DS4

DS4 is the sort of model badge that sits on a compact car for drivers who want something a little more styled than the plain family hatch, without moving all the way into a large luxury saloon. By our assessment, its appeal comes from the mix of design, cabin presentation and the kind of road-going refinement people expect from the DS name. The downside is that style-first cars often ask for a price in practicality, and the DS4 is not the answer if the main need is maximum space or the most straightforward ownership. In daily use, it is the sort of car that matters in the details inside the cabin and in how composed it feels on ordinary roads. Against mainstream hatchbacks it aims to feel more special; against premium rivals it has to justify itself beyond the badge. DS4 uses the number 4 as part of its name, and that keeps it in the compact, not spacious, end of the market.