DS 5...On the whole though, it’s a noble first model from DS. If road tests were judged on looks...
1
EVO MIDDLE EAST 037 T + Endearingly stylish design inside and out - Could handle better, should be more comfortable evo rating 33342 Specification Engine Inline 4cyl, THP, 1598cc Power 164bhp @5800rpm Torque 177lb ft @ 1700rpm 0-100kph 9.7secs Top speed 202kph Weight ‘from 1612kg’ Basic price $39,400 Splice an estate car with a hatchback and you get the general idea. It doesn’t sound particularly enlightening, but trust us, Citr… er, DS somehow makes it work. Offsetting that bulbous front grille and barely-grooved bonnet are two chrome ‘sabres’ stretching from the LED headlights to the split A-pillars, much as those magnificently ornate 18in ‘Canaveral’ alloys take the edge off those bling-tastic running boards. Couple that with two-tone B and C pillars and the overall look should be at best ridiculous, and at worst, ghastly. And yet the DS 5 looks sensational, an example of French design quirkiness that made the original DS a hit back in the late 1950s. Inside is where DS goes Gallic balls mental though. The two-tone black and white continues unapologetically on our ‘Sport Chic’ trimmed test model (yes, that really is the name). The seats may look like an upmarket watch strap but are surprisingly comfortable, if perhaps lacking lumbar support. Everything from the switchgear on the centre console to the aluminium-esque cabin detailing is a pleasure to look at, even if they prove ergonomically baffling: you’ll need to rely on your passenger to switch on the hazard warning lights; buttons for the radio take up 75 per cent of the instrument panel; and the paltry glovebox won’t even swallow the instruction manual. The best though is the ‘aviation- inspired’ roof console. Nauseating principle perhaps, but a genuinely charming addition. Here you’ll find a bank of switches for the rear visor and head-up display, as well as a very funky set of dual glass moon roofs for driver and passenger. Again, quirky and baffling since the whole setup limits headroom quite considerably (especially with the plunging roofline in the back). Looks? Nailed. On the move though, things do start to unravel. Under the bonnet lies a 1.6-litre THP four-cylinder, good for 164bhp and 177lb ſt of torque, but it’s not exactly what you’d call sprightly. Limited torque low down and a general lack of enthusiasm mean speed pick-up is linear, yes, but lethargic. The doddery six-speed automatic doesn’t exactly help either, with neither upshiſts nor downshiſts proving particularly swiſt. Then there’s the handling. We’d not expected a modern day equivalent to the original DS – or the closest we’ve seen for 40 years anyway – to be the last word in performance driving. Even so, the steering lacks consistent weighting, is power-assisted to the point of twitchy, and offers little if any feedback from the front wheels. Surprisingly the tyres themselves do offer a decent amount of grip, though fidgety balance and unsettled body control, plus the momentum shiſt of ‘between 1612kg and 1856kg’ in the tighter turns, means you may not want to hustle the DS 5 too oſten. Step back five or six tenths though and the DS 5 comes into its own. A thin rear view mirror aside, visibility is good thanks to that bold split A-pillar design and aggressively raked windscreen. There’s plenty of legroom, huge amounts of boot space, and next to no road or wind noise rattling the cabin. One thing we would take mild issue with though is the ride quality. Why low profile tyres and slightly stiffened suspension? These do not soak up the road surface in the way a ‘so chic’ French saloon from the Citroen family really should…. On the whole though, it’s a noble first model from DS. If road tests were judged on looks alone, this would be a half day at evo, the DS 5 nailing the premium French style ably with a truly memorable concept. A disinterested powertrain, vague handling and a ride quality stiffer than it should be is disappointing, given the wide array of more accomplished, similarly priced premium rivals available. Accept its limitations though, and as a genuinely characterful, quirky entity amidst a plethora of ‘grey’ family cars, the DS 5 may yet surprise you. L James Gent DS is going it alone after its split from Citroen. How does the DS 5 stack up? Photography: Harisanker.S DS 5 HE ‘NEW’ DS 5 IS AN enigma, albeit a fabulous one. As the first standalone DS since the premium sub-brand’s split from Citroën in 2014, it boasts no chevron badges at all, despite the fact it’s essentially a faceliſted version of an earlier model. The two companies still share the same underpinnings – a PF2 platform from a Citroën Picasso in this instance – but much like Infiniti and Lexus leſt the Nissan and Toyota mother ships respectively, DS’ new approach is a premium one.
