With a name like High Rider we expected Citroen's latest concept to roll out under the DS badge was going to be some pseudo-SUV. It's not. The High Rider's profile is more fast hatch than rugged off-roader, even if there is some pretty serious distance between the wheels and their arches.

The only detail Citroen is revealing is that the show car has got a diesel-hybrid powertrain. The front wheels are driven by the turbodiesel engine, with the rear ones chipping in if required with electric power. It's four-wheel drive then, but for economy, stability and on-road traction rather than for mud-plugging.

Still, it's a good looker, the rakish roofline mixing with chrome highlights along the window line and flanks to create a distinctively-styled concept. We're just not exactly sure who it's aimed at yet.

Expect something similar to reach Citroen's showrooms soon as the company takes on the small premium sector with is DS-badged models. This concept will be revealed to the public at the Geneva motor show in March, where it's expected to be joined by a faster version of the existing DS3 model.

Kyle Fortune - 15 Feb 2010