New DS No4 EV to arrive in October from £36,995

Hatchback continues brand's new naming scheme and design refresh that began with last year's No8 flagship SUV

The heavily facelifted DS 4 will arrive in October, with prices starting at just under £37,000 for its first ever electric variant.

As part of the major update unveiled in May, the C-Segment hatchback receives a fresh look and a new name – No4.

EV buyers are offered a single powertrain option, which combines a 58.3kWh (total) battery for 278 miles of range with a single electric motor that sends 210hp and 253lb ft of torque to the front wheels.

This is the same powertrain as the similarly sized Peugeot e-408 and recently facelifted Citroën ë-C4, meaning the new DS can be rapid-charged at rates of up to 120kW, allowing for a 62-mile top-up in 11 minutes.

For £36,995, buyers get the base-level Pallas trim, which includes dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control and a bigger (10.25in) digital instrument cluster than before.

Pallas+ trim – which adds a heat pump and keyless entry – moves the price up to £39,160, with the range topping out at Étoile – adding an Alcantara dashboard and a 360deg camera – at £41,860. 

The hatchback is also still offered with a 146bhp mild-hybrid petrol and 222bhp plug-in hybrid powertrain.

The latter set-up offers up to 50 miles of electric-only range (via a 14.6kWh battery), 30% more than the one it replaces.

Pricing starts in Pallas+ trim at £32,200 for the mild hybrid (the cheapest variant sold) and £39,00 for the PHEV.

The range tops out at £37,400 and £44,200 respectively in Étoile Nappa. Not available with an electric powertrain brings a Criollo Brown nappa leather interior.

French brand comes into its own with a luxurious take on the premium hatchback

The 4 has been DS's best-selling model in the UK since its 2021 launch, albeit with just 2300 sales. 

While it has done much better in Europe, amassing 10,405 sales in 2024, DS is struggling, with overall deliveries dipping 22.4% last year. 

It was recently suggested that parent company Stellantis was ready to offload DS last year, but instead it publicly backed the brand.

In a bid to rejuvenate itself, DS has brought to market a new flagship SUV in the No8 and given its best-seller a wide-reaching update.

It will be the addition of an electric variant that should give the No4 added appeal – especially in the UK, where manufacturers are pressed to sell an increased number of EVs. 

DS has transformed the design of the new No4, bringing it inline with the stylings of the new No8. This is focused on the nose, which now features a new wider and redesigned grille, as well as the same V-shaped light signature as the SUV.

The bonnet has also been extended by 12mm. At the rear, new LED lights feature.

In keeping with its push to remain a premium option, 19in alloys are fitted as standard, with 20s offered at a cost.

Inside, the cabin has been subtly revised, with the main change the fitment of a new 10.25in instrument cluster.