Welcome to the Parkers long-term test of the DS 4. On this page you’ll read about our experience with this stylish, left-field premium hatchback, exploring what it’s like to live with day-to-day.

Tested by Graham King

Report 1: Style and comfort make a strong first impression

Is there another mid-size hatchback as stylish as the DS 4? I don’t think there is. The Stellantis brand that started life as a premium offshoot of Citroen has always put a heavy emphasis on design, as the original DS 3 showed. Some of its cars haven’t been a resounding success in design terms, but at least they were interesting when so many similar cars disappeared into the background.

This latest DS 4 is one of the better efforts. The car’s shape is entirely conventional, but it’s enlivened with lots of interesting details, both inside and out, such as the L-shaped daytime running lights that look like they were sword-slashed into the front bumper. But is there substance behind the style? That’s what we’re going to find out in this long-term test.

On paper, it looks like the DS 4 could be the perfect car for me. I don’t have kids, so a big car is unnecessary. But I like a four-seater with a decent boot for those occasions I need to transport extra people and/or a lot of stuff. Most of my journeys are long motorway hauls, so I value comfort and efficiency. But I also like a car that can cut loose on a country road. Will it live up to expectations?

What flavour of DS 4 is it?

This bluey-grey Night Flight-coloured DS 4 has come to us fitted with Stellantis’ Hybrid 136 powertrain. DS describes it as having a self-charging motor but it’s actually more of a mild-hybrid-plus, if you will. The system only has a small 48-volt battery and the motor is really just there to boost power when accelerating. The system also helps the engine deal with some of the electrical load. It’s all supposed to aid fuel economy; we’ll find out if it does.

The engine itself is a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol unit with a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. I have extensive experience of this powertrain in the Citroen C5 Aircross and Vauxhall Grandland and wasn’t especially impressed. Will it make a better impression here?

As for trim level, it’s the top-grade Étoile – Nappa Leather. Spec highlights include, as the name suggests, ultra-plush Nappa ‘Opera’ leather upholstery in rather handsome Criollo Brown, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, heated steering wheel, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity, Matrix LED headlights, and a head-up display.

On top of that, we’ve also got the Absolute Comfort Pack which includes an opening glass sunroof, hands-free boot opening and Focal stereo; and the Absolute Tech Pack which includes speed limit responsive adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree reversing monitor, DS logo puddle lights and a wireless phone charging pad.

Add that lot together, and the cost comes to £41,455, which seems like pretty good value given the ‘kitchen sink’ kit list. However, the options tip the price into ‘expensive car’ territory for vehicle excise duty. Do those options add enough to justify a VED bill of (currently) £600 per year from the car’s first through sixth birthdays? We’ll find out in due course.

Mixed first impressions

My first acquaintance with any car I pick up from the Parkers office is a two hour-plus drag up the A1 to North Yorkshire. It’s a stern test for any car as all I want to do is get home quickly, comfortably and as unirritated as possible. The DS 4 hits some marks and misses others.

What are the hits? It’s immediately comfortable and easy to find a driving position that suits me. The climate control is powerful and controlled by buttons. The heated seats and steering wheel are toasty. My phone syncs to the infotainment system immediately, and the wireless charger works first time. The interior is nice and light with the sunroof blind rolled back (I’ve left it there). The stereo is fantastic.

What are the misses? The powertrain isn’t especially responsive, though more so than the infotainment which is borderline infuriating. As is the adaptive cruise control system, though I’ve yet to meet one I get on with. I have some reservations about ride quality and refinement, and the digital instrument display. The adaptive LED headlights don’t seem a massive improvement on conventional units, either.

At this stage, there are more positives than negatives, but we’ll see if that remains the case over the next few months. More soon.