DS 4 E-Tense 225: Bon Appetit - French Luxury Menu - Made in Germany

Upon arriving at Otto Koch's private house, one is greeted by the distinctive light graphics of the new DS 4 shining from the garage. Sharp lines and playful details characterize the dynamic shape, along with the very prominent three-dimensional grille and vertical light signature. The integrated door handles only extend when the driver, along with the key, approaches the vehicle. The wheel arches accommodate rims up to 20 inches in size - the new DS 4 undoubtedly makes a very confident appearance. The French have created a blend of classic compact and CUV with the premium compact.

When asked if an SUV variant of the DS 4 was also in the planning, Thierry Metoz denied it with the words, the DS 4 “has this very dynamic, very muscular, and very athletic side that doesn't require a derivative.” With a length of 4.40 meters, the DS 4 has almost outgrown the compact class. It is a full 12 centimeters longer than, for example, the VW Golf and still three centimeters longer than its sibling within the group, the Opel Astra. The new DS 4 shares not only the EMP2 platform with it, but they even roll off the production line together in Rüsselsheim.

A "Sword" is Stuck in the Dashboard

Inside, DS continues to go all out: The surfaces made of quilted leather, engraved trim, and well-processed plastics look noble. DS calls the connecting element of the dashboard "sword" – a kind of metal clip that elegantly structures the interior. Above and below this "sword" are the ventilation grilles. The space for tall drivers in the front is very good, on the rear seat bench it is class-typical – but for the exterior length, it is rather sufficient. The trunk in the DS 4 E-Tense is smaller by 40 liters compared to the DS 4 combustion models, offering 390 liters. It is positive that the new DS 4, despite the wide C-pillar and narrow rear window, provides adequate visibility. Additionally, the infotainment system offers a 360° rearview camera.

Driving Like in the Luxury Class

The chassis proves to be very comfortable. In our DS 4, an adaptive chassis ensures additional comfort. In Comfort mode, a camera scans the road surface and adjusts the chassis in real-time to the conditions. A feature previously known from the luxury segment. The adaptive chassis works so well that it almost recalls the driving comfort of earlier DS air suspensions. However, the DS cannot perform very sporty, not even with the available performance model you won't become a "curve bandit". Another detail known from the S-Class and co.: our DS came with acoustic glazing as part of its equipment!

"The buyers of the DS 4 want extras a certain luxury – in fact, not a single DS 4 in the base variant "Bastille" has been ordered in Germany," DS Product Manager Tijl Verhelst later explained to us in the top chef's kitchen.

Relaxed Touring Car – With Power for the Sprint

According to Stellantis, the new EMP2 platform was designed to accommodate a plug-in hybrid drive system. The turbocharged 180 HP four-cylinder engine is combined with a 110 HP electric motor and the Aisin EAT8 transmission. The system output of our DS 4 E-Tense 225 is 165 kW (225 HP). The 12.4 kW battery with new, more compact cells is supposed to enable a range of 55 kilometers in zero-emission mode (WLTP combined cycle). The battery can be charged at a three-phase AC fast charging station in about two hours using the 7.4 kW on-board charger. At a household socket, the battery is fully charged in about seven hours, and the three-phase wallbox requires approximately 5 hours for a full charge. The combustion engine has a 40-liter gasoline tank available.

Not Ideal, but Real: 5 Degrees, Overcast, and Rainy

The laboratory value of 55 kilometers on pure electric power is not achieved by the plug-in hybrid drive on our route, but around 40 kilometers is realistic under all conditions. The top speed in electric mode is 135 km/h, then the combustion engine kicks in and propels the French vehicle further up to a top speed of 233 km/h. For many trips, the electric motor is both powerful and enduring enough. Notably, the vertical daytime running lights—DS calls the shape a “double boomerang”—create a clear path on the left lane with their prominent appearance on the highway.

"OK, Iris" and Assistants

New in the DS 4 is the infotainment system. Our DS 4 E-Tense 225 was equipped as the “Rivoli” model with the “Safety Pack 4.” Standard features include lane keeping assistant, sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, and an active blind spot assistant. The head-up display shows important information in the driver's field of vision. The infotainment system can be controlled by voice—here: “OK, Iris…”—or via touch and gesture control. The large 10-inch touchscreen on the dashboard is fully customizable, and a 5-inch touchpad in the center console is supposed to further facilitate operation.

You navigate through the infotainment menu or “draw” letters on the touch-sensitive surface with your finger. While the navigation doesn’t reach the user-friendliness of Google Navigation, it is an improvement over the company’s previous solutions. The voice control also mostly worked flawlessly, as Iris understood almost all commands immediately. Only the request to call the test driver's mother using the seamlessly paired iPhone was consistently misunderstood. Starting from the first quarter of 2022, semi-autonomous driving at Level 2 will be possible. Braking and accelerating, including semi-automated overtaking, will then be handled independently by the DS 4.