In our age cars are becoming bigger an heavier, and it was in the cards that with the mobility challenges we face nowadays, creative minds would return to the core values where the original 2 CV has always stood for: affordability, lightness, practicality, versatility and of course originality which appeals to humanity.
Indeed, the starting point was not to recreate a 2 CV, but to imagine the small electric car of the future – practical and desirable, bringing some “joie de vivre” – bringing pleasure and excitement in your everyday short journeys.
Of course, the Stellantis Group has a solid strategy behind it: To bring about a new generation of small electric cars, in line with the new European E-Car regulations, positioned between the Ami and the C3, to offer greater freedom of movement without compromising on character.
Indeed, to launch a model manufactured in Europe, with a target starting price of around 15,000 euros, to help make electric mobility accessible to as many people as possible.
Therefore the design choices take into account mass production and ease of repair: flat surfaces and direct air intakes beneath the windscreen (which however have been sadly abandoned in the light of present safety regulations we hear) , bumpers separated from the bodywork and replaceable independently…
Make no mistake, the 2 CV is modern: it is “cool” through its styling, its on-board comfort and all the practical features for everyday use, re-imagined in the spirit of the 2 CV to make life easier for its occupants.
Pierre Leclercq, head of design Citroën and his team stress that the design of the 2 CV aims to breathe new life into an icon, not by copying it, but by reinventing its design language to ensure it is fully rooted in the present day.
You can tell what they mean when you look at the exterior: an instantly recognizable silhouette, with the unique proportions and curves of the 2CV, but using tauter lines and generous volumes to convey greater energy. Round headlamps are set apart from the bodywork, conveying an expressive LED signature, a sculpted, sweeping bonnet.
Just look further at the vertical windscreen, the curved and flowing roof, rounded wings and taut flanks; contoured door handles, tapered indicators on the C-pillar, 18-inch steel wheels inspired by the 2 CV, and Michelin tyres bearing the Heritage logo and the Citroën chevrons. Just wonderful…
A distinctive roofline accentuated by a black tailgate extending down to the bumper, just like on the first-generation 2CV, which had originally a canvas instead of a metal boot lid. There are LED lights on either side of the tailgate, three horizontal stripes, a short overhang, a visible tailgate handle and a number plate displaying the 2CV’s nicknames in different countries.
With 3.76 m, the 2CV is also shorter than its iconic predecessor, no small feat!
The interior plunges you in a world of joie de vivre: no traditional dashboard, but a cylinder to which the following are attached: a single-spoke steering wheel, a single control lever, a paddle-shift gear selector and a Citroën Smart Vision display which prioritises essential information within the driver’s field of vision.
An 8-inch square ‘phygital’ touchscreen, with graphics inspired by comic books.
Your eyes meet the “Radioën”, a detachable radio that doubles as a speaker and accompanies occupants both inside and outside the vehicle.
We show you here some photos, and we hope we can have a written interview with Pierre Leclercq soon!
My love affair with the Audi’s goes a (very) long way. The first one I drove, when I was a young law student, was the Audi 50. It was a test car, for the car column of the weekly illustration magazine “De Post”, where my father was editor in chief. I vividly remember this “mini Audi”, nimble, vivid, well styled with a fake wood finished dashboard as a touch of luxury. It was developed as early as 1970, when the engineers at Audi NSU Auto Union AG started work on the project, spearheaded by Chief Technical Officer Ludwig Kraus, (who had developed earlier also the Audi 100, which established Audi as a premium brand.)
My father and I found it a vivid and wonderful car. Light it was, the NSU engineers in Neckarsulm, where the car was initially developed, knew everything about “Leichtbau”, or the art of making light cars. This car was also to become the first… VW Polo, rolling off the Wolfsburg production lines in March 1975. The Audi bug continued: I personally owned for many years an automatic Audi 80 S, and yes, I presently own an A5 Cabrio, designed by Walter Da Silva, a beauty with – of course- an Audi Exclusiv leather interior.
But let’s now turn to the present electric age, behind the wheel in the stylish cabin of the face lifted Q4 e-tron. Just read further!
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Facelift brings more for the eye and improved efficiency and range…
The Q4 e-tron was launched in 2021, and for this bestseller, it was time for a facelift. The grille is now color matched, it carries new LED lights front and rear, and in the superbly designed cabin you can now optionally enjoy a third screen exclusively for the passenger. It also gets an improved version of the permanently excited synchronous motor driving the rear wheels. Better battery efficiency, faster charging, and bi-directional capability. Read more below…
Indeed, externally the car really looks attractive. We like the color match of the grille, with the The S line variant adding vertical blades in Selenite silver matte to the corners of the front and rear bumpers. The whole car looks elegant and also muscular. We love it from every angle, and we liked also the 5 spoke “aero” alloy wheels on our test car.
