Eastlife Spring 2021

Motoring
DS7 Crossback
E-Tense
Written by Sue Cooke | Twitter @cookecars
Spring for me is new beginnings, new changes and new innovations. DS
Automobiles, which is the luxury arm of Citroen has some wonderful new
technology which I spent a glorious week exploring during my recent road test of
the DS7 Crossback E-Tense.
I have never seen headlights on an SUV that are so fascinating but then I wasn’t
around to buy cars in 1955. That was the year of the original DS which inspired
the headlights. With some added technology, the new headlights have a main
projector headlamp and a cluster of three LEDs that rotate 180° and sparkle. My son
videoed them and my daughter wanted to show them off to her boyfriend. These
headlights are not just for show though, they help the driver by focusing the light on
the road. The beam adapts in width and range to the road conditions and vehicle
speed and they do not dazzle oncoming drivers. Six lighting modes are available
and are selected automatically by the system; Parking, Town Beam, Country Beam,
Motorway Beam, Adverse Beam and High Beam. Isn’t new technology wonderful.
The DS7 Crossback has plenty of other innovative features which kept me
entertained all week. As I rounded a corner a stick figure and two stick animals
appeared in a red warning light on the dash. Outside the car, a man was walking
two dogs, balancing on the narrow edge of the B road. An infrared camera
positioned in the grille picks up the behaviour of pedestrians or livestock up to 100
metres away and artificial intelligence analyses the camera footage and represents
the picture in front of the driver, using thermal imagery.
On the motorway, I appreciated the warning sign, ‘Be Vigilant’, which flashed on the
screen when I became hemmed in by several large trucks. A windscreen-mounted
camera scans the road surface up to 20 metres ahead and warns the driver. Only a
handful of high-end limousines currently boast this advanced technology.
Facts at a Glance:
Model: DS7 Crossback Ultra Prestige
E-Tense
Price: £56,075 otr without options
Engine: Turbocharged petrol engine and
two electric motors combined to produce
300hp
Performance: 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds
and on to a top speed of 149mph
CO2 emissions: 33-37g/km (WLTP)
Combined fuel consumption: 166.2-
235.4mpg (WLTP)
Electric range combined: 34-40 miles
(WLTP)
New research by DS Automobiles has revealed that almost a quarter of the UK
public are likely to make a premium purchase over the next 12 months. Nearly half
of those surveyed stated high levels of interior technology and features as the main
qualities they look for.
This is what you will find in the spacious interior of this Crossback offering the very
best of French style, with ‘ooh la la’ attention to detail. I like the chrome scrolling
cylinders which are used to increase the audio volume or change the view of the
large digital instrument display. From the nappa leather to silver chrome highlights
everything is quality.
The E-Tense plug-in hybrid is powered by a turbocharged petrol engine and
two electric motors that combine to produce 300hp. Up to 30mph the cabin is
exceptionally quiet and even when the engine ignites, silence remains paramount.
CO2 emissions are 33g/km, so new DS owners will find huge tax savings.
My road test review of the DS7 Crossback E-Tense can only be described as a super
smooth spring into a super quiet and stately environment. Yes, you will pay for this
premium purchase and its great technology, but it’s a welcome change for 2021.
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