Less chrome, but more class - with the facelift, the DS7 sheds its playful appearance and still gains in charm. However, the new top model does not really want to fit the character of the brand.
As the midwife of a whole new brand, the DS 7 Crossback has done its job very well so far. The SUV was the first independent model of DS Automobiles from the Stellantis Group in 2018. Since then it has also been at the top of the family's internal rankings, 42 percent of all DSs sold are sevens. Compared to bestsellers from German luxury brands such as the BMW X1 or Audi Q3, the sales figures are of course rather clear. The DS 7 has found around 7,000 customers since its market launch in Germany, and a total of around 120,000 units have been sold. After all, but there is still more - says DS too and is now giving its first-born a fairly extensive model update.
At the start of the second life, the French first slim down the name. DS 7 Crossback is now simply DS 7. Technically, the model is still based on the group platform EMP2 (Efficient Modular Platform), which it shares with the Stellantis brothers Peugeot 3008 and Opel Grandland. With the update, the Frenchman stretches slightly by two centimeters in length to 4.59 meters, width and height each increase by one centimeter.
Visually, much more changes. Especially at the front, which looks more streamlined and less playful. The aprons are more angular, the hexagonal grille is wider and larger, chrome distributed DS no longer so lavishly. The French call their change of style to less tinsel "chrome detox".
But the most striking thing is the light signature. The new "DS Light Veil" LED daytime running lights, which run vertically downwards in five strips, are moving in. Translated, this means something like a veil of light and shines in a very similar way on the new DS4. The adaptive LED matrix headlights (standard from Performance Line ) are now called "Pixel LED Vision 3.0" and should be characterized by optimized light output. According to DS, the more bundled luminous flux of the adaptive high beam has a range of 380 meters, in the city they radiate up to 65 meters. We also see newly designed lights at the rear, they are flatter and wider than before, and they are connected by a black trim strip with the "DS Automobiles" lettering.
In the interior, DS continues to focus on noblesse. High-quality materials, excellent workmanship, all inspired by Parisian haute couture, as the French never tire of emphasizing. Quilted seams in the so-called pearl stitch refine the leather seats, cheap plastic is still a no-go, the five equipment lines are freshly sorted.
It was undoubtedly time for a modern infotainment system that now listens to the latest DS-IRIS speech recognition. The new, freely customizable 12-inch touchscreen is located in the center of the cockpit. It uses the Mirror Screen function to reflect smartphone content onto the screen via Wi-Fi. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now work wirelessly, and parking is easy with the help of a 360-degree camera. The digital dashboards, which have also grown slightly to 12 inches, have new functions, for example they display the energy flow of the plug-in hybrids.
Which brings us to the rearrangement of the engine range. In the future, DS will only offer its prettied sevens with a pure combustion engine, a 96 kW/130 hp diesel with automatic and front-wheel drive (from 42,500 euros). There are also three plug-in hybrids, two of which are known: we know the front-wheel drive with 165 kW/225 hp (from 49,600 euros) as well as the all-wheel drive version with 220 kW/300 hp (from 54,800 euros).
A new addition is the DS 7 E-Tense 4x4 360 with plenty of 265 kW/360 hp. This part-time electric vehicle recently made its debut in the DS 9. All three hybrids are fitted with a new lithium-ion battery, the output of which has increased by 1.2 kWh to the current 14.2 kWh. Depending on the engine, it can cover a distance of between 57 and 69 kilometers purely electrically.
Trimmed less for efficiency and much more for performance, the new top model DS 7 360 wants to play the dynamic role. Technically, the all-wheel drive differs from the 300 hp version only in the way the software is calibrated. In contrast to the 300, it also receives electrical support when the battery charge level falls below 50 percent. The purely electric range is therefore lower, the temperament all the higher. No trace of noble restraint.
The ease of acceleration is striking. Almost playfully, the team of two electric motors (front 81 kW/110 hp, rear 83 kW/112 hp) and the turbo four-cylinder (147 kW/200 hp) bring the load up to speed. 1.9 tons fly from zero to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. Supported by an eight-speed automatic transmission that can easily follow the pace.
Anyone who chooses the family's new joker has to invest at least 62,500 euros and be tough. One thing is certain: no DS has been tuned as tightly as this sports guy. The SUV falls into potholes with a distinctly dry sense of humour, only on a really smooth road does it come close to the impression of comfort that the DS brand should actually stand for.
For the sporty mission of the top model, the track was slightly widened, the body was lowered by 1.5 centimeters and 21-inch wheels with 245/35 tires were fitted as standard. There isn't much rubber left to bounce on. The Active Scan Suspension, which is camera-controlled using four inclination sensors and accelerometers to detect road defects at an early stage and adjust the damping hardness accordingly, also proves to be not particularly helpful. There was little sign of this on our first test tour. The rather smooth steering, which may not really fit the tight vote, is also strange. The sport mode serves higher steering forces, but unfortunately also a higher engine speed level - which gets annoying in the long run.
In the end, a divided picture remains. The facelift is to the point and has a fashion extravagance that fits the DS brand essence. In contrast to the new top model, which clearly overdoes it with the sporting spirit and feels more like a dream candidate from the marketing department.
DS 7 E-Tense 4x4 360 - technical data
