Reviews of the DS DS7

The DS7 is a luxury compact crossover SUV that adds respectable competition to the premium SUV brands like Audi, Volvo, and BMW. Coming with a well-crafted interior and a stylish design, the DS7 is great for families who want a blend of practicality and luxury. 

Rivals to the DS7 include the Audi Q3, Volvo XC40, BMW X1, and Mercedes-Benz GLA. 

Our DS7 review covers:

• Nice exterior with large front grille and rounded rear end 
• Premium interior with good tech 
• 555-litre boot 
• One diesel engine and three plug-in variations 
• Six trim levels: Performance Line, Performance Line+, Rivoli, Opera, Esprit De Voyage, and La Premiere

Pros:

• Well-designed and stylish interior 
• Plenty of space in the cabin 
• Lots of technology 

Cons:

• Extras are expensive 
• Mediocre handling
• German rivals are better all-round

The DS7 looks the part of a luxury SUV. Having received a facelift in 2022, the DS7 features a large front grille, vertical light bars on the front, and a curved rear end with dual exhausts. 

On the inside, there's a good amount of room throughout the cabin. Up front, there's enough space for two adults over six feet tall, and the three rear seats offer decent legroom. The middle rear passenger will be particularly happy as there's no hump on the floor. 

Boot space comes in at 555 litres, which is on par with its rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. There are also a couple of handy features, such as a 60/40 split configuration for the rear seats and a variable-height boot floor on higher trims. 

The interior of the DS7 is one of its standout features. It feels well put together like its German rivals and has plenty of high-quality materials such as Alcantara fake suede on the seats and dashboard. The interior is not to be shunned. However, it's not as good as the inside of the Volvo XC40. 

There's also plenty of tech on board. There's a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system that has connected 3D navigation, voice recognition, Bluetooth connectivity, and over-the-air updates. It's a good system, but too much is controlled through the screen rather than buttons. 

You also get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the wheel as standard, and you can upgrade to get a FOCAL Electra Sound System and night vision. 

Six trims are available for the DS7: Performance Line, Performance Line+, Rivoli, Opera, Esprit De Voyage, and La Premiere. 

Performance Line comes standard with 19-inch Silverstone alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, a black front grille, keyless entry/start, a black Alcantara interior, an advanced safety pack with blind spot detection, lane keeping assist, driver attention alert, and traffic sign recognition. 

Performance Line+ has a reversing camera with 180 vision, front parking sensors, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, and a premium leather steering wheel. 

Rivoli has 19-inch Edinburgh diamond-cut alloy wheels, a basalt black leather interior, a black front grille with chrome accents, massaging front seats, and a BRM R180 timepiece in the dashboard. 

Opera has a basalt black opera or pearl grey opera interior, ventilated front seats, a DS drive assist, an electric panoramic sunroof, and wireless smartphone charging. 

Esprit De Voyage has 19-inch Oyama diamond-cut alloy wheels, pearl grey-grained leather with a pearl grey diamond-shaped Nappa leather decor, a DS Black Pack, and an electric tailgate. 

La Premiere has 21-inch Brooklyn diamond-cut alloy wheels, a reversing camera with 360 vision, a Focal Electra HiFi system with 14 speakers, and DS night vision.

Under the bonnet, you can choose a 1.5-litre diesel engine or three petrol plug-in hybrid variants. All units are paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. However, drive varies. The entry-level diesel and plug-in hybrid have front-wheel drive, while the other two have all-wheel drive. 

The entry-level diesel comes with a power output of 131hp, returns useful performance with a top speed of 121mph, and achieves 0-62mph in 10.7 seconds. It also returns competitive fuel economy, having an mpg of 46.1 - 53.3. 

The first plug-in, the E-Tense 225, increases power resulting in acceleration from 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 140mph. 

The E-Tense 4x4 300 has a power output of 200hp and drops 0-62mph in just 5.9 seconds, while the 4x4 360 increases output to 355hp and decreases acceleration even further to 5.6 seconds. 

If you want the most economical plug-in, go for the 4x4 300, which returns an economy of 193.1 - 249mpg. The entry-level 225 has slightly less, while the range-topping 360 has a combined 161.1mpg. 

Like many of its rivals, the DS7 is available with various driving modes, such as Normal, Comfort, and Sport; Normal does what it says on the tin, but if you want the Active Scan Suspension to work on the plug-in hybrids, you'll need to switch to Comfort. 

Put it in Sport mode, and you get a bit of a kick, but you quickly realise that the DS7 isn't suited to be driven quickly. It's good at motorway cruising speed, but that's about it. It won't give you much fun around a country road, but you're not looking for that if you've gone for a crossover SUV! 

Prices for the new DS7 start from £39,085.00 OTR* or to lease from £284.07 per month.

Looking to get behind the wheel of the DS7? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.

Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.

*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.