Interior: stylish panache…
The designers brought true Audi panache into the redesign of the dashboard. It impresses with fit and finish, and gives you this unmistakable premium “Audi” feel. We like the matte aluminum inserts. Its centerpiece is the panoramic display, pairing an 11.9″ instrument cluster and a 12.8″ MMI touch display with large tiles for a quick overview of features and services. Indeed, for the first time in this segment, an optional 12″ passenger display is also available – the largest ever in an Audi, featuring a customizable standby design.
Our test car came with an optional augmented reality head-up display. This projects information onto the windshield in two layers: in the upper layer, turn arrows from the navigation system, starting points and destinations, and prompts from selected assist systems appear in the appropriate position on top of the real environment. Below this, the status layer shows speed, traffic signs, and assistance and navigation icons, visually placed around three meters ahead of the driver. Wonderful and intuitive…
There are four easily accessible charging options for smartphones: two cooled inductive charging trays (up to 15 watts each) and two USB-C ports under the center armrest.
Driving: comfortable and sporting
Our test car came in the 210 kW performance version, and this is synonymous with brilliant performance. It sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 6,6 seconds, and top speed is limited to 180 km/h. But the beauty lies of course in the whisper smoothness of how all this power is delivered.
The Q4 offers you the choice of several driving modes, and we chose most of the time the balanced mode, which is an ideal mix between comfort and sportiness. We enjoyed also the three regeneration modes, but were also truly impressed by the “auto” mode, which is fed by navigation and sensors monitoring surrounding traffic.
Besides, our test car came with the Adaptive driving assistant plus is available for additional convenience – it helps with acceleration, braking, maintaining speed and distance, and lane guidance. It works ever so smoothly, gently coasting wherever possible when you lift your right foot, and smoothly slowing down to a full stop when the vehicle ahead does so too.
It makes city driving a wonderfully relaxing affair. Our test car came with a superb Sonos audio system, and you can imagine how I enjoyed every minute behind the wheel.
The comfort of the Q4 is outstanding, also the standard sport seats deserve an accolade. Besides boulevard driving and motorway trips in “comfort” mode, the Audi lives also up to its iconic tradition of sportiness. You can really have a go on winding roads. The steering is precise, the point of gravity is quite low with the big 82 kWh battery sitting quite deep in the MEB electric platform that is also used for the VW ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq.
This means that the Q4 holds the road really well… We also found it quite nimble in town and narrow streets. Of course, the surround view camera’s help when manoeuvring in tight parking spaces, and parking alongside kerbs.
Consumption depends of course on your driving style, weather conditions, you name it. The manufacturer quotes a range of up to 578 km with a combined consumption between 18,4 and 15,6 kWh/100 km, which proved indeed quite realistic and achievable.
The Audi Q4 e-tron is the first Audi with bidirectional charging. With Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), the car directly powers electric devices. It does so via a domestic power socket in the trunk (providing continuous power of 2.3 kW at 230 V AC) or an optional adapter on the side charging port with a domestic power socket (2.3 kW) or a camping power socket (3.6 kW). Ideal for your electric mountain bike!
The DC charging capacity of the 82 kWh battery in the Audi Q4 SUV4 performance increases from 175 kW to up to 185 kW – charging from 10 to 80 percent at a fast-charging station in just 27 minutes. Up to 185 km of range can be added in ten minutes…
The luggace space is quite good, with 520 litres seats up and 1,490 litres seats down. There is a compartment underneath the floor in which you can tuck away the charging cables.
Infotainment: versatile and state of the art…
We were also impressed by the quality and layout of the information we got on the touchscreens in front of the driver and in the centre of the dashboard. Chrystal clear maps, superb navigation, clear layout of functions and apps to choose from on the central screen, with functions like for instance the choice between different “ambiance” moods.
So for example your display will show a forest picture with soothing music when you take a power nap… Of course, you can adjust your optional Sonos system also and choose between concert, lounge, neutral and podcast sound setups…
We liked also the simple and clean controls on the central console: intuitive and to the point.
Conclusion
The Q4 hits the mark again, offering an ideal combination between style, size, practicality, build quality, performance and efficiency.
It looks very good, has wonderful colour combinations, exudes the unmistakable Audi panache and aura. It comes with quite a few power combinations, starting with a 150 kW e-motor at the rear wheels and a 63 kW battery, up to a 250 kW and the 82 kWh battery for the top Quattro version. But the performance version we drove was (already) truly impressive…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Photographers’ notes: We used here again our Fujifilm Finepix FinePix S100FS, and despite the fact that its design dates back to 2008, now almost two decades ago, it stilldelivers absolutely professional results.
Of course, the definition of the electronic viewfinder as well as the bigger foldable screen is not up to present standards, but the actual sensor and the Fujinon 28-400 mm (35 mm equivalent) lens really mean business. Note that the photos you see here are compressed to cope with the website technical requirements…so the original photos are still more detailed. Remember, I bought this versatile camera used some years ago for just 59 Euros…The photo of the camera here above is taken with my Xiaomi smartphone.
