Used car tests

Used DS 4 (Mk2, 2021-date) buyer's guide: a great blend of value and style

Name: DS 4
Brand: DS

A full used buyer's guide on the DS 4 Mk2 that's been on sale in the UK since 2021

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By:Richard Dredge

13 Sep 2025

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Verdict

DS is struggling in the UK, achieving only half as many sales in 2024 as it did in 2023. In the first half of 2025, it sold fewer cars than Genesis, Alfa Romeo and KGM, and half as many as Omoda. Buyers rarely consider a DS if buying new, but that means there are bargains on the used market, and we reckon they’re worth seeking out. We ran a DS 4 E-Tense on our long-term fleet and came to love its comfort, practicality and refinement. As a used buy, the DS 4 offers a great blend of value and style, and it’s definitely different from its rivals, even if under the skin it shares much of its architecture with other Stellantis models.

How often have you heard people say that all new cars look the same? While that’s arguably true with some car makers, other brands are doing their best to buck the trend – and one of them is DS.

Both inside and out, DS’s cars have their own unique identity. Take the DS 4 for example. Is it a hatchback or is it an SUV? The answer is that it’s somewhere between the two, so it’s sleeker than a regular crossover and is crammed with thoughtful design details from bumper-to-bumper. But is that enough to make you want one? We’d say yes – perhaps a lot more than you realise.

History

Orders for the DS 4 opened at the end of 2021, with the first deliveries taking place in early 2022. Buyers could choose from a mix of engines, starting with a 1.2-litre turbo PureTech petrol and a 1.5-litre BlueHDi 130 diesel.

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2020 Audi

37,416 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £16,400

View Q2

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2022 Mazda

CX-30

11,806 milesManualPetrol2.0L

Cash £15,849

View CX-30

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2024 SEAT

Ateca

36,754 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £15,099

View Ateca

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2023 Audi

9,704 milesAutomaticPetrol1.4L

Cash £26,699

View Q3

For those who wanted more poke, there was a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol unit in the form of the PureTech 180 and PureTech 225, while the plug-in hybrid E-Tense 225 promised power with economy. All came with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and no manual option.

By June 2024 a 134bhp hybrid powertrain joined the DS 4 range, with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Three years on, DS has given the car the new No4 name to line up with its range siblings, plus a mid-life update, with a refreshed design and the option of a 210bhp electric powertrain (sold as the E-Tense), and a bigger battery for the plug-in hybrid. Previously a 12.4kWh item, it was upgraded to 14.6kWh to give an electric range of up to 50 miles.

Prices

There aren’t many DS 4s on the second-hand market, but there’s a mix of powertrains. We found about 100 of them for sale, with prices for a new DS 4 starting from just over £15,000 through our Buy A Car service.

Check the price of a DS 4 with our free car valuation tool...

Which one should I buy?

We'd suggest a plug-in hybrid if you can charge at home, because this could dramatically cut your fuel bills.

Smooth, refined and punchy, the plug-in powertrain is the pick of the bunch, although the more powerful PureTech engines are also pretty good. All DS 4s are well equipped.

From launch there were Bastille+, Trocadero, Rivoli, Performance Line, Performance Line+, Cross Trocadero and Cross Rivoli trims. The entry-level Bastille+ comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10-inch touchscreen, LED lights, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

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The Trocadero adds 19-inch wheels, nav, a head-up display, front parking sensors and a rear camera, while the Rivoli adds leather trim, matrix LED headlights, scrolling indicators, privacy glass, insulated glazing and rear cross traffic alert.

Alternatively, Performance Line and Performance Line+ models mirrored the equipment levels of the Trocadero and Rivoli, but included sportier design elements such as black Alcantara interior upholstery, black wheels and a dark finish to the grille and window trims.

On the road

DS has made a concerted effort to put comfort first and foremost, and we reckon it’s paid off. If you’re looking for an affordable family car that shrugs off the worst of the UK’s pothole-ridden roads, the DS 4 fits the bill without being too wallowy in corners.

