After the success of Citroën’s DS3 who could blame Citroën for wishing to offer the same stylish and individual qualities further up the range. Enter the new DS4, Citroën’s offering in the VW Golf, Alfa Romeo Giulietta, BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 Sportback segment.

Citroën say, “DS4 combines head-turning good looks with an unrivalled driving experience – both fundamental to the DNA of the DS line…” and “By abandoning the norms of conventional design, Citroën have created a pioneering and singularly desirable addition to the DS range. Designed first and foremost as a sleek coupé, but with 5-door flexibility and a commanding, raised stance, DS4 takes ‘Créative Technologie’ to a whole new level. DS4 is dominant, confident and powerful – a perfect sequel to the multi-award winning DS3.”

Despite its semi-coupé looks the DS4 provides 3 full-size rear seats, accessed via seamlessly integrated rear doors with handles encased in the car’s extended window frames. The cabin is comfortable and beautifully appointed, creating a premium feel. The interior exudes a sense of status and finesse through meticulous attention to detail. From the carefully tailored acoustics to the premium cabin materials, DS4 projects an air of confidence and sophistication. The drilled aluminium pedals, embossed door handles and a choice of five leather combinations complete the opulent atmosphere.

This is the kind of confident and chic style that made Citroën such a desirable brand… back in the day.

Quality, ambience and a premium feel

The DS4 is a car of compact dimensions – 4.27m in length, 1.81m wide and 1.53m in height – with a sizeable 359-litre boot which can be increased to 385-litres (VDA), using the under floor storage compartment.

In keeping with Citroën’s focus on ‘Créative Technologie’, the interior is home to a range of clever storage solutions for maximum convenience. The cabin design includes a raised centre console (available on models fitted with EGS) with a cooled, illuminated and protected compartment that holds up to four 50-cl bottles and houses a connectivity area with a USB port and a 12-volt socket.

The onboard ambience is created by DS4’s meticulous soundproofing, which is comparable to models in the segment above. DS4 offers the opportunity to personalise the onboard ambience with a range of polyphonic sound themes. The colour of the dials and the instrument cluster can also be changed to further refine the driving experience.

Engine

Citroën’s new DS4 is powered by a range of five Euro 5 compliant engines, delivering refined performance with optimised fuel and CO2 efficiency. There are two diesels – HDi 110 and HDi 160 -and three petrol units that were co-developed with BMW – VTi 120, THP 155 and a new THP 200.

The spirited THP 200 delivers a top speed of 146mph and 0-62mph time of 8.5 seconds. Extremely efficient, this engine returns an impressive 44.1mpg over a combined cycle with low CO2 emissions of just 149g/km.

The HDi 110 is also available as an e-HDi version. Citroën’s innovative micro-hybrid technology, with second generation Stop & Start, boosts fuel economy by up to 15% in city driving conditions and lowers the model’s official CO2 emissions to just 114g/km.

One of the safest vehicles in its class, DS4 has been awarded a maximum 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating with a 97% score in the ‘Safety Assist’ category. An extensive range of safety features are available as standard, including ESP with Intelligent Traction Control, ABS with EBD and EBA, six airbags and two Isofix mountings on the rear seats.

DS4 has also received the Euro NCAP Advanced award for its innovative eTouch Emergency & Assistance system. Other safety enhancing technology includes programmable cruise control with speed limiter and Citroën’s new blind-spot monitoring system.

Prices and availability

When the DS4 officially goes on sale it will carry one of three signatures – DSign, DStyle and DSport.

The range starts at just £18,150 for the VTi 120 manual DSign whilst the range-topping petrol THP 200 6-speed manual DSport is priced at £23,650. Alternatively, the HDi 160 6-speed manual DSport is priced at £23,950.

Customers can pre-order now, with first deliveries from the official ‘on sale’ date of 4 July 2011.

And finally…

The Italians have there own unique way of interpreting Citroën’s brand values for the DS4, just contrast the following advert with the one you’ve just viewed above. The response to this video has been less than ideal with 73% of the sentiment being negative, but at least the final 10 seconds show off the DS4’s design in a favourable light…

At a Glance

  ENGINE CO2 (g/km) MRR OTR PRICE
 
DSign VTi 120 manual 144 £18,150
HDi 110 6-speed manual 122 £19,445
DStyle VTi 120 manual * 144 £20,150
THP 155 EGS6 149 £21,450
HDi 110 6-speed manual * 122 £21,445
e-HDi 110 Airdream EGS6 * 114 £22,145
HDi 160 6-speed manual  * 134 £22,950
DSport THP 200 6-speed manual 149 £23,650
HDi 160 6-speed manual 134 £23,950

Gallery

citroen coupe ds3 DS4 DS5 dynamic french funky