I have always been very fond of the original R4, which was my dream car when I was a university law student. I found its concept to be an absolute stroke of genius, with its front wheel drive, comfortable suspension, roominess, practicality. I was a total fan of the elegant “Parisienne” version; alas, I never owned one, as even as second hand it was still far too expensive for me.
So French ingenuity escaped me. And, as a matter of fact, I have never driven this original R4. Needless to say that now I was truly delighted to get behind the wheel of its present day successor. Electric it is, this Renault 4, and you will never ever hear the throb of an efficient 4 cylinder coming from under its bonnet. Indeed, Renault launched last year this new retro trend of the iconic R5 and the R4, responding to the obligation by the EU to fully electrify its whole range by 2035.
Technically (almost) identical to the Renault 5…
Renault uses its AmpR Small platform for both cars, and we enjoyed already its exceptional qualities in our test of the “Cinq” E-tech, which you can also read in our columns. But the R4 is actually quite a lot bigger, one could indeed say it is a compact SUV. It is 22 cm longer, 3 cm wider even and also 5 cm taller.
When you get behind the wheel, everything looks absolutely familiar: its dashboard and the whole front of the cabin is strictly identical to the R5. The same goes for engine and batteries: like in the five, you can choose between 120 HP and a 40 kWh battery or 150 HP and a 52 kW battery for the higher versions, being the “Techno” and the “Iconic”. We tested the 150 HP Iconic Comfort range, which in Belgium comes at a price of 37.100 Euros.
Driving
Once you stepped in the taller “Quatre”, you find the same good driving qualities of the R5. The suspension is made even a bit softer, making the car feel a touch less agile and it is indeed rather inviting you to adopt a more restful driving style. But the excellent stability and cornering power is there for course for you to enjoy if you want…certainly when you choose the “Sport” mode with the multi-sense button on the steering wheel.
The 150 HP motor gives you enough punch to put a smile on your face: the R4 will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in a fast 8,2 seconds, the 120 HP version will do it in a still very creditable 9,2 seconds. The top speed for both power versions is limited to 150 km/h.
The other difference is that now you have two small paddles at the steering wheel which let you choose the level of energy recuperation. If you press the left paddle even more, you activate the “One Pedal” mode. It will also come soon also on the R5, by the way.
The R4 is also, like its sister, well at home on the autoroute. Sound insulation is excellent, as is seating position and overall comfort. The cruise control is intuitive to use, and on our trips we enjoyed the wonderful sound qualities of the optional Harmann Kardon sound system with 9 speakers. Lover of Jazz, Opera and classical music, you can imagine how I enjoyed all this.
The semi-autonomous driving system is also standard on this Iconic version, and indeed it works very smoothly and we wouldn’t want to miss it on our trips.
Infotainment
The R4 comes with Google software, and we very much liked that the Google maps function is permanently installed, so it is not necessary to hook up your phone via Android Auto or Apple Car Play. You can speak to a cute blue and yellow lozenge shaped avatar driven by ChatGPT, and he will lower the windows for you, find the proper charging spot on your trip or set the ventilation. From the Techno version upwards the Google navigation also includes a charging point planner, and indeed, when travelling from Holland on the way home it did not indicate straight away our home address, but first the point where we could recharge the battery in order to cover the further distance to our destination.
We also liked the row of analog physical touches below the central touchscreen for those essential functions for ventilation, heating, defrosting, Air-co, choosing cabin temperature.
Spacious and practical…
The R4 offers (a lot) more than the R5 when it comes to extra space for the rear passengers and their luggage. Indeed, the wheelbase has been stretched by not less than 8 centimeters, we already told you that the R4 is not less than 22 cm longer. The rear seats are improved and have a thicker upholstery, there is more space in the door bins, and last but not least there is now a lot more headroom. There are two type C USB slots for the (young) rear passengers, invariably social media aficionados…
The boot space went now from 277 in the R5 to some 339 liters. The Harmann Kardon sound system takes unfortunately some of the underfloor space, but there is enough room to tuck away the charging cables. The load sill is pleasantly low, merely 16 cm. Good to know that also the front passenger can be folded down, so these long (up to 2,2 meters) IKEA panels can safely be brought home…
Consumption, charging and range…
According to WLTP, the R4 in the 150 HP version has an average consumption of 15,1 kWh/100 km. We easily achieved this during our test. The WLTP range is set according to the manufacturer at 409 km.
On the motorway or “Autoroute”, consumption tends to rise slightly above 20 kWh/100 km, and in practice the range then drops on these faster trips. If you want to stick to the 15,1 kWh/100 km average, you have to cruise at 95-100 km/h on the motorway…which is indeed marvellously relaxing with Chopin Nocturnes soothing your ears through the 9 speakers of the Harmann Kardon sound system.