Just bear in mind that the steering isn’t the most engaging, but it’s perfectly okay, especially if most of your miles are racked up on the motorway or around town. While the PureTech 130 and diesel engines don’t give the urge that the DS 4 deserves, they’re acceptable, but the more powerful units are worth seeking out.

Alternatives to the DS 4

Think of the DS 4 as a hatchback and it will be up against the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class, but they cost more than an equivalent DS 4. You could also consider the Mazda 3, Ford Focus, Peugeot 308, VW Golf and Vauxhall Astra, all of which are readily available, well equipped and dynamically capable.

Consider the DS 4 a crossover and its rivals include the Mercedes GLA, BMW X2, Cupra Formentor, SEAT Ateca and Lexus UX, along with the Audi Q2, Volvo XC40, MINI Countryman, Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson and Toyota C-HR. Within the Stellantis family, there’s also the Alfa Romeo Junior, Fiat 600 Hybrid and Peugeot 2008.

What to look for

Electrical glitches

The faults most commonly referred to on owner forums relate to electronic glitches. Faulty windows or central locking and crashing touchscreens are mentioned, but most problems are sporadic, then they reset.

Cross to bear

The poshest trim levels (Trocadero, Rivoli, later Opera) are also offered in Cross form. This is a faux SUV with black bumpers, roof bars and skid plates. It sits no higher than the standard model, though.

Belt up

Most of the DS 4s for sale are fitted with a 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engine, which has a cambelt that runs in oil. These belts can degrade over time and debris can clog the oil pick-up – regular servicing is essential.

Keep in trim

A year after the DS 4 launched, an Opera trim was slotted into the range above the Rivoli. By summer 2024 the range had been rationalised to Pallas, Etoile, and Etoile Nappa Leather.

Interior

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You'll either love or hate the cabin, which isn’t as over-designed as some DSs, but isn’t as intuitive as it could be, either. The quality is exceptional, though, and the seats are comfortable; it’s a shame that all-round visibility is poor. Rear-seat passenger space is good, and so is boot capacity at 430 litres (390 for PHEVs).

Running costs

A DS 4 shouldn’t be an expensive car to run, but if you buy a newer example, you’re likely to lose a lot in depreciation and could also pay more in road tax.

That aside, servicing costs aren’t too punishing. The schedule is set at every year or 16,000 miles, alternating between Minor (at £184) and Major (£359). All engines have a cambelt that needs replacing every 10 years or 112,000 miles at a cost of £599, though experts advise belts on 1.2-litre ‘wet belt’ engines are best changed sooner.

Most DS 4s cost less than £40,000 new, but all plug-in hybrids were more than that when they first left the showroom, which means a £420 road tax supplement for the first five years. Insurance groups range from 18 to 23 for non-electrified models; PureTech 225 editions are in group 28, while plug-in hybrids are in groups 28-32 depending on specification.

Recalls

The DS 4 has been recalled four times so far. The first was in May 2022, because some cars made in March and April 2022 had a curtain airbag that was incorrectly fitted.

There were two recalls in 2023, first in January and affecting DS 4s made between July and November 2022, because in rare cases the bolts holding the suspension wishbones weren’t tightened up sufficiently on the production line.

The second 2023 recall was issued in May, because some plug-in hybrids came with incorrect cables that could potentially catch fire; cars made between February and May 2023 were affected.

The most recent recall was in February 2025, because some DS 4s made between March and September 2024 could suffer from leaking fuel pipes.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

DS is one of the smallest automotive brands in the UK. It sold just 1,152 cars in the UK last year, to take 0.06% of the market. So, it’ll come as no surprise that it has never appeared in any of our Driver Power surveys, although the Peugeot 3008 came second in this year’s league tables, the Citroen C5 Aircross came eighth and the Vauxhall Grandland an even more impressive second. These are all related to the DS, so the potential for the 4 to be a good car is definitely there.