DS 7 Crossback - goddess of the avant-garde

At the moment, this is the top model of the DS brand, which at the very beginning was promoted in the name of the new presidential limousine. It is well made and equipped with the latest technology, but is it enough to succeed and help the young brand to gain popularity?

Over the more than 130-year history of the automotive industry, almost everything has changed - both in terms of technology and in terms of the perception of cars. In the 1955 century, it was the product that mattered most, so when in 1,45 Citroen presented the DS model in Paris, the whole world, not just the automotive world, held its breath. Shapes, details, elegance and technology, all in an unprecedented form. This car became the standard for the following decades and remained in production for twenty years. During this time, a million units of this mobile work of art were sold. Many manufacturers of much cheaper popular models could dream of such commercial success.

Citroen was not the only one. At that time, many well-known manufacturers were engaged in the production of luxury cars, which had to take customers from Mercedes with varying degrees of success. In the 60s and 70s, Opel had its Diplomat, Fiat tried its hand at the 130, Peugeot at the majestic 604, and their comparisons in the press with models with a three-pointed star on the hood were not uncommon.

Today we live in a completely different world. It is not the product itself, but the brand that is decisive, especially if we are interested in luxury goods. Many market giants have already found out that even the best car cannot be sold if it has the “wrong” badge on the hood. Citroen experienced this firsthand with the C6, which was a complete failure, selling just 23,4 units in seven years. parts. Its predecessor, the Citroen XM, achieved this figure on average every eight months.

Therefore, instead of fighting windmills, many corporations decided to follow the successful example of Toyota, which introduced the first Lexus to the world in 1989. By the same principle, Nissan created the Infiniti brand, and in the last two years, Hyundai has had its own Genesis. Similar moves can be seen in the sports car space, where Fiat got rid of the Abarth some time ago, Renault the Alpine brand, Volvo has taken over the tuning under the Polestar name and will soon start selling the first coupe with that name. The youngest child in this group is Cupra, which Seat will promote as a separate brand.

This peloton of brands striving for the favor of a client with a more affluent portfolio included the work of marketers from the PSA group. DS, pronounced identical to the word déesse for goddess in French, returned in 2009. First as a premium Citroen range, and since 2014 as an independent brand. And although the Citroen DS is still a style icon, a masterpiece of engineering and recognizable even among people for whom cars are only a means of transportation, the DS brand is struggling with recognition at the 1% level.

There is another problem with which DS have to face. This is a decline in sales and has been going on since 2012, when a record 129 20 units were handed over to buyers. cars. Despite the model offensive in the Chinese market, where three models debuted that were not available outside the Middle Kingdom, DS recorded a record decline there too, reaching 2016% in 53. DS closed last year with a disastrous result of less than 3 thousand. cars sold. There may be many reasons for this, one of which is, of course, an outdated model range. DS 4 has nine years of professional experience, DS 5 has eight, and DS has seven. It's time for the parade of prime ministers.

DS 7 Crossback - the first of the new products

The first novelty in the assortment of the French manufacturer is 7 Crossback. The biggest naysayers will complain that it's not half as innovative and inventive as the DS 5, doesn't define a new market segment, brings nothing unknown to the automotive industry, and is hard to find innovation. However, the latest DS model has one major advantage: it's the SUV that buyers around the world are counting on today.

Looking at the 7 Crossback live, it's easy to give the impression that the car is a class larger. Comparisons to mid-range SUVs are not uncommon, although just one parameter can be misleading. That length of 4,57 meters places it between the vast majority of small C-segment SUVs and the longer D-segment. BMW X1, Volvo XC40, Audi Q3, Mercedes GLA or the upcoming Lexus UX.

Ornate robe

In the modern world it is very difficult to offer something unique in style. From here there will definitely be comments that the new Crossback from one side or another resembles the Audi Q5, Infiniti FX or any generation of Lexus RX. In general, it's okay, because all of the above associations should work well, because they refer to much larger and much more expensive cars. Whether DS 7 crossback can offer something unique? Yes it is. Outside, we can find fragrances in the lamps. The front LED headlights have movable elements that perform a light dance as they greet and say goodbye to their driver. The taillights are also full LED, and their crystalline form was carried over directly from the concept version.

Much more attractive details can be found in the interior. High-quality materials, attractive upholstery stitching, guilloché aluminum or elegant BRM clocks are just some of the elements that create a special atmosphere and a feeling of being part of something special. There is a choice of trim levels, stylistic and color solutions, which, combined with two huge 12-inch instrument screens and a multimedia system, allows the young French car to gain an advantage over competitors. In this class, it is difficult to find a car with a higher quality finish.

Safe Choice

The DS 7 Crossback was chosen by Emmanuel Macron as the new "limousine" of the President of France. The car will certainly use the most modern systems offered in it. The list of options includes the Active Safety Brake system - monitoring pedestrians, Night Vision - detecting figures invisible in the dark, or active suspension that scans the surface and adjusts the damping level to overcome bumps.

In this class, we will not find voracious engines even in the most inveterate competitors. The base unit is the 1.2 PureTech 130, but more interest is to be expected in the larger 1.6 PureTech, available in 180 and 225 versions. Next year, the offer will be complemented by a hybrid based on this engine with 300-axle drive and a total output of XNUMX hp.

As for diesel engines, the French can still be relied upon. The offering will be based on the new 1.5-litre BlueHDi 130 with manual transmission and the optional 180-litre BlueHDi XNUMX with automatic transmission.

The new DS 7 Crossback is now available for sale at four dedicated dealerships. Prices start at PLN 124 for the PureTech 900 Chic basic version and end at PLN 130 for the PuteTech 198 Grand Chic. For comparison, the cheapest BMW X900 sDrive225i (1 hp) costs PLN 18. Volvo has no weak powertrains at the moment, and their most expensive version, the XC140 T132 (900 hp) R-Design AWD, is priced at PLN 40.

First impressions of the DS 7 Crossback are extremely positive. The quality with which the car was made can be the envy of most, if not all, competitors. Will test drives confirm that the French are still able to create an excellent product that is ready to withstand the whole world? We'll find out soon.