We put the R4 on a CCS(DC) charger and charged the battery at an rate of 82 kW/h.
On the “Iconic” top version we tested, bi-directional charging is standard, and you can hook an electrical appliance up to your R4, to a maximum of 3,700 W or put the energy back to you home system to reduce your energy bill…
Conclusion
The R4 convinced us with its comfort, space, driving pleasure, its iconic aura with some retro-styled very charming aspects in cabin, dashboard and exterior details. It is also a wonderful car to take on a longer journey, the driving assistance systems are smooth and pleasant. The comfortable suspension and its higher stance make it also an ideal companion on remote country roads and add to its go-anywhere character of the original “RQuatre”.
The price is certainly in line with what the market wants for a full electric compact SUV nowadays.
The range is adequate, you are helped by the navigation and infotainment systems to find the charging spots on your route effortlessly, and yes, Renault is working on still longer range versions of both R4 and R5…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Photogapher’s notes:
Also for this test I used the Fujifilm FinePix S100FS. Using its standard settings, the S100FS shows a pretty respectable 9.2 stops of dynamic range in total. But there is more. Unusually for a non-SLR, the Fuji has the option to ‘boost’ its dynamic range by one or two stops (marked as 200 or 400%).Not bad for a second hand camera for the price of a restaurant lunch!
Renault has always had a keen eye for everyday practicality when designing its cars. And it is no surprise that in its ambition to create voitures à vivre, it brings a concept car to the forthcoming Paris Motor show: the E-Space Concept, which is Renault’s contemporary vision of travel and family mobility in the electric age.
With E-Space Concept, Renault is rebooting the spirit of Renault Espace, a model first launched in 1984 that has left its mark on automotive history.
More than 40 years on, E-Space Concept is a future-focused vision of the original, true to the approach that has always set Renault apart: innovating for the benefit of people, human emotion and the in-car experience.
Space Concept embodies the brand’s futuREady strategy: reinventing the automotive experience by placing user needs and the in-car experience at the heart of the design process. This Renault E-Space Concept is a spectacular car, 4.70m long with bodywork in an elegant shade of black rubé.
Alongside E-Space Concept, Renault will be exhibiting two other concept cars: Renault 8 Gordini Concept and Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept.
The Renault 8 Gordini Concept has totally stunning looks and features and we will come back on this concept car also soon in these columns.
The same goes for the Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept, previewed at the 2026 Roland-Garros French Open tennis tournament, this Renault 4 concept car is a fresh take on the Plein Air (1969) and JP4 (1981) versions of the original Renault 4. Also soon more about this iconic “quatre” soon!
The Renault 5 E-Tech electric range is even more attractive with greater efficiency, range and versatility right from entry-level, along with new colours and features.
Both the 40 kWh Urban Range and 52 kWh Comfort Range versions gain technical and aerodynamic upgrades to achieve new WLTP ranges of up to 315 and 430 km respectively.
Equipped with both an AC charger and a DC charger, a new version of the Five in entry-level trim is making its debut, with an 80 kW / 110 hp motor and a 36,5 kWh LFP battery for a WLTP range of up to 305 km.
Depending on the version, Renault 5 E-Tech electric will be available in new body colours, including Flame Red, a new Warm Titanium finish for the wheels, new wing and roof decals, and new upholstery color, as well as upgrades to onboard technology.
Sales hit…
Renault described the R5 as a major contributor to its EV growth, and one would expect it to finish in 2026 at around roughly 80-90,000 European registrations.
Industry experts say that based on estimated European sales figures this year until late summer, the R5 sells at roughly 3½ times the volume of the R4.
Remarkable, as we know that both cars run on the same Renault Ampere EV architecture. We find the R4 cute enough, and Renault launched for the summer an 4 E – Tech Plein Sud version, with an opening soft roof of class-beating dimensions. Almost one square metre in size, offering the widest opening on the market for an unparalleled feeling of traveling in the great outdoors.
We are keen to have a test spin of both cars soon…
Audi is working hard to carve its niche in the compact EV world with its latest A2 e-tron.
It brings memories of the absolutely genial A2, which was far ahead of its time and been mostly misunderstood.
The overall shape of the new EV is reminiscent of its iconic predecessor, and likewise also reaches new levels of efficiency: just 12.8 kWh/100 km and a range of up to 646 kilometers according to WLTP.
Not only the car is efficient, so is its production process. It is built in Audi’s home plant in Ingolstadt, and we will tell you soon more about its production process…
It has a drag coefficient of 0.24 – the best value in Audi’s compact segment. It has four power levels and three battery sizes, but bi-directional charging is unfortunately only an option. It is spacious on a compact footprint, moreover pleasant with a 1.6-square-meter panoramic glass roof.
It has standard the Audi assistant with artificial intelligence, e-tron route planner, standard MMI panoramic display with 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus and 12.8-inch MMI curved touch display.
