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DS7 Crossback: Some Kind Of Wonderful
DS7 CROSSBACK
Some Kind Of Wonderful
Words by Richi Mackie
Photos by S. Lomax
The DS7 Crossback is the product of a completely white sheet, refined taste, fantasy and desire to amaze. At the wheel acts as a compact SUV that takes advantage of the experience of the PSA group, aesthetically is a breath of fresh air and sure inspiration for the entire segment.
To let you know something about the new DS7 Crossback, I could start out in thousands of different ways, but no one would give a good idea of what kind of car you are facing. Maybe, it would be appropriate to start from the bottom and immediately make it clear that it is one of the most interesting cars we have ever had at our office. Why? – you are wondering. For all that brings together with it, for the way in which it manages to deal with the necessities of daily use, but also for being able to satisfy those who are looking for something more, something the DS brand – luxury branch of Citroen and authentic spearhead of the PSA group – proves to be able to do, year after year and model after model.
The DS7 Crossback is defined crossover, but judging by its size, the imposing front and the decent height from the ground, it would be more correct to call it a compact SUV. In any case, apart from categorization, we are talking about the most ambitious model of the French house, a project that sits in a dense segment and crowded by fierce competition. For its part, the DS7 resides in a still rather affordable price range, another important aspect for a car that has everything to prove. Price tag that enters decidedly more important territories, being dragged during the choice of the options or looking among the most exclusive packages, a bit like with our test model, the ideal one to touch a product that refreshes a very uniform segment , regardless of the various brands that fill it to the border.
4.57 meters long, 1.63 meters high and 1.90 meters wide, the DS7 is not afraid to show off its size, also focusing on an impressive presence thanks to a massive front, made such thanks to a honeycomb trapezoidal grille, authentic focal point that gives character and sportiness to the whole car. In between, the large chromed DS logo shows off and all around you can appreciate the square shapes created by the intersection of the profiles and the LED running lights. It is precisely here that you can notice one of the first stylistic features of the DS7, right when you turn the engine on and it gives way to the rotation of three diamonds per side, which show that the designers not only have left nothing to chance, but wanted to make a car practical and at the same time able to amaze and intrigue. The DS7 is in fact a completely new model, the result of a white sheet that has given shape to a car with a thousand facets and undoubted dynamic qualities. Although petrol engines are available, I think the diesel (at least for the moment) is the right choice and the 4-cylinder 2-liter with 180-hp we are testing seems to be best in the lot, at least waiting for the new hybrid units, which should take the four-wheel drive with ‘em, perhaps the only real gap on an SUV of this caliber.
Returning to a purely aesthetic analysis, the side profiles and back are less particular than the front, but no less elaborate, with DS logos scattered here and there and two showy chrome frames that incorporate the exhaust tips. If you are starting to convince yourself that this Crossback is a special car, wait until you open the door and get on board. I can hardly believe it myself that a transalpine car can impregnate a similar luxury, perfume leather and let itself be caressed as usually happens with a Bentley or an Aston Martin. And yet it is just like that and as I close my mouth wide open in amazement, I start to admire the surfaces of the dashboard, the shape of the steering wheel and the central tunnel that seems borrowed from a Lamborghini. Wanting to be picky, at least on the first driving occasions, this setting is not entirely intuitive, but after understanding where to find the buttons you will use more frequently, your love for the DS7 will increase dramatically. There are two 12-inch displays, one right behind the steering wheel and through which you can control instruments such as the satellite navigator, on-board computer or the most classic instrumentation composed of a tachometer and rev counter, while the second is located in the middle of the dash, touch screen and allows you to manage all the other parameters of a car full of gadgets and complete with every devilry you would expect to find on board. At the bottom of the screen there are a dozen physical buttons that act as shortcuts, useful to recall the main functions, an aspect that simplifies its use, especially with the car moving around.
Finally, to accentuate the sense of refinement, there is a soft leather interior that is part of one of the exclusive packages offered by DS, the “Rivoli”, which is completed by 18-inch Ginevra wheels and the Advanced Traction Control system , not identical to an all-wheel drive system, but better than a traditional front-wheel drive. Pressure on the power button and something amazes me again, a B.R.M. chronograph makes its entrance, the dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree and I can finally move the handy gear lever in drive to walk the first steps in a car that smells of future from every pore. If the 2-liter turbodiesel is not very quiet when stationary, once in motion it never annoys and the 8-speed automatic transmission works through the gears without ever requiring the intervention of the driver, still possible through the two paddles behind the steering wheel. There is a lot of fun playing between the various functions and the driving modes of the DS7, but I decided to concentrate mainly on driving, a fundamental aspect of a car that represents such an important challenge for the brand. The 177 horsepower of this model does not make it a blaster, but in any case no owner of compact SUVs makes their purchase based on the 0-100 or the maximum speed, respectively of 9.4 seconds and 215 per hour. Rather, we reason in terms of usability and in this case the DS7 proves to be agile in city traffic, fast and convenient on long distances and even fun on those roads that seem to be created exclusively for sports cars. In this last case it is precisely the fact that it is an unusual model and full of innovations that makes this Crossback the ideal companion for climbing on some mountain pass. The ground clearance and the discrete shoulder of the tires solve without problems the need to face some stretch of rough road, but only with the arrival of the all-wheel drive hybrid we will be able to understand if this model will also be excellent off-road or on snow-covered roads.
Infrared cameras and adaptive suspensions are just among the many aspects that make the DS7 one of the most interesting innovations of recent years, while in terms of fuel consumption we found values in the order of those declared by the brand, except when we have required more sprint to the engine, for example during our days on the mountains. In the city you cover about 100km with 5.6l of diesel, in extraurban area consumption is 4.4l/100km for a combined cycle of 4.9l/100km, not bad if we keep in mind that you carry around 1.610kg of weight, which quickly become 1,800 with two people and their luggages on board. Finally, starting from about € 30,000, the DS7 Crossback is rightfully a bargain, offering a great deal with a more than honest expense. The specimen of our test, top of the range and enriched by the Rivoli treatment and by any sort of optional costs € 53,350, now a pretty important figure, which overcomes the initial amazement to justify itself without major problems. You will love the DS7 Crossback, I’m sure. And do you know why? Because it’s wonderful. Just the fact of having devoted more space to its many details than the excellent driving skills, demonstrates how much it amazes and brings with it a real breath of fresh air of which the whole SUV world will benefit and should take inspiration.
DS7 CROSSBACK
Layout – front-engined, front-wheel-drive
Engine – in-line 4 cylinder 1.997cc – turbodiesel
Transmission – 8-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 177 hp @ 3.750 rpm
400 Nm @ 2.000 rpm
Weight – 1.610 kg
Acceleration – 9,4 sec.
Top Speed – 215 kph
Price – from €30.650 (€ 53.350 as tested)
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