The DS 4 will gain an electric option and a new name when it is facelifted this year.

Since its 2021 launch, the premium hatch has been the brand’s best-seller in the UK, albeit with just 2303 sales. It has proved more popular in mainland Europe, where it sold 10,405 examples in 2024 alone.

The arrival of an electric variant will give the model added appeal, especially in the UK, where manufacturers are pressed to sell an increased number of EVs. Because it uses the same EMP platform as the recently facelifted Citroen ë-C4, it is likely to adopt the same powertrain options that car offers.

These comprise an entry-level set-up with a 134bhp motor and 50kWh battery for a range of 223 miles, and a 154bhp motor and 54kWh pack, yielding 260 miles.

Autocar understands that the combustion model may be offered exclusively with the e-DCS6 hybrid powertrain, centred around a 1.2-litre three-pot, with the diesel option axed following a downturn in demand for the fuel type.

DS is understood to be debating whether there is still a place for the plug-in hybrid model, although the powertrain’s popularity among fleets – a segment that made up 61.8% of the UK’s new car sales in 2024 – may ensure it is retained.

Arriving in September, the hatch will also be renamed No4, aligning with the brand’s new naming strategy, which started with the recently revealed DS No8 flagship.

Spy pictures taken this week show that the new No4 will also gain design cues from its bigger sibling.

These include swapping the current car’s wide grille for the No8’s thinner and more defined split grille, as the spy pictures reveal. At the rear, a less sculpted body and sharper LEDs, like those found on the No8, also appear to have been added. 

Inside, the No4 is expected to adopt a new 7.0in digital instrument screen and the 10.0in infotainment touchscreen will get updated software, as on the C4. The new model could also get plusher materials than the current car's, given DS's intention to move upmarket.

The current DS 4 is priced from £33,750 in entry-level Pallas trim, but that is expected to increase slightly  with the facelift. In line with sibling brands, pricing for the EV is likely to begin at around £40,000.