It certainly looks splendid, its market launch is in December 2026, but as a premium brand, it doesn’t come cheap: prices in Germany are starting at 38,200 euros.
Needless to say that we are very keen to see the car “in the flesh” soon, and drive it for you early next year…
We told you already in our previous test of the Xpeng G6: in the midst of fast developing and competent Chinese car builders, a star is born with Xpeng.
We commented in our columns already about the technological expertise of the brand. It has already substantive corporate relationships with VW, as the Volkswagen group has a 5 % stake in Xpeng and works together with Xpeng in the development of platforms and automotive software. Porsche now also forms a CO2 pool with Xpeng. It left the VW EU emissions pool as Xpeng now sells more and more EV’s in Europe, and could gain regulatory credits from this deal. But now let’s turn to the G9.
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Premium status…
The G9 is a premium SUV in the upper middle class segment, alongside for instance the BMW X5. With its length of almost 4,9 meter, it looks impressive indeed. The G9 can be had below 60.000 Euros when you opt for the standard range version with a 78 kW battery. The long range version has a bigger battery of 98 kW and costs slightly more than 60.000 Euros. There is also a 550 HP performance version with 2 motors and 4WD, the formidable car we tested…
Indeed, the cabin impresses with space and high quality materials, with all the interior panels covered in softly padded artificial leather, giving clearly an upmarket impression. The G9 offers indeed quite a lot of interior space. The front seats offer sufficient head and legroom for the tallest among us, and this goes also in the back. There too you will find ample head- and legroom. The angle of the rear backrests can be adjusted electronically.
The front passenger has also a massive touchscreen in front of her or him. The luggage space is also abundant with 445 liters in standard form, with an extra 45 liters beneath the luggage floor. With all seats folded down, you have 1605 liters at your disposal. There is also a frunk of not less than 71 liters.
Screen time…
When it comes to touchscreens, the G9 offers the lot. There is a 15 inch central screen, and next to it for the front passenger there is another identical one. There also you can adjust ventilation or navigation, but of course you can also watch films.
Besides Android Auto and Apple Car play connections, your smart phone is also spoiled with a large charging pad on the centre console, and via the Xpeng-app oln your phone you can monitor and adjust the numerous car functions. You can even steer straightforward parking manoeuvres using your smart phone. Of course, the whole in car software system is kept up to date with over the air updates.
You will find hardly any physical knobs and controls in the cockpit, so the touchscreen is your friend, or enemy…Thankfully the menus are logical and don’t take a lot of time to get acquainted with. For instance, you can adjust a lot, among other things in the chosen drive modes.
You can adjust the responsiveness and amount of the steering assistance level via your touchscreen…
Moving with a whisper
The G9 is silent. The drive train is all but inaudible, and road and wind noise are impressively insulated. The window glass is also thick and the wheel arches are textile covered. The Michelin Pilot V tyres have also a soft inner sound deadening layer.
The air suspension impresses too, delivering besides excellent comfort also decent surefootedness and stable handling. But the big G9 does not invite you to throw it around like a go cart. It is not meant to be, and we notice that in general, Chinese cars are in their setup rather geared towards a safety-oriented driving style, and this G9 is no exception to this rule.
Performance galore…
The base version displays with its 313 HP enough liveliness, and indeed a 0 to 100 km/h in 6,4 seconds satisfies also the most performance-hungry enthusiasts. In the Eco function, performance is reduced, but even then it will satisfy most. Top speed of all versions is limited to 200 km/h. Xpeng offers for the G9 also a 4wd two-motor version, and with its 550 HP, it brings total super-car performance with a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in a breathtaking 3,9 seconds. The aficionados must than choose for “sport” mode of course. As said, we drove this performance version, and it is very impressive to say the least.
Steering wheel response is something you can fine-tune to your wishes, and given the performance of our test car, you are wheel advised to do so.
An 800 V system made for fast charging.
Thanks to the 800 Volt architecture, the Xpeng G9 is built for fast charging in mind. Even the standard version accepts 260 kW, and on other versions up to 300 kW is possible. This means you can charge the battery from 10 to 80 pct in around 20 minutes, just enough to stretch your legs and grab a coffee on your holiday trip on the motorway.
Assisted driving adds comfort
The state of the art driving aids enhance the ease and comfort of this big G9. Sometimes, speed warning signals are a git too eager and frequent, but we expect that via the over the air updates things will improve soon.
The Xpeng G9 is reasonably frugal, where of course much depends on your driving style. The manufacturer quotes 19,4 kWh/100 km for the standard version. The performance version uses 21,3 kWh according to WLTP norm. We managed with some restraint and anticipation to achieve averages between 18-19 kWh. We mention here that all versions can tow 1,5 tonne, and that Xpeng offers a 7 year warranty or 160.000 km.
