I’ll try to get them to install wiring for an external subwoofer as a compensation instead, or maybe both a loaner and wiring…? I’ll buy all material and they install it. Can’t hurt to ask them 
Now I really don’t remember if the standard subwoofer was sufficient or not. But it’s always nice to have extra “Oumph” when playing at low volume.
What configuration have You ordered?
It doesn’t have Focal Electra?
Config is called “Executive”. I don’t know if this is a spec by DS or if it’s the importer in Sweden that have “created” their own.
It does come with the Focal Electra system, from memory it sounded incredibly good compared to f.ex. Skoda Canton, Volvos H/K and B&W, Mazda Bose etc. What I don’t remember is how well the subwoofer worked on low volumes…
If i read correctly sweden site for DS4 in Executive there is 14 speaker system included so it should have Focal Electra Hifi System that does included subwoofer.
You have to check that with Your dealership.
You should have subwoofer included.
It is smaller because it shares space with phev battery but it should be there.
Yes its absolutely there, I’ve looked at it in the flesh
But I don’t remember how much difference it makes for the overall music. Hence the idea to let the dealership prewire for an extra subwoofer
I’m thinking of glasfiber moulding a box for the left side of the luggage compartment.
18 liter box with two DLS reference RW6 should add some Oumph in low volumes.
They may put the cable (I doubt they would do that) but that’s all.
With Focal Electra the IVI unit (infotainment) is connected to the amplifier by A2B interface.
As far as I know there are no adapters/kits for this communication protocol beside Ford cars in US.
Focal Amplifier is located at the back of the car in the left side (behind the left rear trunk trim).
Subwoofer in PHEV is much smaller than on pure petrol because battery is taking up a lot of space below the false floor in the trunk.
It’s unclear if everything is powered trough the amplifier or is it separated between IVI unit (for tweeters) and rest from the amplifier.
I’ve bought access to car documentation from servicebox but and analyzed it for Focal and non-Focal cars and there are a lot of inconsistencies, for example there is no info about powering “C” pillar speakers from IVI or amplifier which contains of tweeter and mid-range on both “C” pillars.
A ok, same as for Volvo then, needs the converter to be able to extract information from the signal…
But you say that the amp is located in the back of the car…
Then It might be possible to use “High” level signal, same as goes to the speakers (front door preferably) or maybe even disassemble the subwoofer and take the signal directly from the coil connections…
Well, I’ll ask them if they can do it, if not - I’ll take delivery and let it be untouched until spring. If I feel the need for more Oumph I’ll take it from there.
Personally I would take the signal from factory subwoofer and change “the box to your preference” but You have to get multicoil subwoofer speaker since (if I remember correctly) stock subwoofer uses 2 oraz 3 hi-level output channels from the amplifier.
Focal subwoofer uses 2 or 3 coil speaker.
I’m a little bit curious of why that have (maybe) used s three coil woofer…
If the third coil is connected to the sam signal as the “surround” C pillar speakers…
Not easy to source three coil aftermarket woofers. In the best of worlds two channels can be used to a bridged amp…
Need to buy an oscilloscope to see what happens, what signals is passed through to the different coils etc.
Now I’m really looking forward for delivery
Spent 30 minutes searching for a three voice coil woofer. Not much except a couple really exotic and old woofers…
And one study of a system that uses the third coil as feedback.
Then the question - why would one use a rare and probably more expensive than necessary woofer in a car that is build to a budget…?
Must be some other reason for the six (from memory) wired connector.
Could it be active, that would make sense if two wires are feed and four are the signal.
Must open one up and see what’s hidden inside 
From DS website:
The new Power Flower triple-coil subwoofer takes care of the bass with authority and control.
The whole system is powered by a new (full active) 16-channel, 690-watt amplifier: despite its low energy consumption. Its power is abundant, dynamically controlled and available at all times.
Its all on DS site 
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Why 3 coils?
Simple answer, single channel is to weak to drive a sub.
Whole AMP has 30A fuse if I remember correctly so do the math. 16 Channel by 420W in whole system (690 peak) so it gives You around 25W per channel assuming that power is evenly distributed across channels.
Sounds legit, but why would use an even level, no reason to feed the tweeters with the same power as the woofers? Or is it… I would really like to hear the “story” behind the system and how they have choosen components, amount of channels etc…
I would like to belive that there`s more reason/logic behind it f.ex. Left, right and feedback.
Ill send focal an email and ask them about installing an external sub and where to take signal from
There is not much You can do with factory Focal Electra system besides taking high level ouput from the amplifier at the back and feed another subwoofer.
