Used buyer’s guide: DS 7 Crossback

Howmuch?

2021 2020 2019 2018

Model

PureTech 130 Elegance £22,514 £20,237 £17,478 £16,230 Finance per month* £913 £820 £709 £658 PureTech 180 auto Prestige £26,493 £24,157 £22,050 £19,767 Finance per month* £1,074 £979 £894 £801 BlueHDi 130 Elegance £22,759 £20,482 £17,975 £16,318 Finance per month* £923 £830 £729 £662 BlueHDi 130 auto Prestige £26,791 £24,500 £22,295 £20,139 Finance per month* £1,086 £993 £904 £816 BlueHDi 180 auto Prestige £27,963 £25,382 £23,030 £21,406 Finance per month* £1,133 £1,029 £934 £868 E-Tense 4x4 300 Perf. Line £38,796 £35,231 £31,997 N/A Finance per month* £1,573 £1,428 £1,297 N/A

*Prices from BuyaCar.co.uk; quotes based on a 10% deposit

YOU’LL find one or two sub-£19,000 examples, but this start point will buy an 18-plate, 45,000-mile BlueHDi 130 Performance Line. It’s the most popular trim, with Prestige close behind. Almost half of the cars we found were petrol, mostly PureTech 180 and 225 editions.

Diesel BlueHDi 130 and 180 models come next, while PHEVs start at £34,000 for a 10,000-mile, 20-plate 1.6 E-Tense 4x4 Prestige. The later E-Tense 225 costs from £38,000 for a 2,000-mile, 71-plate Prestige.

Runningcosts

Average CO2 Annual MPG emissions roadtax

Model

PureTech 130 auto 19-23 39-43mpg 147-167g/km £165 PureTech 180 auto 25-30 36-47mpg 134-176g/km £165 PureTech 225 auto 28-31 36-48mpg 134-177g/km £165 BlueHDi 130 auto 21-23 46-68mpg 107-153g/km £165 BlueHDi 180 auto 29-31 57mpg 128g/km £165 E-Tense 225 30-33 157-176mpg 36-41g/km £155 E-Tense 4x4 300 37-39 166-188mpg 35-39g/km £155

THE DS 7 Crossback needs to be serviced every 12 months or 10,000 miles, with services alternating between minor and major. While the first two services are priced at £249 and £299, from a car’s third birthday the costs alternate between £225 and £375. The brake fluid must also be changed every two years, at a cost of £69, while the coolant should be renewed every 10 years or 120,000 miles at £90.

The four-cylinder 1.6-litre petrol engine is fitted with a timing chain, so there’s no cambelt to replace on that unit. However, the diesels and the PureTech threecylinder 1.2-litre engine have cambelts, and they need to be replaced every 10 years or 120,000 miles. Using genuine parts, you can expect a bill of £595, but approved pattern components shave this to £495.

I n s u r a n c e g r o u p

Interior

WHILE the cabin stands out, you might find it a bit over-designed – and the infotainment menus aren’t especially intuitive. The quality and materials are impressive, however, the seats are comfortable, and there’s plenty of rear head and legroom. A panoramic roof slightly reduces headroom, though.

Boot space is impressive, too, with all models boasting 555 litres with the seats up, or 1,752 litres with them folded. The DS 7 is available with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12-inch HD touchscreen, with satellite navigation offered across all models, along with Bluetooth, DAB radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

STYLING In keeping with its Citroen parent brand, DS has always featured strong styling cues inside and out

Partwatch

Dealer price Independentprice

Part

Frontbrake pads(axle set) £71.15-£150.47 £37.94-£74.79

Frontbrake discs(pair) £93.29-£233.59 £63.78-£118.78 Door mirror glass(electric) From £44.48 N/A Frontwiper set £50.44 £7.97-£26.94

Prices for a 2018 DS 7 CrossbackPureTech 225 auto. Dealer figures from Robins & Day Birmingham (www.robinsandday.co.uk). Independent prices from EuroCarParts(www.eurocarparts.com).

Recalls

DS has issued a grand total of only one recall since it was formed as a brand in 2014, and this just so happens to have been for the DS 7 Crossback. The campaign was launched in February 2019, but it affected a mere 11 cars that had been built between 5 September and 26 October 2018. The issue centred on a component within the driver’s airbag that hadn’t been made correctly; DS didn’t specify which part was at fault or what the problem might be as a result, though. As a fix, all affected DS 7 Crossbacks were fitted with a complete new airbag.

Incidentally, since that single DS recall, across its entire model range Citroen has issued no fewer than 48 recalls – none of which was because of faulty airbags. However, several recalls issued before 2019 were due to airbag glitches.

reached showrooms in November 2019, then the following summer a front-wheeldrive E-Tense 225 PHEV joined the range. Which one?

WHILE the E-Tense 4x4 is the best to drive it costs the most, too, although potentially impressive fuel economy compensates if you can charge regularly. After that it’s down to personal preference for petrol or diesel; both are good to drive, but the BlueHDi will be far more frugal. Kit levels are generous.

The entry Elegance had 18-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, keyless go, dual-zone climate control, eight-inch touchscreen, eight-speaker hi-fi, powered tailgate and heated windscreen. The Performance Line got 19in wheels, privacy glass, Active Scan Suspension, LED headlights, upgraded trim and 12-inch touchscreen. Top Prestige added a rear camera, front parking sensors and electric, heated front seats with massaging function, plus extra driver-assist systems. Alternatives

is the Volvo XC40, which is well equipped, very safe and looks smart, while the Range Rover Evoque also majors on style, although it’s merely so-so dynamically.

Related to the Evoque, the Jaguar E-Pace looks smart and is very practical, plus there is a plug-in hybrid. The Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA offer a decent blend of badge prestige, impressive build quality and superb ergonomics, with efficient engines for good measure.

Other contenders include the VW Tiguan and MINI Countryman, along with the Lexus UX – which is related to the Toyota C-HR.

INTERIOR Impressive build quality and plenty of kit help justify this premium compact SUV’s pricing

Verdict

THE premium compact SUV sector is very hotly contested, so the DS 7 Crossback has its work cut out. Because DS doesn’t have the brand equity to compete on equal terms with Jaguar, Lexus, Volvo and the Germans, it has taken a different approach, which some buyers really like. Yet from owners’ forums it’s clear that customer service isn’t always what it should be, with some dealers seemingly out of their depth. When we tested petrol and diesel DS 7 Crossbacks against the XC40, the Volvo won on both occasions.

Admittedly the XC40 is a particularly talented rival, but it shows that the DS 7 Crossback is no market leader, so make sure you try a few alternatives before committing.

Contacts

Official www.dsautomobiles.co.uk

Forums www.facebook.com/ds7crossbackclub https://dsforums.net https://frenchcarforum.co.uk