Reviews

Volkswagen Passat 2025 review – a breath of fresh air next to leaden EVs

Being ‘only’ 1500kg has its advantages. The latest Passat in petrol-only form reminds us ‘normal’ cars can and should be above average
16 Apr 2025
Best German cars – our high-performance favourites from the Fatherland
Best German cars
Best cars

Best German cars – our high-performance favourites from the Fatherland

If you still think Germans don’t have a sense of humour, you haven’t driven their finest performance cars. You’d be grinning from ear to ear
18 Apr 2025
Why the Vauxhall Astra should have been given a different name
Vauxhall Astra GSE
Opinion

Why the Vauxhall Astra should have been given a different name

It’s time to reassess a perennially underrated hatchback, says Porter
17 Apr 2025