DS 7 Crossback arrives as Citroen's Posh DS Brand goes SUV

DS 7 Crossback arrives and looks properly convincing

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The DS 7 Crossback has been revealed as an impressive competitor for cars like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 as Citroen deliver a properly promising SUV to the market.

The DS brand hasn’t been totally convincing as a premium brand sitting above Citroen so far, with its best offering the now rather old DS 3. But that’s about to change with this – the new DS 7 Crossback.

Revealed ahead of a debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week, the DS 7 looks set to offer real competition to premium SUVs with good looks, high quality materials and lots of technology.

Aimed in the firing line of cars like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 – which aren’t exactly sitting ducks – the DS 7 does promise to deliver a lot at a price which will undercut the premium rivals by quite a chunk, we expect.

Based on PSA’s EMP2 platform – the same as Peugeot’s 3008 and 5008, and even the forthcoming Vauxhall Grandland – and with a stiff structure, the DS 7 gets a sophisticated multi-link back axle and comes with road-scanning MagicRide to scan the road and setup the dampers. Clever.

The DS 7 Crossback gets a properly upmarket interior

Inside there’s acres of leather – including quilted leather door cards – double-glazed windows, massaging seats, night vision and up to 12″ infotainment screen on offer. It all looks, and sounds, properly upmarket.

Very upmarket too is the DS Active LED Vision lighting, with headlights which emit a purple light when the car is unlocked before swivelling 180 degrees, vertical running lights, scrolling indicators and rear LED lights made up of illuminated scales.

All the DS 7s will be FWD except for the E-Tense Hybrid which will use an electric motor to power the back wheels too, with a choice of the PureTech 130, THP 180, THP 230, BlueHDi 130 and BlueHDi 180, all with an eight-speed auto except the PureTech 130 (and as an option on the BlueHDi 130).

Thierry Metroz, Director of Style, DS Automobiles, said:

At all stages of the design process, the guiding aim for DS 7 CROSSBACK was to express refinement, excellence and the best know-how implemented to the highest standards. The result is there to see, with an ideally proportioned car brimming with personality. It’s a perfect alchemy of strength and style

The DS 7 Crossback will debut next week in Geneva, although it doesn’t look like RHD production will start until 2018.