DS Automobiles has revealed an updated version of the DS 7 with a revised front end, a new top-of-the-line plug-in hybrid option, a new infotainment system and the dropping of the "Crossback" moniker from the car's name.
Revised front
Most noticeable among the range of updates to the DS 7 is the reworked front, with the grille now larger than before, a redesigned valance, new slimmer headlights and new daytime running lights. Because of the design and arrangement of the LEDs in the new headlights the high main beam is now extended by up to 380m at night.
At the rear, the lights are also smaller and slimmer than before, and the tailgate has been sharpened in appearance slightly. Gone too is the old "Crossback" lettering replaced by "DS Automobiles". The whole package sits on a set on new 19-inch alloy wheels, apart from the new high-end 360 model that wears 21-inch rims.
Plush interior
In keeping with DS's luxury ambitions, the interior is plush and well-appointed with plenty of Nappa leather throughout (in two colours: Basalt Black and Pearl Grey) accompanied by off-white contrasting stitching. The final furnishings and upholstery combinations do depend on the particular trim level chosen. Performance Line spec, for example, features black Alcantara with golden and deep red touches giving it, DS says, a sportier look and feel.
The whole infotainment interface is totally new with a 12.0-inch central touchscreen. Ahead of the driver sits a new 12.0-inch instrument cluster. Other tech features include adaptive cruise control, DS Night Vision (a system that uses an infrared camera to scan the road ahead for cyclists, pedestrians and animals at night) and Active Scan Suspension, which uses cameras to detect imperfections in the road, adjusting the damping accordingly for a smoother ride.
Power options
Powering the DS 7 is a range of engines including one diesel (1.5-litre and 130hp) and three plug-in hybrid options, most of which have been seen before in the DS range.
Opening the hybrid line-up is the E-Tense 225 using a 1.6-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to send 225hp to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. A new 14.4kWh battery gives up to 65km of electric-only driving on the WLTP test cycle - or up to 81km on the urban cycle. Charging time is about two hours on a 7.4kW charger.
Next in line is the E-Tense 4x4 300, which, as the name suggests, is all-wheel drive and develops 300hp. It too uses a 1.6-litre petrol engine and an electric motor on the front axle, but gains an extra motor, driving the rear wheels.
New in the DS 7 line-up is the E-Tense 4x4 360 range-topper. It uses the same two-motor setup as the 4x4 300, but there's a 200hp petrol engine for a maximum power output of 360hp, resulting in acceleration from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds. Other changes setting the 360 apart from the rest of the line-up include a 15mm lower ride height, a wider track, 380mm front disc brakes and big new 21-inch wheels, all to make it that bit more capable of harnessing its extra power.
Orders open in August
The updated DS 7 will be available to order from August and, even though the company says it'll start arriving in showrooms from September, with the global supply chain situation as it is, it'll likely be closer to the end of the year or even into 2023 before it hits Irish shores in significant numbers.