Citroën’s new DS range has injected the current line-up with a much-needed dose of vitality. The DS nomenclature is held very close to Citroën’s heart, placing the prestigious lettering on only its most radical of offerings. Who can forget the original Bertone-designed 1955 Citroën DS that shocked the motoring world with its futuristic design and cutting-edge technology. The DS changed the face of automotive production and pioneered the development of hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension, handling and braking. After recently introducing the DS3 and DS4, Citroën has released the third instalment in the DS range at the international launch in Nice, France – the Citroën DS5. The DS5 is a very difficult car to classify. Part hatchback, part SUV, six of the one and half a dozen of the other. The DS5 seems to change shape depending on which angle you look at it.
While admiring the vehicle in the Le Grand Hôtel lobby I could see whispers of hatchback, grand tourer, SUV and estate vehicle. I must admit that it certainly does have presence and urges the viewer to engage with its intriguing design language. The DS5’s bold and angular shape pays homage to the 2005 C-SportLounge concept car retaining most of the original sketch’s styling cues. The front-end is styled in typical DS fashion with perforated lateral air intakes, a chrome-plated grille and LED lights, while the most distinctive feature is the outlandish chrome sabres that run from the headlights along the bonnet line up towards the A-pillars. The DS5’s appearance makes it stand out from everything else on the road leaving many road-goers pointing and rubbernecking in appreciation of its crouched and assertive stance. Surprisingly, unlike the DS3 and DS4 which share their underpinnings with the C3 and C4, the DS5 doesn’t share anything with the C5. Instead, it’s based on a widened version of the Peugeot-Citroën platform two as used by the C4.
The widened track in combination with a left-hand drive cabin proved a little tricky when navigating through the narrow French road network. On some occasions my spacial judgement was found wanting but the DS5’s agility and relatively small turning circle sorted things out almost every time. The test drive took the Citroën convoy on a picturesque drive from the hotel in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat along the Côte d’Azur to the town of Juan-les-Pins and back – about 240km. Punctuated by mountain passes, tapered village roads and pristine stretches of motorway, the route highlighted the all-round driving capabilities of the DS5. I’ll admit I had my reservations about the DS5’s handling but I was proved wrong especially at how flat it cornered through the snaking mountain roads. It exhibited no body roll and actually had me, at some points, thinking I was driving a sports coupé – yes, the handling is that good.
The suspension unfortunately isn’t as supple as I thought it would be. The damper settings are very sporty and the large-diameter low-profile 19-inch wheels amplify all nuances in the road surface. Quite surprising given its luxurious grand tourer-like demeanour. The DS5’s interior is its most defining attribute. Inspired by aeronautics, the driver is cocooned in a plethora of buttons and gadgets, which resemble that of an aircraft. There’s also a retractable head-up display that, along with blinds for the three-piece glass roof, can be adjusted with ceiling-mounted toggle switches. The build quality is quite superbly finished in materials that you’d expect to find in an Audi. Strangely, besides the DS insignia, there aren’t any traditional Citroën chevron badges on display inside the cabin. If you never knew any better you’d think you were riding in a luxurious German saloon, such is the refinement. The brushed metallic surfaces and trim detailing around the door-pulls were manufactured by the same company that produce trim for Bentley and Aston Martin. Even the seats are clad in leather from the finest bulls of Bavaria. The seats are beautifully stitched together and exhibit a cubistic design – Pablo Picasso would be proud. I managed to get behind the wheel of the1.6-litre petrol turbo engine (200THP) and the 2.0-litre turbodiesel unit (160HDi), which are both destined for South Africa. The 1.6-litre turbo is the most exciting of the two and makes a really good noise when shifting through the gears. Twinned to a manual transmission it generates 147kW and 275Nm. The 160HDi delivers generous amounts of low-down torque (340Nm) but the narrow torque band means it runs out of grunt pretty quickly. Thankfully, the gear ratios of the six-speed automatic harnesses the available power with aplomb.
I also got to briefly sample the diesel-electric Hybrid4 model but it’s unfortunately not making its way to South Africa anytime soon. The DS5 comes standard with safety equipment such as EBD, EBA, ABS, ESP, intelligent traction control and beefy 340 mm-diameter front brakes. I’ve never been one for crossover vehicles but the utilitarian DS5 ticks all the right boxes. Not only does it look really good, it’s practical, sporty and has one of the most comfortable and well-appointed cabins around. Will it sell? Well, that depends on how well its niche appeal is received by consumers and, if the stigma often associated with French cars can be overlooked. The DS5 is a polished and elegant vehicle; you need only sit in one to realise what you’re missing out on.
Specifications DS5200THP
Price: R400 000 est.
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 147kW and 275Nm
0-100km/h: 8.2 seconds
Top speed: 235km/h
Aaron Borrill
