New DS 3 may become compact hatchback again

Nowadays it almost seems as if car manufacturers are all reaching for the same means to boost sales. If a model no longer sells well, you simply turn its successor into a model that stands higher on its legs. As a result, an army of SUVs and crossovers has appeared on the market over the past ten years, while more traditional cars are giving way. This also applies to DS, which gave the mischievous DS 3 a crossover successor in 2018 in the form of the DS 3 Crossback.

Apparently the DS is a bit disappointing what the DS 3 Crossback does in the sale. Indeed, he cannot match his predecessor. Not just in the Netherlands, but not all over Europe. From figures from carsalesbase.com it turns out that the DS 3 Crossback does not manage to exceed 20,000 sold per year across Europe. The DS 3 managed to do that, with a sales peak in 2011 with no less than 73,000 copies sold. In conversation with the British coach explains DS CEO Béatrice Foucher that it is therefore not excluded that the next DS 3 will again be a more traditional model. Possibly another compact hatchback. “We are working on renewing the DS 3. We don’t necessarily mean renewing the car in line with how it is today. (We have to, ed.) take advantage of what we’ve done before.”

According to Foucher, no decision has been made yet, but it is therefore not excluded that the next DS 3 will fall back on the first. In that case, count on a compact model based on Stellantis’ STLA Small basis. This is the smallest EV platform of the group, which will undoubtedly also be used by successors to the Peugeot 208, Citroën C3 and Opel Corsa. We are still talking about a relatively distant future. The DS 3 Crossback didn’t come until 2018 and it will take a while. We also do not expect the first Stellaantis cars on that basis until 2026 at the earliest.