… DS5 Prestige …
In 2014, Citroen and DS parted company with Citroen establishing DS as a standalone brand with more focus on style and sport than the mainstream brand. On that basis, perhaps the fact that Citroen celebrated the 60th anniversary of the original DS just last year was indeed timely, serving to remind everyone what a futuristic visioneer the DS brand was.
The DS19 (pronounced Déesse, the French word for Goddess) was launched at the 1955 Paris Motor Show where Citroen staff took 12,000 orders for the car on the opening day. Quite remarkable considering the straitened times in the decade after the second world war. It perhaps signalled a brighter future and coming at a time when running boards and flowing wings were giving way to more bulbous tin boxes, the DS provided a spectacular glimpse of the motoring future.
It wasn’t only good to look at. Under the skin, innovations included front-wheel drive, a semi-automatic gearbox and power steering. It also featured hydropneumatic self levelling suspension which had a trick up its sleeve. There was no need to carry a jack in case of punctures as the DS19 had the ability to raise itself up to full height and then at the flick of a switch the driver could select which wheel could be lifted clear of the ground like a desperate wee dug finding a suitable tree! Quite a trick in those days when punctures were more common than they are now.
The new DS5 is not quite up to that revolutionary standard and it hasn’t broken any radical new ground, but it is rather stylish. Maybe too much for those of us with more presbyterian tastes. Whilst the exterior is a wee bit glitzy, the stylists have gone to town on the interior which is stylishly opulent and perhaps too fussy for its own good.
There is a confusing array of shapes and finishes in the dashboard display and central control panel with different shaped switches and knobs. Confusing at first, but perhaps after a few weeks of ownership this all might make perfect tactile sense. Ahead of the driver are two polygons with curved corners which shows vehicle information with a central dial between them. And in addition to the buttons on the steering wheel there are more on the dash to right, the console to the left and even more on a ‘flying’ console in the roof. But as I said, each family of buttons has its own shape so perhaps in the dark or when concentrating on the road ahead and relying on touch, this will all make sense to an owner. With that in mind, maybe I would like the DS5 more or appreciate it better after a bit more familiarity.
The only other things that bothered me initially were the sloping ‘A’ pillars which featured a small window between the main windscreen and door frame. Given the demands of EuroNCap requirements, ‘A’ pillars are becoming progressively thicker these days and manufacturers are adopting different ways of trying to reduce their impact on forward visibility.
The DS5 approach is different. The front pillars are stretched well forward which allows for a bigger window (quarterlight?) between the windscreen and door before another thick ‘secondary A’ pillar at the door itself. Initially I wasn’t comfortable on the approach to roundabouts and staggered junctions but again, this is something that owners will get used to. Although whether they like it or not is another question.
Speaking of visibility, the sloping rear roof and large ‘C’ pillars make reversing a bit of a pain unless you’re used to working primarily on your door mirrors, so perhaps it would be best to specify a reversing camera.
That apart the seating is almost sumptuous and roomy enough for four, five at a slight push although taller rear seat passengers might appreciate a bit more headroom due to the sloping roof. It has a decent sized boot, access to which is slightly hampered by the low floor and high sill as this might seem a bit awkward for those hefting in large suitcases.
There are five engine options, three BlueHDI diesels with 120, 150 or 180 hp and a THP 165 petrol plus a flagship diesel Hybrid 4×4, which claims to return as much as 72.4mpg. But this was the 150hp version and probably the pick of the bunch in terms of power and economy. It’s got a decent bit of mid range oomph for overtaking and it is relatively refined and quiet, only getting noticeable if working it hard.
As for the wheels, the test car had 18 inch alloys with 235/45 Michelins as opposed to the optional 19 inch jobs. Good choice too as they were just on the verge of being comfortable as opposed to acceptable, although not quite up to the experience that the original DS19 pioneered. There was a bit of bump and thump over rougher sections of road but on the whole the pliant ride coped pretty well.
So it’s not perfect. New owners might have to compromise. Do they want style over functionality? That will be down to each individual. And yet, I liked it. If someone said here’s your new company car and handed me the keys, I wouldn’t hand in my notice. In fact I might enjoy the initial ownership experience to see if I could adapt to the plethora of buttons and thick pillars.
Now where did I put my medallion and chunky ID bracelet?