The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 9: Autumn 2018 | Page 42
REVVED UP
The DS7:
Ooh, la, la, what a car
“The brand is high
on ambition”
The cooler, high-end sub-
brand of French manufacturer
Citroen began marketing the
DS as a stand-alone entity
three years ago. The brand
is high on ambition running
with the ‘big boys’ and trying
to prise owners away from the
clutch of their beloved Audis,
BMWs and Jaguars, but does
DS Automobiles and its newly
launched DS7 Crossback SUV
have enough vive la difference to
make us invest?
stitching, to the dashboard
switches and rear light clusters.
It feels as if you could have
jumped into the cabin of a much
more premium sports car and I
particularly liked the styling of the
centre console which included
a slick automatic gearstick and
access to both front and rear
electric windows switches. DS
have kept it chic and simple which
is very appealing to the eye.
Va Va Vroom
I headed down the M4 from
Swindon to Bath and felt
incredibly safe inside the DS7.
It grips the road well and gives
it some welly with its 225 brake
horsepower engine.
Coming off the motorway at
Chippenham and heading down
the A roads with many a twist and
turn its contents barely moved. I
deliberately placed my lipstick in
the centre console and it didn’t
move a fraction the entire journey.
It definitely passed the test.
42
C’est Chic Tech overload
We reviewed the DS7 Crossback
Prestige model with deluxe nappa
leather seating, ergonomically
designed to shape and hug your
back and give you the ultimate
driving experience. Step inside,
set your driver profile and the
car seat will auto-move to your
chosen position.
Look around you and the
designers have gone all out to
make driving the DS7 a luxe
experience. The shape of a
diamond is echoed throughout
the car from the quilted seat The cockpit includes a 12-inch
central HD touchscreen. It’s
immersed into the dashboard
and unlike many cars, it doesn’t
look like a tablet add-on. It
operates various functions from
the entertainment system to
satellite navigation and services
such as SOS and DS Assistance.
It also offers both Android Auto
and Apple CarPlay technology. As
I was only keeping the car for the
weekend I didn’t set my phone up
properly and used my USB cable
to connect, but the Apple CarPlay
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2018
system was seamless, and it even
read my text messages in words
that sounded like English!
Worried about adhering to
the speed limit? The DS7 clearly
displays on the digital dash your
current speed and the national
speed limit where ever you
are. You can also use the DS
Connected Pilot, a step closer to
autonomous driving it regulates
the speed and distance in relation
to the vehicle in front. It also
positions the car precisely in its
lane by controlled steering.
DS have invested in their own
DS Active LED Vision technology,
designed to give high intensity
lighting that adapts to all
conditions. The visibility at night
is superb and it definitely turns
some heads as you’re driving
along with its three-dimensional
signature cluster design.
Practicality to boot
The boot is a fair size (555
litres) and I managed to fit ten
Business Exchange magazine
sized boxes within it- so safely
fits a lot more than your average
weekly shop. The seats also
flatten easily at the touch of a
button for larger items that may
need transporting home.
Parking
The rear-view cameras provide
excellent guidance for reverse
parking, but something to get
used to is the very small rear
window. It’s so small, it’s almost
like driving a van.
The Verdict
The DS7 Crossback has the
power to become a cult classic.
Much like the Mini or Fiat 500 it
will appeal to those who favour
design and style when choosing
a car. Will it convince the die-
hard BMW and Jaguar drivers to
switch up their keys? That’s left
to be decided.
The DS7 is a front-wheel-drive
available with a choice of 1.5
and 2.0-litre diesel engines or
a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol.
Prices start from £28,095. It’s
available to test drive now at the