It takes craftsmen and women 45 minutes on the production line to hand-stitch the steering wheel of the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense.
“We take our inspiration from the world of French haute couture,” said Kris Cholmondeley of DS Automobiles, the premium marque in the PSA range.
It seeks to align its cars with the very best of French fashion, food, wine and style so that DS cars will become the benchmark for those satisfied only with the best. And this car certainly plays its part.
The DS 3 is the smaller of the two SUVs in the range – the DS 7 is the big beast at the moment – but they both share the same distinctive styling.
There’s a big grille front with the DS wings standing proud in chrome, flush fitting handles, the rather lovely dancing lights system and big, beefy 18ins alloys. At the rear, it’s muscular and elegant.
It’s when you open the door of this small SUV however, that the ‘haute couture’ idea makes sense. It is plush, premium quality with diamond design cues everywhere from the quilting on the seats to the design on the chrome rocker switch you use to change the drive modes.
The Pebble Grey cloth contrasts beautifully with the black Nappa leather. The seats are massively comfortable with loads of legroom and controls close to the fingertips of your left hand so that everything is very plush – and easy.
To add to this feeling of privilege and wealth, the DS Crossback is exceedingly quiet – silent runnings – because it is an all-electric vehicle.
The E-TENSE version I am driving is the brand’s plug-in electric model with an electric motor located on the front wheels and driven by a 50kWh lithium-ion battery delivering 136PS that takes you to 62mph in just 8.7 seconds.
It is agile and balanced on the road with a range of around 200 miles – the magic figure the industry says allows drivers to relax about how often they have to charge up.
There is speed and there is silence as soon as you put your foot down, a combination that adds luxury to the drive feeling with, at the same time, zero emissions.
Information and entertainment are on a 10ins touchscreen on the dash with a 7ins instrument panel behind the steering wheel and a head-up display in front of you.
There’s nav and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, DAB, wireless charging and voice recognition, cruise control, reversing cameras and sensors and hill start assist. The DS 3 Crossback even comes with an odour filter.
Boot space with the rear seats up is 350-litres and 1050-litres with them down.
There are various charging options for the battery including a rapid charge which with the right charger will get it to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. While driving you can put the car into B where the braking and deceleration intensify to allow you to recoup the energy.
With the DS app you can check on the charge, the range and the air con remotely – all very practical and sensible – with the bonus of extremely chic French styling.
Car reviewed: DS 3 E-Tense 50kWh Auto Performance Line, on the road price £33,990 0-62mph 8.7secs Top speed 93mph Engine electric motor Electric Range WLTP 191-206 miles CO2 emissions 194g/km Max Power 134bhp Torque 260Nm Transmission Single-speed auto, front-wheel drive
What the others say on YouTube
A selection of the latest video reviews of this car….Just click to watch on this page.
Recent Reviews
The latest cars, suvs and crossovers reviewed by our experienced journalists.
Omoda unveils the New Omoda 5 and E5 compact SUVs at UK launch
Last week, the dual-brand OMODA & JAECOO was officially launched in the UK. Over 300 partners, dealers, media and esteemed guests attended an exciting high-energy event. The event was hosted at Magazine London, close to the O2 Announcing the UK pricing and specifications for the petrol-powered OMODA 5 and all-electric OMODA E5 crossover SUVs The…
Read our review Omoda unveils the New Omoda 5 and E5 compact SUVs at UK launch
Škoda Scala Monte Carlo, reasonable and practical
Following its extensive facelift and revisions earlier this year, Škoda is establishing itself as a serious contender for family and business vehicles on UK roads Car Reviewed: Škoda Scala Monte Carlo 150PS In the past, numerous individuals considered Škoda only after they had discounted the more expensive alternatives in its sector. Despite this, it has…
Read our review Škoda Scala Monte Carlo, reasonable and practical
Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce Q4, Super Saloon
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce continues to be one of the best driver’s cars in its class. On the road, in Italy and in the mountains, it still delivers Car Reviewed: Alfa Romeo Giulia Q4 Let’s see now. Flying to Italy, picking up a red Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce, and then heading out to the…