FIRST DRIVE CITROËN DS4: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, asks DONAL BYRNE
THE SUCCESS, or otherwise, of Citroën’s new DS4 may well depend on how potential buyers react to its lack of conformity.
The car represents another move by the French manufacturer to edge up to premium status with the DS branding strategy and the new car does cut a dash.
But as what exactly? It has a strong and sporty profile – from the front grille and clam-shaped bonnet to the strong flanks and well designed rear light clusters – but it tends to defy categorisation.
The manufacturer sees the DS4 as a challenger to a wide range of competitors, from the VW Golf and the Audi A3 to Nissan’s Qashqai and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. It makes sense, however, to classify it as a coupé – albeit an unconventional one – with a degree of rear seat practicality.
One thing the DS4 does have is a look of sturdiness and a quality finish inside. In fact, the interior is quite a departure from standard Citroën offerings in terms of layout, instrumentation and comfort. The car looks best when fitted out in leather with exposed stitching that is available in single or two-tone colours for an extra €1,500 to €2,000.
The DS4 looks like it offers a lot for the price (the entry level car with a 1.6 HDi diesel engine will cost around €24,000) and it does. It has a very good list of standard equipment and safety features.
When it made its first appearance at the Paris motor show last year, the car made quite an impression and the production model does not fall short. The rear doors have hidden handles – not exactly a new concept but it works well. The alloy wheels that suit it best are 18 or 19 inches but Irish conditions suggest the 17-inch versions at entry level are best for here. Yet they’re likely to detract from what is a defining feature of the car.
The versions we drove were the 1.6 HDi diesel producing 160bhp and the 1.6 petrol THP producing 200bhp. The most attractive version for this market, however, is a 1.6 diesel producing 110bhp. This will make up the bulk of sales, with the petrol 200 offered as a token.
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 160bhp diesel version certainly lived up to expectations in terms of driver feedback, although the ride felt a deal trashier than was the case with the petrol version, which was firmer and more balanced in difficult conditions. Both cars, however, felt consistently more like premium level cars in their tuning and performance than one might have expected.
It will be interesting to see how the 110bhp diesel performs in Ireland, although the same engine has done well in other cars already on the market. While the extra 50bhp unit worked efficiently, the DS4 is not as heavy as it looks and the 110 should be adequate.
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 range in Ireland will be available from next month and will comprise the entry level DSign at around €24,000, the DStyle at around €26,000 and the top of the range DSport with either a 160bhp diesel or a 200bhp petrol at around €30,000. The latter is an impressive unit co-produced by Citroën and BMW.
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.
The DS4 is one of those cars that has made the transition from concept car to road car without losing much in the process. It should make a quite a difference to the impression of the Citroën range but it requires a new kind of connection with customers.
Will they be convinced that Citroën is offering premium styling and finish at very competitive prices and will this be reflected in second-hand values? The company has in the past initiated some price-cutting strategies that have cost it dearly and introducing a quality DS sub-brand is one way to move on and compete with the big names on a serious level. It will be both an interesting and a challenging process.
Factfile
Engines1.6 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 equipment17-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.
Price range€24,000 to €30,000