Graham Courtney spends the day in two new DS offerings

I’ve just got back from the launch of the new DS No 4 and DS No 8. For those of you who’re still a bit unaware of DS Automobiles, they’re the posh end of Citroen — a bit like Lexus with Toyota or Cupra with SEAT. It’s handy that DS has kept it nice and simple, and its current range of cars has numbers 3,4,7 and 8, ascending in size of vehicle.

If you like your cars to be comfortable, stylish and different, then DS will be right up your boulevard.

If you’re more interested in the large DS No.8 flagship, scroll down to find my review of it, but for now, let’s start with the DS No.4, which is likely to be one of the main sellers in the DS Automobiles range. It sits below the No.7 and No.8 but above the smaller DS 3, which continues as before.

Styling

It’s a good-looking thing with plenty of exterior and interior styling touches. The bodywork is littered with creases and bulges, so I guessing it would be a nightmare to repair any damage. The pop-out door handles add to the streamlined appearance. As for which category you’d put it into, let’s say it’s a premium crossover-hatchback. It’s got a bit of a coupe profile which blends to a bit of an SUV rump. It’s a tricky one to pigeonhole.

Powertrain Options & Prices

In terms of powertrains, you can choose from a self-charging hybrid, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), or a fully electric model. Spending £32,200 (March ’26) gets you the entry-level Pallas trim in the self-charger, and then there’s a hefty premium of almost £7k to get you into the PHEV model, while the electric version tops out at £39,160, although you can reduce this via various grants.

The self-charging hybrid uses a 3-cylinder 1.2-litre engine developing 143 bhp, with a predicted 54mpg and a 0-60mph time of 10.4 secs. Electric propulsion is largely limited to setting off from junctions, although DS reckons you can manage around half of your town journeys without using any fuel.

The PHEV gets a beefier 4-pot 1.6 litre engine. Your power is upped to 222bhp and, thanks to the battery, you can manage what DS reckons is 51 miles using electric power only. I got very close to that figure, and you’ll be quicker too, with 0-60mph improving to a time of 7.4 seconds. Your top speed here is a healthy 143mph, and be sure to make full use of the hybrid system, as there’s a potential for 94mpg…apparently.

The fully electric version, which DS refers to as E-Tense, develops 211bhp and can manage a potential 277 miles on a full battery. Sprinting from 0-60mph takes 7.1 seconds, and your flat out top speed is 99mph. Plug it into a rapid charger, and you’ll go from 20-80 per cent charge in around 35 minutes. If you’ve got a wall box at home or work, a full charge takes just over 5 hours. Plug it in when you get home, and you’ll be sorted for the morning.

All versions are available in four trim levels: Pallas, Performance Line, Etoile, and Etoile Nappa Leather.

Driving Experience

Out on the road, the DS No.4 is a bit of a surprise. Just about any French car you’d like to mention rides with a strong emphasis on comfort. However, the No.4 has a sporty feel to it. Perhaps the chunky alloys are the reason. Although I’m not complaining, and if you’re moving across from Citroen, you’ll certainly notice the difference

Interior

Inside, as you’d expect, the DS No 4 looks very different. It’s a classy and stylish affair, with plenty of hammered metal and soft leather around the place. As for the trims, you kick off with Pallas. I wouldn’t disagree with you if you decided to stick with Pallas because you get everything you really need including front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, 10.25-inch digital cluster for the driver, sat nav, powered and folding mirrors, acoustic laminated windows, dual-zone automatic air con, keyless entry and start, auto wipers and lights, LED headlights, ChatGPT ‘personal assistant’, 19-inch alloys and wireless phone charging. There’s also an impressive raft of safety kit.

Moving up to Performance Line adds around £1200 to the price and now includes tinted rear windows and a head-up display.

Etoile adds matrix headlights, powered front seats and aluminium door sill protectors, but that ups the price to £35,000.

Top of the range Etoile Nappa Leather trim adds, guess what? Yep…Nappa Leather.

Should you buy it?

The reason you’d buy a DS No 4 is because it’s different from a lot of other mainstream cars. If you like to stand out from a crowd which is becoming more and more similar in terms of appearance, you’ll love it.

Up Next: DS No 8 - This Flagship Model is Unlike Anything Else

words: Graham Courtney
pictures: DS Automobiles

DS No 4 - Standing Out From The Crowd