Introduced approximately seven months ago, the DS 4 arrives with renewed ambitions and willing to face the “almighty” German trio, which is as if to say: Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
With an image that is halfway between the traditional five-door hatchback and an SUV coupé, the new DS 4 has in its bold (but elegant…) image one of its main assets, to which it also adds very strong proportions and a very good interior. exquisite. In addition to this, it maintains a diversified offer, which includes gasoline, diesel and even plug-in hybrid engines.
But do the DS 4's big ambitions come true on the road? Do you have what it takes to face the “German armada”? We've already driven it in the E-Tense version and we've shown you everything in Reason Automobile's latest YouTube video:
And the “blame” is… EMP2!
The starting point for this new DS 4 was the reformulated EMP2 (V3) platform, the same one we found in the “brothers” Peugeot 308 and Opel Astra. And this allowed to obtain quite different proportions, which together with the very aggressive exterior lines make this DS 4 not go unnoticed anywhere.
With a width of 1.87 m (with the side mirrors retracted), the DS 4 is the widest model in the segment and this is clearly visible in live, with this French model showing a strong presence. But all this width also makes itself felt in the interior, where the DS 4 gives a very good account of itself.
In the rear seats, headroom is very satisfying, as is knee room. But even more interesting was noticing that the very low roof line did not negatively affect access to the cabin.
At the back, in the trunk, the DS 4 is well above its main rivals: the combustion engine versions have a capacity of 439 liters; plug-in hybrid versions “offer” 390 liters of cargo.
Interior… luxury!
Respecting the best DS Automobiles tradition, this new DS 4 presents itself with a very wide range of finishes, where leather and wood stand out, as well as Alcantara and forged carbon from the Performance Line versions, which are the ones that have more responsibilities of the sporting chapter.
Common to all versions is the fact that the cabin is very oriented towards the driver, who is always the protagonist of the whole action. The front seats — with electric controls and pneumatically adjustable lumbar support — are real seats and together with the compact steering wheel (but with a rather thick handle) create a very satisfying driving position.
The build quality is at a very good level (even though the units we drive are still pre-production) and the careful choice of materials and finishes is noticeable from the first moment we sit behind the wheel of this DS 4 , which also offers a wide range of technology.
Ahead of the driver, behind the steering wheel, there is a digital instrument panel and the DS Extended Head-up Display, which creates the illusion that the information is projected onto the road and not on the windshield, in an area that is equivalent to — according to DS — to a “screen” with 21”. Not only is it larger than we are used to, but it also has very simple graphics and reading.
Less impressive is the DS Smart Touch solution, a small touchscreen in the center console that allows us to control some functions of the 10” multimedia screen, which is an important evolution compared to the previous proposals of the French brand. It still has many menus and sub-menus, but it's much easier and faster to use.
And the engines?
The adoption of the latest version of the EMP2 platform allowed this DS 4 to offer a wide range of engines, which includes three gasoline engines — PureTech 130 hp, PureTech 180 hp and PureTech 225 hp — and a 130 hp BlueHDi Diesel block . All these versions are associated with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
In the plug-in hybrid version, which we drove during this first contact in the outskirts of Paris (France), the DS 4 E-Tense 225 combines a four-cylinder PureTech petrol engine with 180 hp with a 110 hp electric motor hp and a 12.4 kWh lithium-ion battery, for an autonomy in electric mode of up to 55 km (WLTP).
In this electrified version, and thanks to 225 hp of combined power and 360 Nm of maximum torque, the DS 4 is able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7s and reach 233 km/h of top speed.
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Range in Portugal
The DS 4 range on the Portuguese market is made up of three variants: DS 4, DS 4 CROSS and DS 4 Performance Line, each of these versions can be associated with different levels of equipment.In the case of the DS 4, you can count on four levels of equipment: BASTILLE +, TROCADERO and RIVOLI, as well as a special limited edition LA PREMIÈRE launch; The DS 4 CROSS is only available in TROCADERO and RIVOLI levels; Finally, the DS 4 Performance Line, whose name already refers to the only available level.
DS 4 LA PREMIÈRE
Available in three engines (E-TENSE 225, PureTech 180 EAT8 and PureTech 225 EAT8), the LA PREMIÈRE version marks the top of the range of the DS 4 and presents itself as a limited edition launch.
Based on the RIVOLI equipment level, LA PREMIÈRE includes an OPERA Brown Criollo leather interior and several gloss black exterior accents. The original “1” logo, exclusive to LA PREMIÈRE, stands out.
This limited edition is available in two colors, Crystal Pearl and Lacquered Grey, the latter with built-in door handles in the same color as the bodywork.
And the prices?
| Version | Motorization | power (cv) | CO2 emissions (g/km) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DS 4 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 Bastille+ | Gasoline | 130 | 136 | €30,000 |
| DS 4 1.5 BlueHDi 130 EAT8 Bastille + | Diesel | 130 | 126 | €33 800 |
| DS 4 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 Performance Line | Gasoline | 130 | 135 | €33 000 |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 180 EAT8 Performance Line | Gasoline | 180 | 147 | €35,500 |
| DS 4 1.5 BlueHDi 130 EAT8 Performance Line | Diesel | 130 | 126 | 36 800 € |
| DS 4 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 Trocadero | Gasoline | 130 | 135 | 35 200 € |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 180 EAT8 Trocadero | Gasoline | 180 | 146 | €37,700 |
| DS 4 1.5 BlueHDi 130 EAT8 Trocadero | Diesel | 130 | 126 | 39 000 € |
| DS 4 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 Trocadero CROSS | Gasoline | 130 | 136 | €35 900 |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 180 EAT8 Trocadero CROSS | Gasoline | 180 | 147 | 38 400 € |
| DS 4 1.5 BlueHDi 130 EAT8 Trocadero CROSS | Diesel | 130 | 126 | €39,700 |
| DS 4 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 Rivoli | Gasoline | 130 | 135 | 38 600 € |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 180 EAT8 Rivoli | Gasoline | 180 | 147 | 41 100 € |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 225 EAT8 Rivoli | Gasoline | 225 | 149 | €43 700 |
| DS 4 1.5 BlueHDi 130 EAT8 Rivoli | Diesel | 130 | 126 | 42 400 € |
| DS 4 1.2 PureTech 130 EAT8 Rivoli CROSS | Gasoline | 130 | 136 | 39,300 € |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 180 EAT8 Rivoli CROSS | Gasoline | 180 | 148 | €41 800 |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 225 EAT8 Rivoli CROSS | Gasoline | 225 | 149 | €44,400 |
| DS 4 1.5 BlueHDi 130 EAT8 Rivoli CROSS | Diesel | 130 | 127 | 43 100 € |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 180 EAT8 La Première | Gasoline | 180 | 147 | 46 100 € |
| DS 4 1.6 PureTech 225 EAT8 La Première | Gasoline | 225 | 148 | €48,700 |
| DS 4 E-TENSE 225 Bastille+ | PHEV | 225 | 30 | 38 500 € |
| DS 4 E-TENSE 225 Performance Line | PHEV | 225 | 30 | €41,500 |
| DS 4 E-TENSE 225 Trocadero | PHEV | 225 | 30 | €43 700 |
| DS 4 E-TENSE 225 Trocadero CROSS | PHEV | 225 | 29 | €44,400 |
| DS 4 E-TENSE 225 Rivoli | PHEV | 225 | 30 | 47 100 € |
| DS 4 E-TENSE 225 Rivoli CROSS | PHEV | 225 | 29 | 47 800 € |
| DS 4 E-TENSE 225 La Première | PHEV | 225 | 30 | €51 000 |