DS7 CROSSBACK (2022) Review
Written by Justin Delaney, an Independent Reviewer, Journalist, and Motor expert.
When the opportunity comes up to spend a little more time in the DS7 you take it! Yes we reviewed this vehicle back in 2021 but with some slight specification changes and more upgrades the new variant could just be the finest secret SUV on Irish roads. Why do we use the word secret I hear you ask? Well, how many do you see on Irish roads? Why isn’t there more when they look this good? Well let’s start off with the infrastructure. Traditionally the DS brand was rolled out through Citroen dealerships nationwide but now a new parent company have aspirations to make DS Automobiles a premium brand. The French PSA group re-introduced the DS as a sub-brand in 2010, in order to expand its range with more premium models. It was then turned into a full standalone premium brand within the PSA Group in 2015. In 2020 the company structure was changed once again with the purchase of PSA, by the Stellantis Group. This amalgamation gave DS Automobiles the power to be a real player in the premium sector and roll out dedicated DS Stores across Europe. Ireland’s first dedicated DS Store was recently opened by the French Ambassador H.E. Vincent Guérend at Gowan Motors, Navan Road, Dublin 15. It is here we recently got reacquainted with the good-looking DS7.
Features
Walking into the showroom the horizontal chrome DS wings on the front of the 7 is the first thing to catch your eye. They give the vehicle a sense of prestige sitting each side of the new diamond-effect grille with sports hexagonal surrounds. The new DS badge is taking pride of place on the nose and the lines flow beautifully into the bonnet, which features subtle ribbing in the centre. There isn’t really a bad angle on this vehicle to be honest and as you walk around the side the stunning 19-inch alloy wheels catch your eye before the wraparound tailgate brings you around to what has to be a contender for rear of the year in the SUV class! Inside you get a unique choice of materials such as Alcantara, grained or Nappa leather and beautiful signature touches such as Point Perle stitching and Clous de Paris guilloché patterns making some of its German rivals seem rather dull on interior sophistication.
Power
DS Automobiles have committed heavily to their electrification strategy and this shows in the current power lineup for DS 7. Irish buyers car pick between the E-TENSE 4x4 300 horsepower plug-in hybrid or the E-TENSE 225 model. If hybrid versions do not suit your needs the DS 7 CROSSBACK is available with a choice of two highly efficient, high-torque internal combustion engines with the delightful 8-speed automatic gearbox. These two are powered by the petrol 1.2 PureTech 130 Automatic as well as the 1.5 BlueHDi 130 Automatic diesel engine which, is super frugal.
Safety
The DS 7 CROSSBACK is fully loaded with safety features and comes with stability control, hill-start assistance, tyre-pressure monitoring, rear parking sensors, a full complement of airbags, a pair of ISOFIX child-seat mounts, speed-limit recognition, emergency braking assistance and lane-departure warning. An Advanced Safety Pack standard on some cars is also optional and offers blind spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, enhanced traffic-sign recognition and driver drowsiness warning. When crash tested by Euro NCAP it did receive the maximum five-star overall rating, achieving scores of 91% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection and 76% for its provision of safety assistance systems. DS put there best foot forward from a safety perspective and will continue to do so with the DS 4 and 9, which are inbound.
Costs
At the time of writing Irish punters can get into a new DS 7 CROSSBACK from €42,695 which is an on the road price including delivery charges. Naturally adding on spec like metallic paint etc will add to this price. Here in Ireland customers have three grades to choose from: Performance Line, Performance Line+ and top of the range Prestige spec which each have price increases but there should be something to fit your needs and or budget. Various finance and PCP options are also available from the DS Store or online.
Summary
Living with the DS 7 isn’t hard. The interior is chic, modern and the switchgear is well thought out with hot keys and shortcut buttons to deliver exactly what you want in a timely fashion. Like the new DS Store on the Navan road the vehicle celebrates Paris, which was of course the birthplace of the DS brand. Driving the 7 CROSSBACK would be more akin to a night at the Opéra in Paris thanks to the sublime ride quality and 690-watt Focal Electra audio system with 14 speaker drivers. Even the side windows have been made with acoustics in mind making it a really nice place to do mileage in! The DS 7 also features DS Connected Pilot technology, which features the level 2 autonomous driving system. This is by no means designed for you to sit back and take your eyes off the road but more an aid to assist you on those long drives when fatigue sets in. Add to this the DS active scan suspension with electrically controlled vibration dampening and park pilot to allow you to park without needing to touch the steering wheel! All the requirements and more for driving in today’s busy world can be found in the premium DS 7 so it is well worth a test drive. To watch our full video review on the new DS 7 please click the link below or if you would like a more detailed review on what it’s like to spend seven days with this vehicle, please click here for our initial test drive report.
For
Ride Comfort
Sound System
Styling
Against
Possible resale value
To watch our full YouTube video review please click here.
To check out DS stock on DoneDeal, click here.
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