Name: DS 9 (2021 - present) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: DS 9
Rating: 63.0

Summary

The DS 9 is the third standalone model from DS Automobiles, Citroën’s upmarket sister brand. The large executive saloon unveiled in early 2020 as the brand’s flagship and arrived in the UK in Spring 2021. It targets a highly competitive market, fought over by such heavyweights as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series.

Originally available with a purely petrol option (a 1.6-litre petrol unit with 225hp), the DS 9 is now only available as a plug-in hybrid. This is offered in two outputs – a 250hp front-wheel drive version and a 360hp all-wheel drive version.

Reviewers believe the DS 9 has appeal because it’s different – Top Gear says it will “provide a French-flavoured alternative to anyone who’s on their sixteenth Merc and fancies a change.”

There are many quality touches; “Opening the flush-fitting door reveals a stylish and beautifully trimmed cabin,” says Auto Express. “It’s all rather lovely but the arrangement of some of the controls can be maddening.”

The DS 9 is comfortable on the move, its ‘Active Scan’ suspension using a camera to scan the road ahead and adjust the chassis accordingly. “The silky comfort doesn’t come at the expense of body control, the ride is not unsettlingly floaty,” says Parkers.

It’s all about comfort – “The DS 9 is not a particularly fast car and is at its best driven in a relaxed, smooth fashion,” says the Mirror, adding that the ‘Opera’ interior trim, a £3,000 option, is essential to complete the effect of luxury travel.

Several reviewers add that DS 9 buyers will enjoy exclusivity as the brand only expects its UK sales of the car to be in the hundreds.

As of January 2025, the DS 9 holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 63%. It scores top marks for its low CO₂ emissions, largely helped by having a plug-in hybrid model. Its safety rating is also good, albeit not as good as other cars that it competes with. However, it’s an expensive car to live with, and media reviews have been poor.

More DS Automobiles ratings, reviews, news and features

DS 9 highlights

Quiet and comfortable
Quality interior fittings
Spacious with big boot
Lots of driver-assistance systems
Exclusive alternative to German big-sellers

DS 9 lowlights

Not particularly handsome
Several controls not very user-friendly
Brand has little UK presence
Do people still want four-door saloons?
Running costs are fairly high

Key specifications

Body style: Large saloon
Engines: plug-in hybrid
Price: From £56,000 on-road

Launched: Spring 2021
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid E-Tense 250 Performance Line+
Score: 7 / 10
“This DS 9 E-Tense 250 makes more sense than the 4×4 360 flagship version, delivering improved electric range and greater efficiency thanks to a bigger battery, lots of kit and strong refinement. But the package is let down by limited practicality and a slightly jittery ride that means this big saloon doesn’t deliver the same level of comfort as its premium competitors.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid 4×4 360 Rivoli+
Score: 7 / 10
“The 4×4 360 adds performance to the DS 9 E-Tense line-up, but it also commands a serious price tag that puts it in the firing line of other impressive premium machinery, which might be hard to swallow for some. However, its dynamic ability seems sound, with strong enough performance and handling.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid
Score: 5 / 10
“The DS 9 is an intriguing alternative choice to the executive car establishment. Aside from the clunky hybrid set-up, it’s dynamically capable, and the cabin is uniquely designed and sumptuous enough to tempt buyers. However, it’s seriously hamstrung by eye-watering monthly PCP figures. Unless the finances are drastically resolved, it’s almost impossible to recommend.”
Read review

Auto Trader+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“DS is aware of the uphill battle it faces, and so has filled its base cars with a generous level of comfort features and space.”
Read review

Business Car+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“It might take a while yet for DS to become recognised on the road, but the DS 9 is a credible alternative to obvious executive saloons.”
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed: E-Tense 225 PHEV Rivoli+
Score: 6 / 10
“The 9 saloon is the best DS yet. It delivers on comfort, refinement and fuel economy, and undercuts BMW’s 530e by about £6000 while offering more standard equipment.”
Read review

Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.2 / 10
“The DS 9 is a comfortable executive saloon with a plug-in powertrain, but it’s more expensive on finance than the class leaders.” (Charlie Harvey)
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The DS 9 is a large and stylish premium saloon that aims to offer something a little different to the norm.”
Read review

Company Car Today+

Model reviewed: Range overview
“Classy and understated with a lovely interior, refined powertrain and good company car BiK (Benefit-in-Kind tax) thanks to the PHEV powertrain. The competition is fierce, but the DS 9 has a shot at taking a few sales from the bigger premium manufacturers.”
Read review

Daily Mirror+

Model reviewed: E-Tense 225 PHEV Rivoli+
Score: 8 / 10
“That the DS9 will be a relatively rare sight on our roads will no doubt help its cause – because not everyone wants to drive what the Joneses do. It will also help that the DS9 is an attractive motor and also a rather splendid one to drive.”
Read review

Driving Electric+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The plug-in hybrid DS 9 saloon is the French brand’s most convincing model yet; comfortable, refined and loaded with kit.”
Read review

Heycar+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5 / 10
“What’s the price you’re willing to pay for individuality? Nearly £60K for a slightly odd Chinese-slash-French plug-in hybrid saloon is a tricky one to justify. We’d recommend waiting a few years until the DS 9 has lost a considerable chunk of its value. It’ll be a while before it’s more appealing than a used BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class, though.”
Read review

Parkers+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The latest French executive car looks good and undercuts premium rivals.”
Read review

The Sunday Times+

Model reviewed: E-Tense 225 PHEV Rivoli+
Score: 8 / 10
“The DS 9 is less clinical than most rivals and will appeal to buyers who enjoy — and, probably more significantly, enjoy talking about — fine details, such as the guilloche patterns and pearl interior stitching.”
Read review

The Telegraph+

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid
Score: 6 / 10
“Garish and big, the DS 9 is not a patch on the dynamics of the rivals but better than it has a right to be. The comfort-enhancing road-scanning system works brilliantly however and there is something quite attractive about the overstuffed feeling of this car.”
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“If you’ve tried all the usual suspects, and you’re after a change from the norm, this is the most convincing product from DS yet.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: November 2022
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 79%
Child protection: 86%
Vulnerable road users: 67%
Safety assist: 67%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of January 2025, the DS 9 has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability ratin

As of January 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the DS 9 to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the DS 9, we’ll publish the results here.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	271 mpg	A	188 – 353 mpg	A – A

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	157 g/km	C	155 – 158 g/km	B – C
Plug-in hybrid models	29 g/km	A	22 – 41 g/km	A – A

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	43 miles	D	39 – 47 miles	D – D

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	43	D	35 – 45	C – D

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£312	C
Year 2	£704	C
Year 3	£1,118	C
Year 4	£1,332	C
Year 5	£1,776	C
Overall	£5,242	C

The DS 9 is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Being a plug-in hybrid, the fuel economy and CO₂ emission scores look fantastic on paper. But this is simply a result of very poor EU/UK government lab testing, which is completely inadequate for assessing plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Servicing costs are average, which is comparable to similarly priced vehicles from other premium brands, while insurance costs are likely to be fairly expensive – although, again, that’s probably going to be similar to rival vehicles.

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the DS 9, you might also be interested in these alternatives

Entering the large executive saloon market is a brave decision because it’s a sector full of brilliant rivals. The DS 9 will have to take on and beat the Audi A6, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but most of all the BMW 5 Series.

Apparently even DS doesn’t expect to take many sales from these big-hitters and instead expects to snatch customers from the likes of the Jaguar XF and Lexus ES.