Citroen DS4 vs Nissan Qashqai and VW Golf: 2011 twin tests
Citroen’s new DS4 is an alternative choice, targeting family cars and crossovers. So we test it against the best of both...
Bold design can work wonders for a car… just ask Citroen. By taking the underpinnings of the C3, and adding spicy handling and a sharp new suit, it came up with a smash hit in the DS3 supermini. Now, the maker is aiming to replicate this success in the compact family car sector with the next DS model to hit showrooms.
The DS4 blends the space of a family car with the styling of a coupé and the jacked-up ride height of a crossover. It’s an odd mix, and makes picking direct rivals a tricky task. The French machine is effectively aiming to steal sales from a variety of sectors – and we’ve lined up two established competitors to test the mettle of the flagship 2.0-litre HDi DStyle.
First, it faces the best model in the compact family sector, and one of the most complete cars money can buy: the Volkswagen Golf. The desirable 2.0-litre TDI GT version looks good, promises impressive fuel economy and has a £900 price advantage over its Citroen rival.
The second car waiting to give the Citroen a run for its money is the Nissan Qashqai. It introduced families to the concept of crossover models, and is the best seller in its class, with 39,048 finding homes last year. Here, we test the 2.0-litre dCi n-tec, which weighs in at £255 less than the DS4.
DS4 vs Volkswagen Golf
If there’s one car that has grasped the high-riding nettle, it’s the Nissan Qashqai. The jacked-up family hatch is the original family crossover and, while it’s no longer the default choice in this sector, a great-value price, generous equipment and smart looks still mean it’s a force to be reckoned with. For evidence of this, you only have to look at the UK sales charts – it’s the sole vehicle from this segment to make it into the top 10.
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2024 Mercedes
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21,796 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L
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2022 Vauxhall
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Cash £10,995It’s easy to see why buyers have embraced it. The car in our pictures is a lowly Visia model, but the n-tec version tested looks even better, with larger wheels, dark-tinted windows and classy roof rails. It also appears much less fussy than the glitzy DS4.
Inside, the differences are equally stark – and they’re mostly down to the Nissan’s lower price and more dated roots. You won’t find the kind of glossy high-class plastics that identify the Citroen. There’s also a simplicity to its design that is alien to the DS4. But what it lacks in material quality, the Qashqai makes up for with equipment and space. In n-tec trim, a user-friendly touchscreen sat-nav system, iPod connectivity and Bluetooth are all standard. And the £22,695 Nissan is £255 cheaper in the first place.
Family buyers will be more concerned about the DS4’s impracticality, rather than any lack of kit. The model is well specified, with Bluetooth and part-leather upholstery fitted as standard, but no amount of gadgetry can disguise its shortcomings as a family car.
Put simply, if you intend to carry rear passengers on a regular basis, the Qashqai wins hands down, as the DS4’s narrow back door openings and fixed rear windows are a real pain. In other respects, there’s less to worry about. The Citroen’s 385-litre boot isn’t much smaller than the Nissan’s 410-litre load bay.
From behind the wheel, there are some key differences beyond interior quality and specification. If you want a coupé-like experience, the Citroen is sure to appeal. Its raked windscreen, narrow side windows and black rooflining create a sporty ambience inside.
In contrast, the Qashqai feels similar to a conventional hatchback, with a lighter cabin and bigger glass area. This provides obvious benefits, as visibility is greatly improved, making it easier to manoeuvre the Nissan in tight spaces – regardless of the rear parking sensors fitted to both cars.
Get away from the confines of a car park, and the Citroen begins to make more sense.
Sharper handling helps to distinguish it from the Qashqai. With an extra 13bhp and 20Nm of torque, it’s faster than the Nissan, but this in itself isn’t significant – both cars feel lively on the move, and we preferred the smoother power delivery of the Qashqai’s 2.0-litre diesel engine.
Instead, the DS4 stands out with the way it tackles bends. The taller Nissan’s softer suspension is good for low-speed comfort, yet the Citroen is more composed at high speeds and suffers from less body roll in corners. As a result, it feels more agile than its rival, while its stronger grip inspires greater confidence on B-roads.
However, the same problems that afflicted the DS4 in its test against the Golf grate here. The slack gearshift and over-sensitive brakes let it down, while the ride is firm around town, where the car thumps and bumps over small surface imperfections and potholes.
Keen drivers will enjoy the Citroen more on twisty roads – and it’s a superior mile-muncher – but the Qashqai is far from unruly and a better choice if you rank comfort ahead of sportiness.
At the pumps, there was little to separate our duo. The Ds4 had the edge by 1.1mpg, with a decent return on test of 37.9mpg. It also emits less CO2 – the 134g/km figure makes the 155g/km Qashqai look filthy, and means the Japanese car is a more expensive choice for business users. Will this be critical in the final analysis?
