Citroen DS4 ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

We have already had a big slice of DS pie with the sporty DS3 and opulent DS5 and now it's the turn of the middle-child, the DS4. It's a bit of a confusing car in that it has raised suspension, a slick coupe-esque roofline but has five doors and plenty of bling. To find out what's what we got our hands on a top-spec DSport fitted with the most powerful diesel engine available - a 163 bhp, 2.0-litre - mated to Citroen's 6-speed auto box.

One thing's for sure, the DS4 is a striking motor. Sure from the front it reeks of C4, perhaps a little more than it should, but the rest is bespoke. The roofline is sleek and low with cleverly hidden rear door handles and neat creases over the wheel arches add interest. To really hammer the premium feel home beautifully detailed, gargantuan 19-inch Cairns alloy wheels look fab and everywhere you look splashes of brightwork contrast nicely with the Pearlescent White bodywork.

The cabin too has been given a classy makeover in its transition from everyday Citroen C4. Everywhere you look there are plush materials, lots of metallic accents and mock carbon fibre trim on the centre console. The dials too look great and you can even change the backlighting colour from grey through various shades of blue - perhaps a bit gimmicky but still a nice feature. The design itself is a little uninspiring and although everything is where you would expect it to be the steering wheel is littered with buttons.

The gorgeous watch-strap effect Habana Club leather seats on our test car really lift the impression of luxury and although they are a cost option - a snip at £590 - they are unbelievably comfortable. There's also respectable levels of room in the back although it is a very dark place to spend time. It's also a shame that form overruled function when it came to the rear doors as the windows are fixed and the opening is very narrow making getting in a bit tricky. That said it is still much easier than a three door coupe. The boot too is a useful size and shape.

Citroen is keen to emphasise that just like the DS3 the DS4's suspension and steering has been thoroughly reworked to improve handling and driver enjoyment over the C4. It seems to have worked as the DS4 has nice, progressive steering that is direct and in corners it remains composed, resists roll and grips keenly. There is certainly some fun to be had behind the wheel.

Much to our surprise - despite the 19 inch wheels - the DS4 is also very comfortable. It has a forgiving ride that cushions poor surfaces well and only becomes unsettled when riding over large manhole covers or mid-corner ruts when those wheels make themselves known. It's also refined thanks to little wind or road noise and the engine too barely makes a noise.

Packing 163 bhp PSA's 2.0 HDi diesel unit is economical and has plenty of muscle making for swift acceleration just sneaking under 10 seconds to 60 mph. It delivers its power smoothly and is wonderfully flexible. The 6-speed automatic transmission fitted to our test car is also a gem changing ratios smoothly and rarely getting confused. It makes it simple to exploit the DS4's sharper dynamics but its laid back nature always shines through.

Standard kit on our range-topping DSport is plentiful including massaging front seats, a blind spot monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors with park space gap measurement, tinted windows, dual zone climate control and sat nav. You also get a huge panoramic windscreen with visors that slide back above your head flooding the cabin with light. We would however avoid the £1,190 Denon stereo upgrade which includes a boot subwoofer as you will be hard pressed to notice the difference.

Tech Data

Price as tested: £27,960 (£24,840 excl options)
Engine: 2.0 16v 163 bhp - 0-62mph: 9.9 secs - Maximum Speed: 129 mph -
Economy: 38.2 mpg (urban) 60.1 mpg (extra-urban), 49.6 mpg (combined) - Emissions: 149 g/km (Band F) - VED (12 months): £135
Dimensions: Length: 4275 mm - Width: 1810 mm - Height: 1523 mm - Wheelbase: 2612 mm
*data from Citroen UK

DriverVIBE Verdict

We really enjoyed our time with the DS4 warming to its bold, modern styling, luxurious cabin and enjoyable on-road manners. We also found the auto box a perfect match to the HDi units strong performance adding to the refined, laid back nature of the car.

What we didn't like so much was the unimaginative cabin design with button-heavy steering wheel, claustrophobic rear seats and the high asking price.

At £24,840 - without options - it makes you wonder who will buy the top spec DSport DS4 because for the same money you could park a BMW, Audi or Mercedes on your drive. Admittedly the Citroen is infinitely more distinctive but we feel that lower trim levels would make a little more sense.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.co.uk).