DS No4 E-Tense

The car formerly known as the DS 4 is back with a new look and – for the first time – an electric powertrain

- Alastair Crooks

THERE’S not quite a full-blown revolution going on at DS, but the French brand is certainly changing things up this year.

It’s going from simply numbering its models to a new ‘No’ naming strategy and the latest to benefit is the No4, an updated version of the old DS 4.

That’s not the most important aspect of the new No4, however, because for the first time, DS's family hatch is offered with pure-electric power.

DS says that gives the No4 an advantage against rival premium hatches such as the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class, because none of them offers an EV. What it also does is open up the DS No4 to new rivals. Priced from £36,995, the EV targets high-spec versions of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born, and the base Tesla Model 3.

The No4’s design clearly mimics DS's flagship No.8 model, which sits on parent firm Stellantis’ STLA Medium architecture. However, the DS No4 uses the same EMP2 platform as the DS 4.

The figures for the new E-Tense aren't earth-shattering, but they are competitive. Whether you go for the entry-level Pallas trim or the Etoile version we tested, the range is 280 miles. During our test drive in Portugal, the DS returned 3.8mi/kWh, meaning a real-world range of 221 miles.