• Space not class leading
• Clever touches
• PHEV boot smaller than petrol

How much space is there?

That rakish roof line does mean rear space is compromised. A tall rear-seat passenger will feel very hemmed in behind a tall driver for instance. The heavy window tinting in the rear also makes it feel a bit claustrophobic.

Up front things are better. Both driver and passenger have good shoulder room and the arm rest that sits between them is separated in half, which hopefully means no squabbling. 

The doorbins are a decent size and there’s a neat recess to stick keys in underneath the arm rest.

Boot space and storage

Boot space is dependent on which model you choose. The regular petrol model has a 430-litre boot, making it bigger than a BMW 1 Series and largely the same as an Audi A3 or Mercedes A-Class.

The E-Tense plug-in hybrid model makes do with a 390-litre boot. This is compounded by the charging cables, which are bulky and usually kept in the boot, eating into available space.

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There’s also a handy load-through flap which pokes through the back rest, enabling you to load long items. This isn’t available on the entry-level Bastille + model though.

Is it easy to park?

Yes, it is. All cars get reversing sensors and a camera, the lens being particularly sharp. It’s one of the clearest reversing cameras we’ve seen on a car. The pillars beside the windscreen are also relatively thin, making it easy to front park too.

Safety

• Four star rating as standard
• Five star for additional safety pack
• Score particularly highly in child occupant tests

The DS 4 has received two scores from Euro NCAP. The four star result is for the standard model, while cars fitted with additional safety equipment received a five out of five from the European crash regulators.

The safety pack bumps the safety assist score from 65% to 82% by using a more advanced braking system, which was enough to secure the overall star rating possible.