It's a measure of the weird hybrid space that DS has manoeuvred itself into, a mass-market manufacturer aping the approach and actions of a luxury car maker. DS is carefully curated to exude an aura of niche, bespoke design, all within the umbrella of the Stellantis family.
Motoring journalists tend to have longer memories than car buyers, and the subtle but insistent art of modern branding can be far more persuasive than the historical record. Thehas faded far in the cultural memory – too old to even be considered a cult car. When Citroën siphoned off its big car DNA into the separate DS brand, it intended to evoke the spirit of the original, if not the actual dramatic avant-garde approach to design and engineering.
Alongside the DS 9, the DS 4 is the best-looking car in the DS line-up. A mid-sized, raised-up crossover-style hatchback, it has the proportions to reconcile the angular front and rear treatment – all big grilles and slashed lighting – with the long flanks. The wheels sit suitably far apart to give the DS 4 a purposeful, planted stance. It feels right, not awkward, with space for the wilfully esoteric detailing to breathe.
Inside, there’s even more character. The graphics on the central screen are eccentric but by no means offensive, and DS’ designers are sensible enough to realise that it’s the tactile touch points like buttons and roller dials that provide the most obvious and gratifying interactions with a car. Hence DS 4 is awash with little breaks from the norm, like the windowsill-mounted electric window buttons, or the concealed ventilation system.
As a case in point, DS has created a nappa leather ‘culinary trunk’, part of its drive to celebrate the ‘Esprit de Voyage’ conjured up by its cars. The trunk was designed by DS’ Design Studio Paris and fabricated by French leather goods manufacturer La Malle Bernard. It was developed in collaboration with the Michelin-starred chef Julien Dumas, containing the kinds of items needed for a tasting trip to vineyards and olive oil producers, rather than an out-and-out picnic.