Unveiling the DS 7 Crossback at the Geneva show is a significant moment for PSA Group’s spun-off ‘avant garde’ brand.
When the SUV arrives on UK roads in 2018 it will be the first car designed specifically as a DS – currently the entire range on sale are reworked and rebadged versions of cars offered by parent brand Citroën.
The DS 7 Crossback intends to make a mark in the mushrooming upmarket mid-sized SUV market, and prime rivals will be the Audi Q5 and Jaguar F-Pace.
It is certainly a distinctive car, with the signature DS styling, including the front headlamp ‘wings’ and pencil-thin daytime running lights. Active LED headlamps will be offered on production models, along with a complex tail lamp setup comprising 42 LEDs.
The car is built on the PSA Group modular EMP2 platform. All versions will be front-wheel-drive only apart from the range-topping hybrid, with a choice of six powertrains. Entry-level will be the three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol unit with 130hp, and there will be 180 and 225hp versions of a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine.

Diesel options will comprise a new 1.5-litre unit of 130hp and said to produce impressive fuel economy, and a 2-litre with 180hp.
The plug-in hybrid ‘E-Tense’ version, evolved from the E-Tense concept seen at the 2016 Paris show, is the first petrol PHEV model across the entire PSA Group. It will go on sale in 2019, a year after the mainstream range.
A 200hp petrol engine and 109hp electric motor drive the front wheels, and a second 109hp motor powers the rears, creating the only all-wheel-drive option in the DS 7 range. Up to 37 miles will be possible in completely electric mode
And charging will take 4.5 hours in standard mode with a 2.5-hour fast option.
DS is already taking reservations from customers who wish to own the initial ‘Premiere’ versions of the DS7 Crossback – details of the newcomer are on a website launched directly following the unveiling of the car in Geneva.
Premiere models will feature signature styling elements including the distinctive ‘watchstrap’ interior upholstery.
Prices for the DS 7 are yet to be revealed but industry sources suggest they will range from around £30,000 to £40,000, making them a highly competitive option in the premium market.
Once the DS 7 is on sale it will be followed quickly by a raft of new models as DS establishes its own identity. Replacements for the current DS3, 5 and 7 models are expected along with four SUVs.