DS, the luxury brand spun off from Citroen, will launch its new DS 4 early in 2021, and the new hatchback will be coming with plug-in hybrid power.
E-Tense plug-in hybrid with 225hp
Based on the same platform as the recently-launched new Citroen C4 and e-C4, the DS 4 will have the now-customary dramatic styling that we've come to associate with the DS brand, and will be packing plug-in hybrid power under that skin. Don't get too excited - it'll be the same 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and 110hp electric motor, combining to produce 225hp. The DS 4 E-Tense will have an electric-only range of around 50km and, going by the performance of the same powertrain in the slightly heavier Peugeot 508 PHEV, you should be able to expect CO2 emissions of around 30g/km and official fuel consumption of 1.4 litres per 100km.
Dynamic Serenity
The DS 4 will be the first car that DS has built using the PSA Group's updated EMP2 platform, and the brand says that the car will have 'athletic' styling and a unique driving experience, thanks to "completely redesigned suspension and steering components." The body-to-wheel ratio (a key component of car design) is said to be unique in its class, too. Plus, DS says that it should be lighter and more space-efficient than some rivals, because it has used "composite materials, hot-pressed structural parts and more compact elements such as the air conditioning unit, freeing up more storage space elsewhere." While Citroen has its 'Advanced Comfort' setup for a more relaxed driving experience, DS is now embarking on a similar programme called 'Dynamic Serenity.' Make of that what you will.
Road-surface radar
There will be some interesting new tech included in the DS 4's makeup, though. How about the 'DS Extended Head-Up Display', which, apparently, will make it seem as if the data in your screen is being projected onto the road surface ahead, which DS claims is the first step on the road to a fully 'augmented reality' windscreen.
There's also a new DS Iris infotainment system, said to take inspiration from mobile phones (well, duh...) and which is, apparently, completely customisable, with voice and gesture controls too. There's also an innovative air conditioning system that uses cone-shaped baffles mounted in discreet air vents, which DS says can "provide the best possible ventilation both in an upwards and downwards motion."
The DS 4 will also have Level 2 automated driving features (which basically means active cruise control with lane keeping, plus various automated emergency braking and steering systems) plus an active road-scanning radar, which checks the tarmac ahead for bumps and potholes and which can instruct the adaptive suspension to adjust itself to cope. DS claims that's a first for the segment.
The DS 4 will also get an infra-red night vision camera system, and Matrix LED headlights, which have functions such as City, Country, Motorway, Poor Weather and Fog settings, plus a vertical line of LED daytime running lights inspired by the Aero Sport Lounge concept car.
Sales of the DS 4 will start in late 2021, but we should get our first look at the car within the next few weeks. Having been absent from the Irish market for a couple of years, DS will make a return to these shores in Spring 2021 through the auspices of the Gowan Group, which has recently been appointed as distributor.