First place: Volkswagen Golf
Still the car all family models have to beat. The classy Golf has no flaws. It’s practical, superb to drive and affordable to run.
Second place: Citroen DS4
We're not convinced by the Citroen’s styling. Its high price, cramped rear and peaky engine are more obvious drawbacks.
DS4 vs Nissan Qashqai
Can the new DS4 succeed where the C4 failed? Its ordinary family car sibling has already been beaten by the Golf, so Citroen’s distinctive alternative has its work cut out here.
The styling is supposed to be one of the new Ds4’s prize assets, but we’re not convinced. While the tall-riding body certainly sets it apart from the lower-riding Golf, and the tapered tailgate gives the five-door model a sporty profile, the creases and curves mean the car has a very busy appearance. We think it’s likely to date more quickly than its conservatively styled rival.
The VW in our pictures is a mid-range Match model, but we tested a GT. This has more visual appeal, with chrome trim on the grille, front air intake and foglight surrounds, plus privacy glass and smart 17-inch alloy wheels. Lowered suspension also gives a sportier stance.
Although the Citroen isn’t as high as a conventional SUV, it’s noticeably taller than its rival, resulting in excellent visibility. However, look in the mirror or glance over your shoulder, and the sporty exterior styling has obvious flaws – the small rear windscreen and wide C-pillars create big blindspots. Plus, our test car’s black rooflining and narrow side windows combine to provide a dark interior.
Coupé buyers will no doubt love the moody atmosphere inside, but family buyers will be less pleased, as the more cramped rear seats (there’s 60mm less legroom than in the Golf) have a claustrophobic feel. And worse is to come, because the rear windows are fixed and can’t be lowered.
There’s no shortage of boot space – the DS4’s 385-litre load area trumps the 350-litre Golf’s with the rear seats in place. Yet ultimate volume is compromised by the sloping back window. Fold the rear benches in both cars, and the VW has a 284-litre advantage.
It’s not all bad news for the Citroen, though, as the front seats provide decent comfort and, in DSport trim, there’s lots of kit. The centre console and dash borrow heavily from the C4, so you get decent-quality switchgear, dual-zone climate control and a trio of cowled dials. The mainstream model’s busy multifunction steering wheel also makes an appearance.
In contrast, the Golf is simple and incredibly effective. It does without the DS4’s flashy design and places the emphasis on quality, with first-rate materials and solid switchgear. If the Citroen is to live up to its billing, it needs to perform on the road. Its 161bhp 2.0-litre HDi diesel has a power and torque advantage here, which was obvious in our performance tests. There was nothing to separate our duo in the 0-60mph sprint – both posted a time of 8.7 seconds. However, the DS4 was faster than the 138bhp Golf in all our in-gear tests.
The VW is more accomplished to drive, though. While its major controls all operate with slick precision, the Citroen is less consistent. Its grabby brakes demand concentration if you want to drive smoothly, and the gearbox lacks the sporty, mechanical feel we’ve enjoyed in the smaller DS3. The engine’s power arrives suddenly in a narrow band, too, in direct contrast to the more linear delivery of the 2.0-litre TDI in the Golf.
In bends, the DS4 is more rewarding to drive than its C4 cousin, and feels suitably sporty, reacting quickly to steering inputs. But when it comes to comfort and refinement, the VW has the edge. In GT trim, the Golf’s lower suspension set-up reveals more bumps around town and is less forgiving over motorway expansion joints than the Match model in our pictures. But the DS4 still thumps loudly over deep potholes and allows more body roll.
On this evidence, the Citroen hasn’t done enough to topple our compact family car champion. So, does it make more sense as a crossover?
First place: Nissan Qashqai
The Qashqai was penned as an alternative to a family car, and it shows. Its looks and visibility come with few compromises.
Second place: Citroen DS4
First for style here, but the DS4 is a poor second for practicality. It makes more financial sense to company drivers than the Nissan.
Verdict
After the storming success of the DS3 supermini, we were keen to see what the Citroen DS4 held in store. In trying to combine the best of coupé, hatchback and crossover worlds, the newcomer has a tough brief. The bad news for bosses is that it fails to deliver. It doesn’t provide enough rear space to work as small
family car, and this lack of versatility and space affects its abilities as a crossover, too. As an alternative to the C4, the DS4 offers clear benefits – it’s more stylish and engaging to drive than its regular five-door stablemate. But the sacrifices it demands of family buyers are too great, plus it’s not cheap. In reality, it’s more of a rival to three-door family cars than these contenders. We’re not sure why Citroen didn’t throw all its efforts into one standalone model. Then, perhaps, it may have produced a truly groundbreaking machine. As it stands, it has two cars that both fail to beat the big hitters in their respective classes. Although the firm deserves credit for trying something different, the DS4’s shortcomings give it niche appeal.
