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

De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1992) review – the forgotten 1980s supercar
De Tomaso Pantera
Reviews

De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1992) review – the forgotten 1980s supercar

The Pantera is an oft-forgotten, much-misunderstood supercar. Driving the rare GT5-S version shows it deserves its place among the greats
15 Sep 2026
Dodge Charger review – it’s fun, but is it still a Ford Mustang rival?
Dodge Charger Sixpack
Reviews

Dodge Charger review – it’s fun, but is it still a Ford Mustang rival?

One of the last muscle cars standing hedges its bets with a choice of pure ICE and pure electric power. We drive both
17 Sep 2026
Rocketeer Mazda MX-5 NC offers V6 power for less than a new 1.5
Rocketeer Mazda MX-5 NC
News

Rocketeer Mazda MX-5 NC offers V6 power for less than a new 1.5

Rocketeer’s turned its genius to the maligned NC MX-5 and created what’s sure to be a sweetheart of a V6 sports car
17 Sep 2026