On the road: WHEN it comes to style, perhaps only the Italians outshine the French. While the head might sometimes take a back seat in their automotive design, the heart is right there at the forefront.
The DS4 is a case in point. A family hatch with coupe-style looks, but which falls just a little short when it comes to its on-road manners.
Few can fail to be won over by the DS4’s modern exterior. There are curves aplenty and the sloping roofline gives it a fleet-footed appearance.
Our test car was powered by a 1.6 litre diesel engine, which put out just shy of 120bhp and had 221 lb/ft of torque. There are more powerful diesel engines available, as well as four petrol versions, but I had no quibbles about the power on offer.
It was paired with a six-speed manual gearbox.
The one complaint I would have is that the ride is a little on the firm side. In a car that I would recommend in almost every other area it does standout somewhat.
On the inside: THE DS 4 is sits on a slightly raised platform giving the driver a decent view out. However, the sloping rear means that vision out the rear is somewhat compromised.
The dials and clocks are easy to read, but whereas some other manufacturers are reducing the number of buttons on the steering wheel and dash in favour of a central control system, the DS 4 has quite a few. Once you are aware of what does what then they become easier to navigate, but some people might be a bit daunted initially.
What do you get: THERE are three trims to choose from – Dsign, DStyle Nav and DSport. Our test car was the DStyle Nav model and its standard equipment included 7ins touch drive interface, rear parking sensors, auto electric parking brake, front electric windows, DAB digital radio with six speakers, Bluetooth, 18ins alloys, hill start assist, anti mis-fuelling device, front sport seats, halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights, front fog lights and a novel panoramic windscreen.
How practical is it: SPACE in the front is fine, but the coupe lines mean compromises have to be made in the rear. You can fit five in, though it’s perhaps better suited to four. The boot has 385 litres of space, which is more than adequate and with the split folding rear seats down I was able to get my bike in with a little room to spare.
The rear door’s hidden handles are a nice design touch, but the doors themselves have sharp edges to them and the rear windows don’t open.
Running costs: CITROEN say you can get almost 69mpg on the combined cycle from our diesel engine. As is commonplace when tested in the real world, we managed somewhat less. CO2 emissions come in at 108g/km.
Verdict: STYLISH, but let down by firm ride.
Alternatives: VW Golf, Nissan Qashqai
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