Conclusion
The G9 certainly offers premium looks, comfort, roominess and performance. The finish and quality of the materials is clearly premium too, and the equipment of this G9 leaves no further wishes open. If you are in the market for a large E-SUV, then take a long, hard look at this sophisticated and elegant Xpeng…
The new Kia EV4 has many cards upon it s sleeve: very pleasing, extravagant styling, much room and an excellent range. It stands next to the EV3 in the showrooms, and one might ask why Kia launched two models in the same compact class, almost one after the other. Well, the EV4 was launched for all the very good extra reasons, besides what the EV3 already offers..
The EV4 sits 8 centimetres lower, but more importantly, it’s 13 centimeters longer and has a longer wheelbase too, which means you have one of the biggest rear legrooms in its class.
There is also a limousine version, with an extra large luggage space under its stretched tailgate door, but it is rather the classic SUV version which is meant for our European public, and is therefore built in Slovakia.
The electric motor develops 150 kW, and drives the front wheels. You can choose between a 58,3 and a 81,4 kW battery, and this warrants you quite good ranges. On the smaller battery, you have a range of about 410 km, which is in itself a good average for its class. The bigger battery offers a range of close to 600 km, or let’s say at least 500 km under normal driving circumstances. The excellent aerodynamics of the EV4 make this possible: the Cw is merely 0,32 kW, and the car is lower too.
Driving
The EV4 is dynamic with a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in under 8 seconds, and top speed for both versions is around 170 km/h. The power is smooth and wonderfully progressive, and this results in a quite enjoyable driving experience. It is indeed a joy to drive this Kia over winding and mountainous roads, where the steering could be somewhat more sensitive, but one has to admit that the chassis and suspension engineers had above all a “Zen” driving experience in mind. We have to admit that they achieved this admirably, as sound insulation is excellent, also at high motorway speeds.
Charging the Kia EV4 on a (public) AC point is only possible at a maximum of 11 kW, and DC fast charging is possible up to 128 kW for the larger battery, up to 100 kW for the smaller one. According to Kia, you can charge both batteries from 10 to 80 pct in about 30 minutes. Accord to WLTP standards, consumption is some 14,6 kW /100 km. Driving smoothly and with anticipation, it was well possible to achieve averages between 12-13 kW in town driving. The advantage of the bigger battery is that you can tow up to 1 tonne instead of 500 kg for the smaller one.
Of course, modern times let you use your smartphone the right way. Kia offers a smartphone app which lets you plan your route and send it to the car. It calculates the charging stops. The app also lets you open and start the car, and you can allow up to 15 persons to do the same…
Spacious
The instrumentation and dashboard layout is virtually the same as in the EV3. The central touchscreen is seamlessly integrated with the drivers’ instrument display panel, and there are separate physical touches for ventilation and sound volume, which we liked very much.
The central armrest can fold away and holds also a useful storage space for all the things you might need for all your activities when waiting in the car when charging.
The cabin feels quite roomy, and there is ample leg- and headroom fore and aft. Luggage space is sufficient with a volume of 435 litres.
Infotainment and driving assistance up to scratch…
We live in modern digital times, and this shows of course in our cars. The Kia engineers did also a wonderful job, without going over the top with massive screens everywhere. We are, by the way, still amateurs of physical knobs and buttons for everyday things like sound and ventilation, and we still think the solution of a smart mouse as was adopted by Lexus years ago is the ideal one for the driver. No smudged screens, a much calmer hand to point at and select the functions than an erratic finger in a bouncing car. But this is of course subjective, and preferences can be – and mostly are – a very personal/individual thing.
But back to the EV4. It has virtually everything you could wish for, like distance parking, and you can order some extras like a head up display (we appreciated the one in our test car) and sound aficionados can opt for the formidable 8 speaker Harman/Kardon system.
Indeed, EVs are built for music lovers, as they are so silent; therefore, we always advise spending a good amount of money on a higher-end sound system.
Conclusion
The Kia EV4 has carved a nice niche in EV world: it looks cute and is with its lower profile refreshingly different from the traditional SUV brigade. It offers plenty of room nevertheless, and its range is also quite good to say the least. It responds well to spirited driving, and has a European, tout feeling behind the wheel. So take a long hard look at this one…
When premium French automaker DS Automobiles designs a flagship model, one can expect something very outstanding and unique. This is indeed the case with the N°8, a sleek coupé-SUV, elegant to look at from any angle. Indeed, this car has panache, and this makes it in our eyes truly stand out.
Because, let’s face it: what makes you choose an EV in this day and age? Personally, I would say, the one that scores on style and character. The N°8 has lots of it…
Of course, there is also range, recharging capacity, efficiency and last but not least, handling and comfort. These are also elements which determine your choice. But let’s admit, drivetrain smoothness and performance is what EV’s all have more or less nowadays, so this is in my eyes hardly a determining factor anymore.
