Long-term test: DS No4 Hybrid Etoile Nappa

Verdict

I’m not totally convinced that the DS No4 can justify its price, but it does have a style that many rivals would love to have. With the rise of low-cost Chinese cars in the UK, this premium edge could be the only thing that helps brands such as DS survive. I’m looking forward to seeing how it copes with a photographer’s life.

• Mileage: 1,161 miles
• Efficiency: 44.0mpg

I’m really intrigued to get to know my new long-term test car. The DS No4 is the latest upmarket hatchback from the French firm, and with the old DS nameplate being a play on the French word for goddess, it’s got to be good, right?

As you can see, the No4 has already been called upon for photography duties with our Mazda versus Tesla twin test, and I have to say it’s making a good impression.

6

Under the skin, the No4 features the same EMP2 platform as many other Stellantis models, including the Peugeot 5008 I ran last year. The DS has the same hybrid system, too, but with so many marques – from Citroen to Vauxhall – using this running gear, DS really needed to do something different for its hatch to stand out, especially when you consider its £41,250 price, including options. That puts the No4 in a very exclusive club, and it’s actually more expensive than the larger Mazda and Tesla electric cars on the twin-test.

Used - available now

2016 Nissan

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80,000 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L

Cash £7,795

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2015 Toyota

Verso

117 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £7,250

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74,900 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £15,499

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Thankfully, first impressions count for a lot, and visually the No4 goes some way to justify its elevated price. Our car is painted in Pearl Crystal with a Perla Nera Black roof and features 19-inch Sapporo alloys. Adding to the look are dramatic daytime running lights that zig-zag across the nose, while in my eyes the exterior’s angular design has hints of Audi about it, but with lots of extra bling. 

I’m not wholly convinced by the ‘DS AUTOMOBILES No4’ lettering across the bootlid – especially when rival brands such as BYD have realised that less is more – but overall the DS is an appealing car to look at.

The interior is nicely finished, too, with subtle brown diamond-cut Nappa leather and lots of shiny piano-black plastic. I’ve found that the latter always looks good in other cars I’ve run, only for it to be ruined by scratches, so we’ll see how the DS’s trim fares. 

There are lots of metal-effect flourishes in the cabin, too, with the recurring diamond theme offering an art-deco approach to style that is unique to the DS brand. The No4 certainly feels more like a premium product than other Stellantis hatchbacks.

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Swapping from a Nissan Qashqai SUV to a French hatch isn’t the most obvious move for a photographer who travels long distances, because my camera gear takes up a lot of room. However, a bit of forward planning means that the DS is able to meet my requirements, while the bigger draw is the fact it’s a petrol hybrid, so it’s better suited to my needs than an electric model or a plug-in hybrid. Indeed, our first shoot with the Mazda and Tesla involved a trip from Essex to Leicestershire and back in a day; it was a trip I wouldn’t have relished in an EV.

At the moment the DS covers all the obvious needs to be a good long-term test car. The ride is soft and the hybrid system is responsive while returning good economy. Once you get used to the layout of the switches (the window controls are high on the driver’s door and the armrest is only a thin sliver of material, for example), the interior works well and gives off a luxury vibe. 

The seats are supportive, too, while the boot is big enough to swallow most of my photography gear and the cabin has plenty of storage for various coffee cups and sandwiches from petrol stations.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.

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