‘A Citroën-worthy way of moving’
After a number of reasonably successful DS models under the Citroën flag, the then PSA group set the sub-brand on its own. This means that existing models were given a new logo, but there was no question of a truly new car in the first years. The real news came about three years later and was called DS 7 Crossback. How good is this first real DS? The answer is given by people who left a review about their own car on this site.
Before the DS 7 made its appearance, there were already the DS 3, DS 4 and DS 5. The latter was already quite unique, but the DS 7 Crossback took it one step further. Not so much with striking lines, no, with the SUV it is mainly in the details. For example, the headlights have rotating elements that move when the car is locked and unlocked, the rear lights have a special LED pattern and – if you choose the right version – there is a clock on the dashboard from BRM Chronographes, which can only be seen see when you switch on the ignition. Enough mirrors and beads, but a premium car must offer more. How does the DS 7 perform in practice?
Comfort and luxury experience
It is no small feat to position a brand highly in the market from day one. This ambition therefore creates considerable expectations. Has DS managed to meet this requirement? “You have to love the design of the interior,” writes the owner of a 2021 DS 7 Crossback. “I personally think it is beautiful, with beautifully used materials and fortunately more than enough compartments and storage space.” Strangely enough, few drivers comment on the use of materials and the interior finish. Would it mean that DS has hit the bull’s eye with this?
What is regularly commented on is the suppression of driving noises. “With the ‘premium’ stamp, I do have some comments left and right,” says the driver of a 1.2 petrol example from 2019. However, there are no negative comments about that three-cylinder: “I think the car makes a lot of wind noise,” is the comment. The owner of a 130 hp diesel also experiences this: “It is a very noisy car, my previous car (an 11-year-old Audi A6) did much better.” Where the sound comes from? “The noise mentioned mainly comes from the engine, the petrol version with 180 hp is in any case a lot quieter. “I think the wind noise and tire noise are not too bad,” we read in his response below the review.
Seating comfort
So there is still some room for negotiation about the luxury experience, but that is not due to the seats. Not a single driver has a negative comment on this. No, whoever names the furniture is positive. Like the next driver of a plug-in hybrid DS 7. “I enjoy the comfort, the flexibility and the fantastic seats every day. On the advice of my dealer, I took the comfort package, which makes the seats electrically adjustable and you can extend the seat even further, which is very nice considering my height of 1.92 meters.” The driver with the 1.2-liter three-cylinder also has seats with an extendable seat. “The DS 7 is a very nice travel car. The seats are comfortable and you get out of the car feeling relaxed after a drive of 200+ kilometers.”
Infotainment and controls
The striking dashboard of the DS 7 Crossback does not seem particularly user-friendly at first, but practice proves otherwise. “The multimedia system took some getting used to, after an initial slow start-up it is fairly intuitive and fast enough for normal use,” notes the driver of a 2018 DS 7. “The shortcut keys under the screen help with ease of use.” The comment about the system starting slowly is not unique. “Of course it also has some negative things, such as that the navigation takes a while to start up,” writes an otherwise mostly positive driver. “I haven’t been able to discover many negative things for the rest.”
A driver mentioned earlier seems satisfied with the ease of use, but does have another complaint. “Audio system is not premium, our new Ford Fiesta has better sound.” He did not opt for the available audio upgrade. “You would say: I would have done the upgrade, but for a car costing almost 48,000 euros I would have expected something better.” This does not end the criticism of the system. “DAB radio is really lousy, switches a lot between FM and DAB and that is not pleasant to listen to.” The solution? “Then just listen via Apple CarPlay.”
How does the DS 7 Crossback drive?
So far, the DS 7 does not score particularly high on the premium scale. Driving can still change that and, fortunately for the French, valuable points are collected here. “The 130 hp diesel drives wonderfully, and even feels as if there is more hp under the hood,” writes a satisfied driver. “Cornering behavior is of course different from previous cars due to the high tires and the high carriage, but this is easy to live with. I am very positive about the suspension in general, not too much sway but very comfortable over bumps and reasonably tight on the highway.”
“I think it is a wonderful car to drive and am impressed by the smooth, comfortable way of moving,” says the driver, who previously commented negatively about the wind noise. “Lemon worthy,” he adds to his positive comment. A rider who is already on his second DS 7 Crossback even notices improvement over the years. “We have now driven 40,000 km, mainly rides of 200 km. Once again a great car that seems to be even more comfortable and smoother than the previous DS 7. What is also striking is the better suspension and road holding with a caravan, much less trouble with the caravan on bumps.”
The driver of a plug-in hybrid DS 7 E-Tense lets you know what you can expect. “The DS 7 is not designed for racing, this is really a car that you get into after a long working day and think ‘Oh nice, I can enjoy another half hour’, and then you can whiz home wonderfully.” A driver with the even more powerful plug-in with four-wheel drive confirms this: “It drives wonderfully and you hardly hear it. In addition, it is also very fast with 300 hp, even though it is not built for that.”
Maintenance, malfunctions and irritations
If we learned anything in this section, it is that ‘premium’ does not have to mean that a car is problem-free. That makes a difference for DS, because the Crossback also sometimes makes a fuss when it comes to malfunctions. One owner was confronted with various error messages, which after some searching turned out to be caused by a defective camera behind the windscreen. “It took more than a week to get it from France, but fortunately I drove the DS again just before our holiday. Had no further problems and the car now has almost 19,000 km,” says this driver.
Another driver is still very satisfied with the driving comfort offered, but also has some annoyances. For example, his power steering works jerkily when a lot of power is required and there is a knock in the clutch. The heater motor also caused disturbing noises, which was resolved by the dealer.
If there is one point where the premium experience is really lagging behind, according to several owners, it is the service. A rider who encountered a malfunction while on holiday in Spain was sent from pillar to post and was able to get coffee himself in a cafe nearby. “All in all, not dissatisfied, but calling yourself premium is going too far,” says this owner. Another owner also expressed negative views in this area. The driver who has also ‘made up’ his second DS 7 is very pleased with the quality of both his cars, and that is fair to say. “In fact, the previous one still drove like new after more than 180,000 km.”
With the DS 7 Crossback, the French took a leap towards premium, and judging by user reactions, they have partly succeeded. The car itself is largely satisfactory, although according to a number of drivers it could be a bit quieter. But to be truly premium, the service will have to be improved. This really makes a difference in the higher segment.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl