DS 3 Crossback - your way

It is undeniable that, as part of cost optimization, many vehicles within the group today use the same solutions. How is DS? Just like in the old days!

Over the past few years, I have tested several hundred cars. And let me tell you that we live in a time when there are no bad cars. They are all good or very good.

But are they all interesting? Not necessary. Some models do a great job of combining all the features—and still satisfy accountants—but they are far from interesting. This is something like a unification of the proposal. You get into the Golf and you know roughly what to expect from Leon or Octavia. You get into the A-class and you know what CLA, B, GLA, GLB are, and with the MBUX system and the virtual cockpit, you have exactly the same before your eyes as even in the E-class, S, GLE or even G-class.

Some new cars differ only in nuances. But DS 3 crossback he definitely does not belong to this group - and I will explain why.

Stand out, be noticed! With the DS 3 Crossback it's easy

DS 3 crossback it is not like any other car. Not inside the DS - though there will be a few references to the DS 7 Crossback - nor any other model.

Look "different" DS 3 crossback Some may find this "weird". The shape of the headlights with rotating glass is characteristic, as in the DS 7 Crossback. Although it is basically a class B car, we can buy Matrix LED headlights for PLN 6.

To do this, we have a large chrome grille and a rather dynamically painted bumper. From the side, the most noticeable "fin" near the B-pillar is, of course, a reference to the first Citroen DS - there, through this pillar, the roof was supposed to hang over the rest of the body. Here, in DS 3 crossback, this takes the light to the back seat, and on top of that, the rear window only drops to the height of the aforementioned fin. So we have a shooting window, not a window through which we can get some air. But function doesn't always have to come before form.

LED rear lights with dynamic indicator w DS 3 crossback they cost 1500 zlotys, but they look very nice. The retractable handles are also a very interesting element, completely unique for this class of car. They are in the Porsche 911, Range Rover Velar and Evoque, but in a car for 100 zlotys? Chill!

These doorknobs are only impractical in one situation. You drive up to pick up a friend, he is standing at a bus stop or in another place where it is especially impossible to stop, so you want him to come in as soon as possible, but here ... there are no door handles. We have to lower the glass and shout: “press the handle on the side!” – there is a physical button that will eject it behind it. However, it looks good.

Individual solutions are rare today. How is the DS 3 Crossback doing?

Just like sliding door handles, DS 3 crossback it does not share the PSA group with any other model, so in the interior we will find many individual solutions.

Dashboard DS 3 crossback it looks interesting, there are a lot of non-obvious surfaces and, of course, you can see a diamond-shaped motif everywhere - in the form of buttons, deflectors, on the ceiling lining, temperature sensors. The diamond-shaped buttons take some getting used to because at first they look the same and we don't always find what we're looking for right away.

Behind the wheel, plastic petals are built into the column - that is, they do not rotate with the steering wheel. Someone finds them more comfortable and more sporty, because we do not lose orientation - I do not care.

The DS Connect radio with navigation downloads traffic information. It costs PLN 6 and looks the same as in the Peugeot 508. Only the graphics have been restyled.

However, I don't like that the sides of the navigation screen are in DS 3 crossback the temperature is displayed - but when you press left or right, it turns out that the air conditioner is single-zone. By the way, the side deflectors are built into the door - when we open it, we see a channel through which it is directed outwards of the dashboard. It looks cool, it's even practical, and you won't find anything like it anywhere else.

We lower the windows from the level of the central tunnel - as in DS 5. For this, nice, aluminum buttons are used. A fin in the B-pillar also served as a location for a speaker in the rear seat.

Materials in the interior DS 3 crossback they are really good quality. Everything smells like in much more expensive cars, the steering wheel is very smooth and very pleasant to the touch, and the seats are extremely comfortable. Under the skin is a special dense foam.

Although the interior DS 3 crossback Of course, we are free to customize and there is no shortage of personalization options - and we have standard equipment levels such as Chic, So Chic and Grand Chic, there are also so-called inspirations. The test model that you see in the photos is equipped with Opera's most expensive inspiration - a set of stylistic elements and upholstery in a certain tone. It costs PLN 15. Opera in DS 3 crossback looks specific - the skin has some kind of discoloration, so we cannot get rid of the impression that we are driving a car with upholstery stained with white dust ...

It is very comfortable to ride in the front, there is not enough space in the back. Enough for children. The trunk holds 350 liters, after folding the sofa, this value increases to 1050 liters, so there is nothing to complain about the packaging.

Silence!

DS 3 crossback positively surprises with the appearance and quality of the interior. However, what impresses the most here and at the same time surprises the most is the comfort.

This is a B-SUV class car. And he has a multi-link rear suspension, thanks to which he rides very confidently on almost any surface. In addition, it has a very comfortable suspension setup.

Arguably the best soundproofing in the class comes with this floating suspension. Here you can not hear any engine or air, even at high speeds. Someone really got their way.

We drove the 1.2 PureTech petrol version with 131 hp, mated to an 8-speed automatic. It's not a speed demon, hitting 100 km/h in 9,2 seconds, but it must be admitted that the automatic really "gets along" with this small, three-cylinder engine.

Acceleration to “hundreds” is not impressive, but the overall usability in the city or on the highway is as good as possible. When we are in the operating range of the turbo, we have 230 Nm of torque. Feel that accelerating from 50 to 70 or from 80 to 120 km / h is not a problem for him. Due to the large number of gears and low power, DS 3 crossback it can also be very economical - about 8 l / 100 km in the city - a very good result.

If you want more dynamics, there is also a new 155 hp version of this engine. It accelerates a second faster and has two steep exhaust pipes on the sides.

If you want to delve into the technical details, you will probably be interested in the fact that DS 3 crossback is one of the latest developments of the PSA group. It shares a floor plate with the Corsa and 208, so we can also expect both hybrid and all-electric versions.

DS 3 Crossback is not much different from the rest

DS model 3 Crossback he didn't take the easy way. I did not take the remaining parts from the shelf, but laid them out in random places. This is a carefully crafted car, built with the sole purpose of standing out.

He does this because everyone is looking at him, but he is also curious. It is very pleasant to discover new solutions in the car, some additional details and so on. It's also nice when the new DS runs well and is quiet. It's not perfect, but that probably only adds to its charm.

What about the price? Starts at 94 thousand. zloty Let's say you leave the salon with something for 120 or 130 thousand. zloty And for the first time I got the impression that... this car is probably too cheap for what it offers! It may only be a B segment, so for 100 it's a lot, but it's really worth the price.

So, if you want to stand out, you expect comfort, but most of all you want to drive an original, interesting car - DS 3 crossback he made a very, very good impression on us.