How is the luxury SUV that is now more distinguished?

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7 months ago

How is the luxury SUV that is now more distinguished?

DS is synonymous with style, sophistication and elegance. It was at the time, when those two letters gave entity to one of the most emblematic and advanced models in the industry: the Citroen DS. And it is now as a premium brand, 10 years of its independence from Citroën.

The key to its sustained growth in the demanding premium segment was earned based on its distinction, because it must be different to challenge the traditional German automakers in such a short time.

Many times the image is everything. A car is eye-catching, but in this case more than that is needed. Recently DS Automobiles has achieved very good sales levels, with Argentina as one of its favorite markets outside of Europe.

The DS 7 Crossback has been one of the models that sold the most units in recent times among luxury SUVs, while the DS 3 Crossback did the same among compact SUVs.

More than a last name change

The DS 3 update arrived in Argentina in mid-20203. The changes were profound: new image, mechanics and more technology. He even changed his name. leaving behind the Crossback nomenclature to simply become DS 3 as it was before, when it still did not have an SUV silhouette or a five-door body.

The new DS 3 maintains the elegant and refined style, although the differences compared to its predecessor are evident. The most notable is at the front where the new bumper stands out, the redesign of the grille and the new headlights with LED Vision lighting system, with intelligent and automatic high beam management. In addition, the daytime running lights now have two rows of LEDs arranged vertically at each end, as seen on other models such as the DS 7 and DS 4.

On the side it maintains the now classic folding handles and the invisible weatherstripping of the crystals, while the rear lights and the central area of the tailgate are discreetly highlighted with a black lacquered trim. For their part, the wheels also have a new design and can be 17 or 18 inches, depending on the version.

There are also new features in the cabin, as it has a new multifunction steering wheel with paddles for those who want to experience manual driving mode. Added to this is the new infotainment system with a central screen of 10.3 inches that offers connected navigation and intelligent voice recognition, and a small (7”) digital instrument panel due to the amount of information it concentrates.

New multifunction steering wheel with paddles for a manual driving mode.

In terms of technology, the new DS 3 has a combo of assistance systems that offer a semi autonomous driving (Level 2). Among them we can mention active lane keeping assistance, speed sign reading with display on the instrument panel, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking up to 85 km/h.

The DS 3 also updated its mechanics. The old 1.2-liter turbo with 155 horsepower was replaced by a more modern one within the same Pure Tech family, although less powerful (130 horsepower). It is a powertrain that equips other Stellantis Group models (especially in Europe) and is combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This mechanical assembly, added to a soft French-style suspension scheme, allows it to operate with great ease and agility in daily traffic. It consumes little (6L/100 km in combined sections) and does not clash when you want to use it on the road.

The response in the low rev range is immediate, but without being spicy. Of course, the 25 horsepower difference compared to its predecessor is noticeable in the medium, medium-high rev range, where the delivery is progressive.

Beyond that detail, it is a vehicle that is enjoyable to drive and that offers everything you need on board.