The DS 9 is an all-new Chinese-French sedan by DS Automobiles. Well, that’s a bit of a white lie, since it was launched last year however, due to Covid and supply chain issues, it’s only been quite recently that deliveries of the DS 9 have been taking place. At the minute, the DS 9 is only offered in China and Europe, but it will be introduced to other markets such as the UK very soon. Hopefully, it arrives in the US too as it is a fantastic car.
But why is the DS 9 a fantastic car? After all, nobody has ever heard of DS Automobiles, and the DS 9 is a car that in the UK starts at over £40,000. The top of the range Performance model is way past £50,000, but in Europe, it is cheaper at just 47,000 Euros which in USD is around $57,000. That still is though a lot of money.
To make things more clear, a BMW 5-Series starts at just over £37,000, a Mercedes E-class starts at almost £38,000. An Audi A6 also starts at a similar price point. The issue is here, the DS is a lot more expensive than these cars, and these cars all have very reputable badges on the front of them.
However, not all is lost. You see, the base DS 9 is actually very good value for money. In the UK, the base model is the Performance Line + (not to be confused with the Performance model). It features some cool multispoke black alloys, black mirror caps, an Alcantara interior, a timepiece, heated seats, electronic seats, etc. All of these features are optional extras on cars like the 50-Series, A6 and E-Class. So you truly are getting a lot of bang for your buck with the DS 9.
The top-spec model in the UK at the minute is the Rivoli+ which comes with many things you would not expect a car at this price point to have. These include heated and ventilated seats, massage seats, etc. You can opt for things like a lounge pack at the rear, pearl paint, and a 360hp engine too. This truly is then a very luxurious car.
The top-spec model then seems more like an S-Class rival than an E-class rival, but due to size and price, it isn’t. However, French President Emmanual Macron will soon be riding on one of these soon as his personal presidential car.
Is the DS 9 any good then? Or is it just another quirky car that you should avoid? Let’s find out.
picture via: autoexpress.ocm
It Has Had a Lot Of Effort Put Into It.
Going to be 100% transparent here. Most car companies do not put 100% effort when making their cars. It is the truth, and it is very evident when you look at most new cars. Take the Mercedes E-Class. That’s a car packed full of tech, but when yous it inside it you’ll notice that the plastics are a tad scratchy and things just don’t feel as solid as they once were. Don’t get me wrong, the E-Class is a brilliantly built car but it isn’t exactly the best of what Mercedes could do.
Now, the reason why manufacturers don’t pour 100% effort into car making is that it is unprofitable. So it is always nice to see another car maker come along and basically sacrifice profits for quality. Now, the DS 9 has its issues and drawbacks. The interior design-wise does not look as good as an E-Class and the infotainment system won’t be as good as the one seen in the Audi A6.
The screen and clock also look as if they were stuck on as an afterthought. Not the best design in the world, but the whole interior is wrapped up in luxurious leathers and woods. It truly is stunning, and you can tell that DS has put a lot of effort into the whole feel of the interior. What leather tone should be used where what the buttons should look like and even the vertical stitching on the steering wheel.
Exterior-wise, this car is subtle but unique. It has a large grille at the front, just like any other executive sedan. However, there are more angles such as the daytime LED lights plus the lights too look pretty aggressive. A silver strip also stretches across the middle of the hood. Quite a unique car then. The side is very classy with pop-out door handles, and an extended rear window. The rear of the car includes some awesome taillights, indicators placed at the top (like the original DS), and some rhombus-style exhaust tips. It is all rather smart, and very classy.
The predecessor to the DS9, the C6 was a nice looker but it was just too weird. The DS 9 on the other hand is charming and not too strange at all.
Available In Hybrid Form.
If you’re one who wants to save the environment (or you just want tax bonuses) then you will be pleased to know that the DS 9 is available in hybrid form. Actually, it gets even better because you can choose between a cheaper 222hp hybrid model or a 355hp model. Both cars are all-wheel-drive and both are plug-ins too.
DS expects the 222hp plug-in hybrid model to be its best-seller. The reason why they do is that it offers lower company car tax and after all this is an executive car that will most likely be purchased as a company car. The E-Tense has an 11.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which can give the DS 9 34 miles of electric-only range. Not too shabby at all.
Oh, and the E-Tense variant of the DS 9 is £6000 cheaper than a BMW 530e, which is a close rival. Anyways, we’re not very interested in the slower model since it does do a 0-60 of over 8 seconds which is far too slow. The one we want is the 366hp 4×4 model.
Unfortunately, performance figures for that cars have not been released as of yet but it will be a lot faster. That is the top model, the sportiest model, and the most fun model. It will sure be very exciting indeed, but don’t think of it as an M5 rival. Think of it more as a 540i rival or E400 rival.
To Conclude.
The DS 9 is a great sedan that will offer you something different in comparison to the likes of BMW, Audi, or Mercedes. Yes, it will drop in value like a stone but don’t forget, so do the other three German sedans. It is very luxurious and the engine choices are pretty good. `it may not be the most fun car to drive, but who cares? It’s designed to be comfortable.
The exterior design is very classy and not too over the top. Inside, things are very luxurious but I do feel as if the infotainment screen could be a tad more integrated. Nevertheless, DS does make up for that with an awesome optional Focal audio system that sounds incredible.
The base model may be more expensive than a base model 5-series or E-class, but it sure does offer more bang for your buck. A hybrid tax-saving DS 9 is a heck of a lot cheaper than the equivalent BMW. A very fancy car that probably won’t sell very well here in the UK and defiantly not in the US. But in France and China, it will be a massive hit.