Transcript of DS 5...On the whole though, it’s a noble first model from DS. If road tests were judged on looks...
EVO MIDDLE EAST 037
T
+ Endearingly stylish design inside and out - Could handle better, should be more comfortable evo rating 33342SpecificationEngine Inline 4cyl, THP, 1598cc
Power 164bhp @5800rpm
Torque 177lb ft @ 1700rpm
0-100kph9.7secs
Top speed 202kph
Weight ‘from 1612kg’
Basic price $39,400
Splice an estate car with a hatchback and you get the general idea. It doesn’t sound particularly enlightening, but trust us, Citr…er, DS somehow makes it work. Offsetting that bulbous front grille and barely-grooved bonnet are two chrome ‘sabres’ stretching from the LED headlights to the split A-pillars, much as those magnificently ornate 18in ‘Canaveral’ alloys take the edge off those bling-tastic running boards. Couple that with two-tone B and C pillars and the overall look should be at best ridiculous, and at worst, ghastly. And yet the DS 5 looks sensational, an example of French design quirkiness that made the original DS a hit back in the late 1950s.
Inside is where DS goes Gallic balls mental though. The two-tone black and white continues unapologetically on our ‘Sport Chic’ trimmed test model (yes, that really is the name). The seats may look like an upmarket watch strap but are surprisingly comfortable, if perhaps lacking lumbar support. Everything from the switchgear on the centre console to the aluminium-esque cabin detailing is a pleasure to look at, even if they prove ergonomically baffling: you’ll need to rely on your passenger to switch on the hazard warning lights; buttons for the radio take up 75 per cent of the instrument panel; and the paltry glovebox won’t even swallow
the instruction manual. The best though is the ‘aviation-
inspired’ roof console. Nauseating principle perhaps, but a genuinely charming addition. Here you’ll find a bank of switches for the rear visor and head-up display, as well as a very funky set of dual glass moon roofs for driver and passenger. Again, quirky and baffling since the whole setup limits headroom quite considerably (especially with the plunging roofline in the back).
Looks? Nailed. On the move though, things do start to unravel. Under the bonnet lies a 1.6-litre THP four-cylinder, good for 164bhp and 177lb ft of torque, but it’s not exactly what you’d call sprightly. Limited torque low down and a general lack of enthusiasm mean speed pick-up is linear, yes, but lethargic. The doddery six-speed automatic doesn’t exactly help either, with neither upshifts nor downshifts proving particularly swift.
Then there’s the handling. We’d not expected a modern day equivalent to the original DS – or the closest we’ve seen for 40 years anyway – to be the last word in performance driving. Even so, the steering lacks consistent weighting, is power-assisted to the point of twitchy, and offers little if any feedback from the front wheels. Surprisingly the tyres themselves do offer a decent amount of grip, though fidgety balance and unsettled body
control, plus the momentum shift of ‘between 1612kg and 1856kg’ in the tighter turns, means you may not want to hustle the DS 5 too often.
Step back five or six tenths though and the DS 5 comes into its own. A thin rear view mirror aside, visibility is good thanks to that bold split A-pillar design and aggressively raked windscreen. There’s plenty of legroom, huge amounts of boot space, and next to no road or wind noise rattling the cabin.
One thing we would take mild issue with though is the ride quality. Why low profile tyres and slightly stiffened suspension? These do not soak up the road surface in the way a ‘so chic’ French saloon from the Citroen family really should….
On the whole though, it’s a noble first model from DS. If road tests were judged on looks alone, this would be a half day at evo, the DS 5 nailing the premium French style ably with a truly memorable concept. A disinterested powertrain, vague handling and a ride quality stiffer than it should be is disappointing, given the wide array of more accomplished, similarly priced premium rivals available. Accept its limitations though, and as a genuinely characterful, quirky entity amidst a plethora of ‘grey’ family cars, the DS 5 may yet surprise you. LJames Gent
DS is going it alone after its split from Citroen. How does the DS 5 stack up? Photography: Harisanker.S
DS 5
HE ‘NEW’ DS 5 IS AN enigma, albeit a fabulous
one. As the first standalone DS since the premium sub-brand’s split from Citroën in 2014, it boasts no chevron badges at all, despite the fact it’s essentially a facelifted version of an earlier model. The two companies still share the same underpinnings – a PF2 platform from a Citroën Picasso in this instance – but much like Infiniti and Lexus left the Nissan and Toyota mother ships respectively, DS’ new approach is a premium one.
