Citroën Group brand DS recently brought its fourth model, the DS 4, a B-Class car that comes with multiple labels: the Citroën Group premium brand, a large number of high-end technologies, unique style and fashion, etc. Its pricing emphasis highlights the "luxury" identity.
When Citroën announced the launch of the high-end sub-brand DS in 2015, commentators almost overwhelmingly thought citroën's move was very courageous, but they were basically skeptical about its future success. Today, Citroën Has not lost money on the DS brand, so they boldly launched the fourth model of the DS and prepared to enter another red sea for the fight - the B-class car market. Constructed of sharp lines and arched bodies, this highly recognizable urban crossover is positioned between a compact car and a coupe SUV. However, it is clear from the price range that it does not want to group itself with such brands as Ford, Skoda or Hyundai, and its target consumer group is aimed at potential people who can afford Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Starting at €28,000, there is no lower-price option, which of course corresponds to a base model with a meagre configuration and only 130 horsepower. Obviously, people who are willing to pay for this car will definitely add various optional configurations at any cost to make the new car look magnificent.
This time, the DS 4 is very careful in the choice of materials, whether it is Alcantara fabric, carbon fiber or leather materials, all of which exude a noble sense of refinement in the details. Although the functionality is not perfect, at least the touchpad on the front console is quite easy to use, and the entire menu structure is more intuitive and easy to understand. The large head-up display is also quite stunning, but this configuration will cost 2500 euros to add. Of course, this is standard on some models.
DS 4 leaves the choice of configuration entirely to the consumer, who first chooses one of the nine configurations offered as the base configuration, and then makes various trade-offs from the countless optional accessories and kits. If there's one of those items, be sure to buy one, which is the "Espace Plus" option for rear passengers, because the back seat feels incredibly narrow whether you get on or off the bus or get in the car. For Yan Control, whether to choose the roof rack with off-road flavor and the black bottom outer surround, or choose the aerodynamic kit of the DS 4 performance version, is also a difficult problem.
If you want the DS 4 to really upgrade the experience to the C-class car level, in addition to the above mentioned, there are some features that need to be added to the price, such as massage seats, Focal immersive sound systems and navigation systems. Some very trendy features, such as the Night Vision Assist (priced from 200 to 4800 euros depending on the configuration level) or the adaptive chassis based on camera sensing technology, cost 1000 euros on the fuel engine version, but are standard on the plug-in hybrid version.
The driving experience for our first road test came from the gasoline top-mount version of pureTech 225 and the plug-in hybrid version of E-Tense 225. Like other versions, both models are equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It should be mentioned here that none of the DS 4 uses a manual transmission.
It must be said that the adaptive chassis of the DS 4 must be said. The rebound and pressure levels of the adjustable shock absorbers are adjusted based on the scan results of the front camera on the road conditions in front of the vehicle, in other words, the shock absorber will adjust any road conditions in front of it in real time, such as small slopes, potholes and bumps, etc., to achieve the best results. The actual manifestation of the road surface is somewhat undulating and patched, and can be said to be eye-catching, and even give romantic motorists the illusion of going back to the 1950s. However, every time you cross the lateral speed bump or drive through a pothole, the illusion will disappear and you will soon be pulled back into the real world.
Unfortunately, even the engine version with the highest power output cannot stage a Cinderella fairy tale. A power output of over 200 horsepower may sound good, but if you're looking forward to acceleration that rivals the likes of the Golf GTI, you're going to be disappointed. Compared to the restless "little steel guns", the DS 4 from Rüsselheim, Hesse, Germany, prefers a calm feeling. The 12.4 kWh battery enables the plug-in hybrid version of the DS to travel 55 km in pure electric mode. If you drive in areas that do not require zero emissions, you can also choose to turn off the battery drive through the built-in driving mode and use only a 180-horsepower gasoline engine, which can also protect the battery to a certain extent. If you want to fully charge the battery, it will take nearly two hours.
Obviously, the audience for DS 4 is not the general public. First, its price is high; second, its back space is too practical. Consumers who want to give at least 4 passengers a comfortable ride can find a cheaper and more suitable product on the market than this car. In fact, the consumer group of DS 4 should be those who do not pay much attention to practicality, have no requirements for dynamic driving experience, but are more concerned about a feeling called "elegant".