Citroen confirms prices & specs for new DS 5

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The new DS 5 – the car we used to call a Citroen – goes on sale in the UK in July, with prices from £26,890 and a Limited Edition 1955 model.

It’s a tough call to get buyers to think of ‘DS’ as a new brand from Citroen, especially when the ‘new’ DS models are, for now at least, just titivated versions of Citroen’s mainstream cars, just as they have been since the DS badge returned on the still convincing DS 3.

But that’s the route Citroen are going, so we get the new DS 5 without Citroen badges, complete with a new nose that’s supposed to shout ‘DS’ rather than Citroen.

Starting from £26,890, the new DS 5 is still an interesting car – and a pleasant change from the German premium brands, with a choice of three BlueHDi diesels – 118bhp, 148bhp and 178bhp – a 163bhp THP 165 petrol and a 197bhp petrol hybrid with 4WD. So there’s a wide choice of powertrains depending on what floats your boat.

The DS 5 also gets new pre-loaded linear valve dampers which are claimed to reduce feedback from sudden movements, a whole heap of safety systems including lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and auto high beam.

Inside there’s a heads-up display and new infotainment setup with smartphone connectivity, lots of Nappa leather and the option of Citroen’s (sorry, DS’s) watch strap upholstery, something specced by 20 per cent of buyers.

The normal model options for the DS 5 are Elegance and Prestige, with the Elegance models starting at £26,980 and the Prestige at £29,560, but there’s also a limited edition model – the DS 5 1955.

The 1955 is a celebration of the original DS and comes with an Ink Blue paint job, 1955 badging, Criolli watch strap upholstery, LED lights and the BlueHDi 150 S&S engine with a manual gearbox. It costs £26,990.

The new DS 5 goes on sale in Citroen’s UK showrooms on July 1.