“ The brand is high on ambition ”

For more info : www . swindonautomobiles . co . uk

The cooler , high-end subbrand 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 ?

C ’ est Chic 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

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 .

Tech overload 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

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 diehard 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 South West ’ s new dedicated DS Centre based in Swindon .

Anita Jaynes Editor