I would not install second subwoofer in pair with stock subwoofer - the trunk is not too big so loosing another space is in my opinion a waste.
A2B (Automotive Audio Bus) interface is point to point so it goes from IVI to Amplifier directly.
I’ve read some documentation regarding electrical wiring in DS4 with Focal and it looks like (but I’m not 100% sure) that Amplifier is 12 channel (not 16), it drives woofers, mids and subwoofer but the tweeters are powered from IVI directly since tweeters at very loud levels consume around 3 - 5W of pure RMS power so IVI itself is enough to power them.
IVI also has built in DSP so there is no problem to set crossovers etc. directly in IVI.
Amplifier gets pure signal trough A2B.
That would also make sense because the same aplifier is used in Peugeout 308 with Focal and Opel Astra with HiFi option which has 4 speakers less (they don’t have 4 speakers in “C” pillars).
But as I mentioned, this is based on electronical documentation from DS4 with and without Focal which is a paid service and I assume that those documentations are correct.
Yes, space is an issue. The plan is to mold a fiberglass box that sits behind the wheel housing, with a slot port that stretches over the wheel housing.
Only needing 18litres for the two 6,5 DLS woofers I shouldn’t have to sacrifice to much “usable” space.
But hey - I might be happy with everything as is and not feel the need for an extra kick i. The lower frequencies. In my current car there is no sub at all, never felt a need for it either.
It depends on music, I had subwoofer in my previous car (Skoda Octavia III FL) with Canton sound system and I don’t have one now because my car had basic audio which I’ve upgraded with Morel speakers and recently Audison amplifier and the improvement is enormous.
I really don’t feel the lack of subwoofer.
I haven’t had time to tune the system properly using RTA (I have Focusrite audio interface and Behringer calibration microphone) and even now the punch is really good. Woofer crossovers are set to 60Hz at 24db slope.
Subwoofer is need for all those really deep bass notes which are rarely natural (from instrument) rather artificially created using studio software.
In my kind of music (mainly heavy metal and heavy rock) everything goes around drums, bass guitar and guitars (these are much higher) so the punch is happening at 80 - 150Hz so good woofer, properly mounted and possibly well treated doors are at most times enough however You don’t get that level of bass depth as with subwoofer.
If someone want to do it best way possible, woofers for mid-bass should be mounted not in the doors but under the seat (like BMW) or in the front kicks (some Mazda cars).
Mazda 3 has that and difference is incredible - I have compared DS4 Focal to current Mazda 3 Bose with same songs in the same day visiting dealership after dealership and punch and dynamic of low notes in Mazda was incredible and that is in my opinion due to mid-bass drivers placed in kicks not in the doors.
Doors have mid-range woofers.
But Mazda 3 had only hatchback and sedan so practicality suffer a lot.
Hatch had to small trunk and sedan had small trunk loading opening so I won’t be able to fit some stuff that I need from time to time.
I definitely don’t miss the sound from my old Superb (17) with Canton. It had absolutely no midbass, only tweeters and sub. That gave a very “thin” listening experience. Also, underdamped doors, roof, pretty much everything. The little midbass there was disappeared when driving over 30km/h.
I took a Mazda CX60 hybrid for a spin before ordering the DS4. High spec with white leather and Bose. That experience was more or less a disappointment. Didn’t like how the chassis was setup (sporty), very noisy cabin and the Bose soundsystem didn’t sound good to my ears. Same as with the Superb “thin” except it had less Oumph from the subwoofer. I think maybe that the smaller cabin of the 3 makes a big difference in this case? I usually listen to Tracy Chapman when taking a test drive in a car. Not many car systems make her voice sound natural and as good as it really is - DS4 with focal is close, really close. Superb Canton far away, same for the CX60. My HP system in the V60 manages the mids ok but highs is nowhere near.
I would love to do a speaker upgrade, but as its a company lease car modifying isn’t an option (external sub is ok if shop prewires).
As everyone has different preferences I can only imaging how difficult it must be developing something that to most people is so subjective as how music should sound like…
Thats true. Focal plays very well and I think that You will be satisfied overall
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New ETA 2024-02, 6-8 weeks from the week before Christmas.
Was offered a Peugeot 3008 hybrid until arrival of my car.
I declined as We/I solved it so that I can continue drive my Volvo until arrival of the DS4.
Asked for some other form of compensation for the hassle it causes me and my company.
We’ll see after the holidays what they will come up with.
Really good salesguy overall!
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