The DS4 has made the transition from concept to road car with a very good list of features as standard,
but can it compete with rival premium offerings



THE SUCCESS, or otherwise, of Citroën’s new DS4 may well depend on
how potential buyers react to its lack of conformity.

Citroën expects this diesel in the DStyle version to be its best seller. The DStyle comes with 18-inch alloys, air conditioning, chrome surround, tinted rear windows, rear parking sensors, Blutooth and USB box. There’s also folding door mirrors, lumbar adjustment and massage mechanism on the driver’s seat, sports seats and part-leather upholstery. These come on top of the basic equipment, which includes a leather steering wheel, cornering lights, cruise control, six airbags, stability control, hill start assist and intelligent traction control.

The car looks weighty but it is, in fact, quite compact. It is 4.27 metres in length and 1.53 metres high, with a sloping roof to the rear. The larger panoramic windscreen that is a novel feature in other Citroën cars does offer a bright and welcoming interior. However, as you sit into the back seats you realise the car’s limitations. While headroom in the back is adequate, the front seat travel does not allow for any great comfort in the rear. So,
this is not really going to be a family car, rather one that is more focused on coupé comfort.
The DSport will also have 19-inch alloys, leather upholstery, heated seats, blind spot monitoring, chrome inserts on the flanks and the parking space measurement facility that “measures” a parking space for you and takes the guessing out of the manoeuvre.
Engines 1.6 HDi diesel producing 110bhp with manual or automated manual gearbox in DSign or DStyle versions. A 2.0 litre diesel producing 160bhp will also be available in DStyle.
DSport will also be available with a 2.0 litre 160bhp diesel or a 200bhp petrol.

Standard equipment 17-inch alloys, air conditioning, full chrome surround, tinted rear side windows, leather steering wheel, front fogs with cornering lights, front electric windows, cruise control, speed limiter, six airbags, ESP, hill start assist and traction control.