Andrea Silvuni
The new edition of the premium suv DS 7 - debuting in the coming days with a price list starting from 42,000 euros for the Bastille BlueHDi 130 Automatica - demonstrates the importance of this proposal in the context of the French brand's 'high-end' offer. by Stellantis.
DS 7 is really a model that seems to be tailor-made, like the best Parisian fashion, for its customers, able to appreciate an SUV that is among the best alternatives to the classic Made in Germany choices.
So much so that in the first half of 2022 the previous edition of DS 7 achieved 40% of sales within the brand, i.e. the highest share.
There are many innovations that debut with this edition, including a successful makeover of the front that highlights the French savoir-faire in the field of luxury.
Now DS 7 proudly displays a completely new 'nose', which stands out for its clearer lines and specific processes that have moved the bar even higher in terms of quality and solidity.
An even more expressive light signature stands out thanks to the combination of the new thinner DS Pixel Led Vision 3.0 headlights and DS Light Veil daytime running lights, a true world first.
Inspired by the work done on the DS X E-Tense and DS Aero Sport Lounge, they offer a brightness that seems to cross the body color.
The Light Veil system consists of a daytime running light and four vertical light elements made up of 33 LEDs.
In turn, DS Pixel Led Vision 3.0 introduces a new technology that optimizes light output, while maintaining the 3 separate modules present throughout the range.
The Pixel function offers a more powerful and regular luminous flux, with an increased range of up to 380 meters (high beam).
At less than 50 km / h, the beam width reaches 65 meters.
Also successful was the intervention on the DS Wings, which have been redesigned with a wide range of colors depending on the model.
The grille - with a completely redesigned edge - is wider and enriched with subtle diamond-point reflections.
The tail of the DS 7 features new LED rear lights with swirl effect, with finer scales - This luminous signature fits perfectly with the modifications to the tailgate and the logo (reworked with sharper lines) and with the novelty of the DS Automobiles lettering that visually enlarge the rear panel.
The wheels are also new, including the 19-inch Edinburgh and Silverstone and the 21-spec Brooklyn of the DS 7 E-Tense 4x4 360 version.
In the cockpit you can appreciate the new infotainment system which now includes the DS Iris System which introduces a totally reworked, configurable, responsive and fluid interface, supported by natural voice recognition.
The menu consisting of widgets that allows you to access the function (for example the climate, navigation or audio) with a single movement is very functional.
In driving, if the suv DS 7 is equipped with it, you can also positively evaluate the DS Active Scan Suspension system which adjusts each wheel independently in real time based on the imperfections of the roadway, detected by a camera.
The company also remembers the presence of the DS Night Vision system with infrared camera that monitors the roadway and sides at night to detect cyclists, pedestrians and animals at a maximum distance of 100 meters.
In the tests of the DS 7, which took place on the Côte d'Azur during the day, it was not possible to evaluate this system.
On the other hand, the judgment for the debut of the E-Tense technology - plug-in hybrid - which derives from the experiences in Formula E, which adds a variant to the already popular 225 Hp two-wheel drive and 300 Hp four-wheel drive versions, is easy. super-performing 360 hp four-wheel drive.
However, the range also includes a 130 hp BlueHDi diesel version (still in great demand).
which is the entrance one, while the DS 7 E-Tense 4x4 360 is proposed in Premiere set-up at 74,100 euros On normal roads - as we found in the hinterland of Cannes - and on the motorway the maximum satisfaction is obtained with DS 7 E -Tense 4x4 360, the most powerful.
The petrol engine in fact delivers 200 Hp and together with the two electric units (110 and 113 Hp respectively, it reaches a system power of 360 Hp. A value that offers, depending on the weight of 1,885 kg, a weight / power ratio. benchmark in the plug-in hybrid segment.
This translates into 0 to 100 km / h acceleration in just 5.6 seconds, against WLTP approved CO2 emissions of 40 g / km and fuel consumption (again WLTP) 1.8 liters / 100 km. Taking advantage of the driving modes, the 14.2 kWh battery of the DS 7 E-Tense 4x4 360 also allows you to travel in 100% electric for 55 km.
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In DS 7, French luxury and Formula E sportiness
