Overview

If you like French cars and hatchbacks, you're in for a treat. The DS N°4 E-Tense is a premium electric crossover-hatch with a 58.3kWh (usable) battery and a 210bhp electric motor, good for up to 280 miles on the WLTP cycle. Prices start from £36,995.

Have we already lost you? Stick with us, because while the range and charging figures are distinctly middle-of-the-road, the N°4 makes a surprisingly convincing case as an alternative to premium German hatchbacks.

You'll probably know it better as the DS 4. Since its launch in 2021 it has been the best-selling DS in the UK, yet you've likely never seen one on the road, because only around 2,000 have found homes here. That's hardly the volume seller DS had in mind, so this updated and rebadged version has been tasked with luring buyers away from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

DS is, once again, reinventing itself. Where its models previously carried a single number (3, 4, 7, 9 and so on), they'll now be badged N° followed by a number. Yes, a number-number. If that sounds familiar, it's because the brand has borrowed a page from French luxury house Chanel's perfume playbook.

Underneath, the N°4 sits on the same Stellantis EMP2 platform as the Peugeot e-308 and Vauxhall Astra Electric, but it squeezes more range, more power and quicker acceleration from it. Four trim levels are offered, and the powertrain, battery and charging hardware are the same across all of them.

Driving

The N°4's front-mounted electric motor produces 210bhp and 253lb-ft of torque, enough to take it from 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds. That's comfortably quicker than its Peugeot and Vauxhall platform siblings, and there's plenty of shove for overtakes and slip roads.

Where DS has really differentiated the N°4 is in the suspension. It's noticeably softer than both its Stellantis relations and rivals such as the Cupra Born, so if you'd rather your car was tuned for comfort and refinement than B-road thrills, the French EV deserves a look. On the motorway it feels smooth and composed, and it deals with bumps and surface imperfections fairly well.

There's plenty of grip, and body roll only becomes noticeable if you really push on in the corners. The steering errs on the light side, though, and offers little in the way of feel. In short, it's more laissez-faire than va-va-voom.

Refinement is a strong suit. The electric motor is near-silent, and road and wind noise are well suppressed, helped by acoustic laminated front side windows.

Range and running costs

The Peugeot e-308 and Vauxhall Astra Electric originally launched with a 54kWh battery, but DS has managed to fit a 61kWh unit (58.3kWh usable) into the same space. That extra capacity lifts the official WLTP range to 280 miles, versus roughly 250 miles for the Peugeot and Vauxhall.

During our test the N°4 returned around 3.8 miles per kWh, which translates to a real-world range of roughly 220 miles in mixed driving. Expect that to drop on cold winter days and at sustained motorway speeds.

The N°4 supports DC rapid charging at up to 120kW, which brings a 20-80% top-up in around 29 minutes. Plugged into a 7kW home wallbox, a full charge takes around nine hours, so an overnight top-up is easy. Neither figure is bad, but neither is class-leading.

That's the N°4's biggest problem. For similar money, the Cupra Born offers a 228bhp motor, 150kW charging, a 79kWh battery and up to 346 miles of range. We know which spec sheet we'd rather have.

On the plus side, entry-level versions sit well below the £50,000 threshold for the expensive car supplement on Vehicle Excise Duty, and electric cars still attract a very low Benefit-in-Kind rate for company car drivers.

Design

DS says the N°4 offers "avant-garde" design, which roughly translates as pushing boundaries beyond the mainstream. It's certainly striking, though we wouldn't go as far as ground-breaking. The biggest change is at the front, where the old chrome has been swapped for a wider, intricately detailed black grille and a V-shaped LED light signature inspired by the flagship DS N°8. The result is sharper and more modern, and the N°4's low, coupé-like crossover profile still stands out in a sea of conventional hatchbacks.

Inside, the update is milder, but the cabin retains the brand's slightly unusual French flair and plush feel. There's soft leather throughout, while the black trim has a tortoiseshell-like effect broken up by bronze inserts. It's a genuinely distinctive and upmarket place to sit, and it comfortably holds its own against the German competition.

Comfort and practicality

The digital instrument display has grown from 7 to 10.25 inches, while the 10-inch infotainment touchscreen has been updated and now houses more of the cabin controls. Great. The system is clear, crisp and easy enough to navigate once you've familiarised yourself with its sub-menus. There are physical buttons for the climate controls, but you're still forced to use the touchscreen to adjust the fan speed and temperature, which is fiddly on the move.

DS has ditched the old centre-console-mounted trackpad, which is no bad thing, but replaced it with an equally baffling storage tray. It's so shallow that we struggled to think of anything to put on it other than a business card. Does anyone still carry those?

The front seats are soft and comfortable over long distances, but rear space could be better. Taller adults will find knee and headroom tight, and the sloping roofline doesn't help, so families with older children may find it a squeeze. The boot is a reasonable size for the class rather than generous.

Standard equipment is decent, including dual-zone automatic climate control, LED headlights, heated and folding door mirrors, Bluetooth and over-the-air updates. You also get a full suite of driver assistance systems: adaptive cruise control with stop and go, an adaptive speed limiter, camera- and radar-based automatic emergency braking, and front and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera.

Verdict

The DS N°4 E-Tense looks swanky and its interior feels genuinely premium, but cramped rear space and an unstimulating drive let it down if you want something sporty or need room for older children. Style over substance springs to mind. It is, however, a more appealing proposition than the electric Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra, thanks to its extra range, pace and plusher cabin. Even so, the pull of the slightly less upmarket but similarly priced Cupra Born, with its bigger battery and faster charging, may prove too strong for many. And with mid-range trims costing roughly the same as the larger and far more accomplished Tesla Model 3, the N°4 has its work cut out.

Key Specs

DS N°4 E-Tense

Price (RRP OTR): From £36,995
Top speed: 99mph
0-62mph: 7.1 seconds
Power: 158kW (210bhp)
Torque: 253lb-ft
Driving range (combined): 280 miles
Charging time: approx. 6hrs (11kW, 0-100%), 29min (120kW, 20-80%)
Insurance group: 33E
Vehicle warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles
Battery warranty: 8 years / 100,000 miles