So this N°8 scores high, just by looking at it. When I walked around the car and entered the stunning cabin, staring at the four spokes steering wheel, I felt like stepping into the world of Jules Verne, tasting this unique mix of French genius with Victorian age idiosyncrasy. Well done, I would say to the designers and the other people who conceived the model’s mission status and character of the N°8.
A coupé-SUV
Let’s start with the exterior. A timelessly good looking car will have ideal proportions. This is what Pinin Farina and Felice Mario Boano already told us some 70-80 years ago. Just have a look at Boano’s design of the Lancia Aurelia, the GT version and of course the Ferrari 250 GT Low Roof Berlinetta.
The DS Automobiles designers have learned their lessons. Impressive, clean and tall sides, a bold front and rear end, with elegant yet expressively styled horizontal and vertical light elements on the four edges of the car.
We also liked the dual tone paintwork, the aluminum accents and the matte, brushed lettering on the rear end. The large wheels (740 mm in diameter) give the car a unique stance. The elongated and tapered profile that is illustrated by a roof stretching down to the tailgate’s spoiler. Each part of the bodywork has also been scrutinized in the wind tunnel. Its Cx is only 0.24 and its SCx merely 0.64
A premium cabin
Touches of art déco, but with an unmistakable sense of elegance, this is what the eyes meet in the interior. The photo’s tell you the whole story. Just look at the receded dashboard panel, a central screen panel which – refreshingly – is not so enormously big and imposing. The smaller panel in front of you gives you the info which matters, and not more. The design of the odometer is inspired by the world of watchmaking. The readability of the battery charge indicator and the “power meter” take precedence.
Like an airline pilot of France Aéropostal, where instruments were few and readable, as you needed all your senses to fly, like Antoine de Saint Exupéry or Jean Mermoz, on the night routes over the desert and ocean. This is how you feel behind the X-shaped steering wheel, but not hearing the sound of the single 12 V Renault 12JA aircraft engine like these heroes, in their Latécoère 26. Just silence, as the electric motor of your DS is virtually inaudible.
The heroes I described here also flew in an open cockpit, and had no radio. Things have changed for us. Just have a look at the beautiful speakers close to you on the front sides of both doors, part of a premium Focal Electra sound system with 14 speakers, a 515watt amplifier, and custom acoustic tuning developed specifically for DS interiors. You can enjoy music in this EV, for sure.
Then there are the wonderfully designed and sculpted seats. Inspired by the DS AERO SPORT LOUNGE concept, the seats have fully integrated head restraints. The front seats are massaging, cooled and heated. Need we say more? Well, close-up thermal comfort is enhanced by the DS NECK WARMER, a device that favors heating as close to the body as possible to enhance energy consumption. These neck warmers fitted into the backrests of the front seats are illuminated by a backlit DS logo with a crystal appearance.
The rear seat comfort is nothing else but superb. There is ample knee room, 84cm of headroom and backrests inclined at 30°, without compromising their 40/20/40 modularity. Cooled and heated seat bases and backrests complete the comfort.
Driving
When you start moving behind the wheel of a DS Automobile, the expectations are high. The N°8 fully meets them. Whatever version you choose, there is utter drive train smoothness and power. The DS N°8 uses the Stellantis Group’s STLA Medium platform. This has been optimized in length and width to accommodate batteries up to a capacity of 97.2 kWh.
DS N°8 is available with a choice of three 100 % electric drive trains developing 230 hp, 245 hp and 350 hp, the latter being fitted with two electric motors for four-wheel drive. All motors enjoy excess power that periodically gives an extra 30 hp to the FWD version – 260 hp, 35 hp to the FWD LONG RANGE version 280 bhp, and 25 bhp to the AWD LONG RANGE model 375 bhp.
Performance is more than adequate: even the 230hp version accelerates in merely 7.7s from 0 to 100 km/h. Top speed is a respectable 190 km/h. The 245hp version which has the larger 97.2 kWh battery has virtually the same performance, but rewards you with a bigger range. According to WLTP figures, the 245 HP version has a range of 750 km, instead of the 572 km of the “base” version. The 350 hp version has of course close to superpower performance, with an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5,4 seconds. The range of this AWD DS is 686 km.
Of course one can count on impeccable road manners and comfort. We found the DS quite responsive and tout, tending towards sportiness and it copes very well with a more enthusiastic driving style. Country roads can be driven with verve, and also in urban low speed traffic the N°8 feels well at home. Nevertheless, the steering feel is not too responsive, and car will not invite you to throw it around, but lets you rather adopt a comfortable, relaxed driving style. At high motorway speeds, the good road and tyre insulation as well as the sound deadening laminated glass keeps noise at bay, so you can enjoy the fantastic sound system and seat comfort.
DS N°8 is fitted as standard with DS ACTIVE SCAN SUSPENSION, a variable damping system linked to a camera positioned at the top of the windscreen. Supported by attitude sensors and 3 accelerometers, it analyses the road surface in a few milliseconds and transmits its information to a computer that acts on each wheel. Noblesse oblige, we would say again here.
