DS4's to be reckoned with? (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

DS4's to be reckoned with?

2:18pm Tuesday 16th November 2010 in Motoring By Steve Teale

MINI has a lot to answer for. The most stylish car of its generation has sparked a mad, mad rush of imitations eager to cash in.

And who can blame them? MINI is good. Very good. But it is essentially a three-door hatchback which attracts a premium price.

Fiat tried with the 500, to some success. Now it’s Citroen’s turn with a whole family of sporty models which have revived the DS, a name from the company’s past.

DS3 (based on the C3) is already with us and doing very nicely. Next on the way is DS4, based, appropriately, on the C4.

It won’t be with us until next year but we already know quite a bit about it. Citroen’s announcement was full of phrases like ‘alluring mixture’, ‘premium design codes’ and ‘advanced vehicle architecture’. Wow. That’s a change of pace for one of our more sensible car producers.

Essentially, DS4 combines the practicality of the C4 with coupe styling. It claims to ride and handle well, despite being slightly taller. Although it looks like a coupe, it is a four-door. The rear two doors have concealed handles to create the look of a coupe. DS4 also benefits from a capacious 370-litre boot and a host of clever storage solutions.

There are five engines to choose from, two HDi diesels and three petrol including a new 200bhp unit.

The exterior is good but for me it’s the cabin which really impresses. Citroen cabins are usually simple, somewhat austere affairs, but this one has a dash of flair.

Citroen says the cabin ‘exudes power, dynamism and refinement’. It has a wrap-around dash which looks and feels stylish and it has a huge windscreen which creates a light and airy interior.

Allowing owners to personalise the interior, DS4 is available with a choice of five leather combinations, including two-tone options. Range-topping models are also equipped with high-quality leather on the dashboard and door panels – complete with a ‘Bracelet’ design on the seats, evoking the links of a watch strap.

For an added touch of luxury, there is chrome detailing on the air vent surrounds, instrument cluster, gear lever and parts of the central console. Aluminium pedals, embossed leather door handles and ambient lighting are impressive, too.

The DS4’s compact exterior belies a spacious and luxuriously comfortable cabin, which can be easily accessed by the car’s 2+2 door layout. To make it easier to access the rear seats – often seen as a weak point for some sporty models – DS4 features seamlessly integrated rear doors with handles hidden in the frames.

Thanks to its optimised design, the front doors of DS4 have been made narrower and lighter, making them easier to open and close, promoting easy access at the front.

Another asset in terms of versatility and roominess is the boot, which is similar in volume to that of many conventional saloons.

The DS4 aims to give Citroen a change of pace and attract the sort of trendy types who might otherwise give this marque a miss.

PRICE: Details to be announced later.

ENGINE: A choice of two diesels and three petrol units. The biggest is a 200bhp version developed with BMW. All engines are available with manual or EGS six-speed gearboxes.

FEATURES: DS4 is fitted with large-diameter (340mm) ventilated disc brakes and, as standard, with dedicated braking control systems, including ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA).