Gets to grips with the Citroen DS4 HDI

Matt Kimberley

angle on the thing. As well as five doors you get a good size and evenlyshaped boot, albeit with no spare wheel underneath. The updates on this model are pretty significant. It has a new six-speed automatic gearbox connected to the more familiar HDi 160 2.0-litre diesel engine, making it, on paper at least, the most relaxed DS4 you can buy. The gearbox has two modes: Drive and Sport. The difference is simply Sport holds onto gears for longer than Drive – shifts aren’t noticeably any faster and it’s only marginally keener to kick down. The secret is whatever your aim, Drive is the best mode to be in. It changes up nice and early under light throttle pressure, displaying the sort of seamless, genteel precision you expect only in much more expensive cars. It’s an impressive setup, if not the most frugal, and it feels a lot more potent than the on-paper figures suggest. The DS4’s brakes are incredible. Wide tyres are partly to thank for offering a large contact patch, but the way the car shrugs off speed in an emergency stop scenario is staggering. Those tyres also create lots of lateral grip and, combined with a surprisingly flat cornering attitude, the DS4 can tackle bends as quickly as most other things on the road. For the most part it’s a lovely cabin to sit in. Stylish seats unlike any others out there are more comfortable than they look. Overall, the whole package feels substantial and well made.