Practical
Despite the coupe-SUV profile which makes the roof arch somewhat lower, over the rear seats, but headroom is acceptable for most passengers. The floor of the car is rather high, and this raises your legs and knees a bit, reducing thigh support by the otherwise excellent rear seats. We enjoyed the clever thermal glass roof in the “Etoile” equipment version we tested.
Boot space is more than sufficient with 581 liters, and offers also a small under-floor compartment. When it comes to charging speed, it is worth to mention that the N° 8 features a 400-volt electrical system, and the maximum DC charging rate is 160kW. This means that the 74kWh battery can be charged from 20-80 per cent capacity in 26 minutes, with the 97.2kWh pack taking just a minute longer to charge to the same amount. Note that EV Routing via DS IRIS SYSTEM 2.0 simplifies trip planning.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a refined car which truly stands out from the rest and which is a proud four wheeled statement of French refinement and savoir vivre, then this N°8 merits a long hard look.
It is smooth and refined for eyes and senses, looks and drives beautifully, offering up to date practicality in its class. The N°8 soothes you with style and comfort, with performance and range to match, even in the base 230 HP version with the 74 kWh battery.
The iconic Aston Martin DB5 used by film character James Bond: this factory-made replica on, the show is an example of the “continuation” series of the original James Bond Aston Martin.
The lovers of iconic British classics can enjoy a beautiful exhibition in the heart of Brussels: until Sunday 21st of June they stand eye to eye with the iconic cars which embody the history of this wonderful brand.
You will admire at your leisure the rare 1925 Grand Prix car, of which only 3 exist in the world today, and the one you will see in Brussels is the last one produced… Another F1 gem awaits you in the magnificent hall of Autoworld: the legendary DBR4.
But every enthusiast just loves the DB5, the iconic James Bond car. The car on the show is a replica, but it is in almost every aspect equal to the original. Did you know that the total series production of the DB5 was only 1,059 units?
On the show, iconic Aston’s from the ‘50s and ‘60s can also be admired. What to think of the gleaming black DB1, nicknamed “Spa Special”, as this is the very car that raced to victory in 1948, with team drivers Jock Horsfall and Leslie Johnson behind the wheel.
Engineer Claude Hill had designed the 2 litre four cylinder engine for the revolutionary 1939 Atom, because of the wardid not really survive the prototype s. Key to the concept was the integral construction of body framing and chassis, which were made from rectangular steel tubes.
Looking at this photo, you can easily imagine yourself sitting behind the wheel of the Aston DB1, racing towards victory in the Spa Francorchamps 24 race…
The 1948 Motor Show saw the launch of the first car to be produced under the ownership of David Brown, thTwo Litre Sports, retrospectively named ‘DB1’. It used the Atom chassis construction, by the way…
There is also a Bordeaux coloured DB2/4 to be seen, which was originally owned by Belgian king Baudouin, see the photo here above. He drove not less than four Aston Martins in his life. A true connoisseur!
Noblesse oblige, and this means that an Aston Martin exhibition cannot do without a Zagato bodied example. We admired the DB4 Zagato, which was again a factory recreation of the original. The DB4 Zagato was produced between 1960 and 1963.
Originally, 25 units were planned, but the interest proved not to be large, resulting in only 19 copies being produced. Later, the popularity of the Zagato version was increasing, and two subsequent series were, “Sanction II” with 4 copies, and “Sanction III” with a further 2 copies.
The car on the show is produced in a new series of 19 , built in 2019 on the occasion of the centenary of Zagato. is a true racing car, and is not allowed to drive on public roads…
We also found the Aston Martin 2022 Speedster-type supercar, the DBR22, totally stunning. We will return soon to this beauty, which is an homage to the legendary Aston Martin DBR1 Sports Racing Car. On the photo below, you see the cockpit details of this speedster, with the Aston Martin Victor in the background.
Below we show you a photo of the cockpit and steering wheel of the DBR22, with the steering wheel of the original 1925 Grand Prix Car in the background, with almost a century between them…
The show also includes modern creations like the Aston Martin Victor (see photo earlier) and the rare One-77. More on these cars soon…
Everybody knows that the name Aston Martin is tied to casino glamour and film, and this was also very much the case at the magnificent opening night of this exhibition, where your servant was invited by the very dynamic team of Autoworld.
On the opening night, invitées could enjoy a game of roulette…in the true James Bond tradition!
Sebastien de Baere, General Manager of Autoworld, welcomed the public…
and Autoworld Curator Leo Van Hoorick commented expertly on the displayed cars…
More soon on this Aston Martin exhibition, but in our columns we will also come back on the previous Lancia exhibition, with more stories and photos of Lancia’s legendary Grand Prix car, the D50…
