First Look: DS 9
Words by Marcus Boothby
Disclaimer: The cars you see in these photos are pre-production right-hand drive models, so some things may change before the DS 9’s UK launch later in 2021.
The DS 9 ushers in a new flagship model for the French brand, knocking off the DS 7 Crossback from the top spot. The DS 9 is also a return to form for big, comfy French saloons with it being an indirect successor to the Citroen C6, which went off sale in Europe back in 2012. The DS 9 line up will consist of petrol or petrol-electric powertrains only here and will only be available as a saloon.
Styling
So, the DS 9 we looked at was a top of the range Rivoli + model which had every option on it, which included the beautiful Rubis Red interior which is part of the £3,000 Opera package. Styling wise, the DS 9 is a beautiful car, and stands apart from its rivals which is refreshing when the German rivals look a bit bland by comparison. There are lots of small details on the exterior of the DS 9 which borrows elements from the DS 7 Crossback, and even the original Citroen DS from the 1950s. The exterior lights are full LEDs, with a signature light motif, which is a must have for any premium car now.
The DS 9 also features a lot of smaller details on the exterior which includes lots of chrome, with a predominant textured chrome strip on the bonnet which feels very nice when you run your fingertips along it. The front end features the typical DS design with a large grill with a chrome surround which flows nicely into the light cluster. At the back of the car, it features a clean design which features more chrome and large rear LED lights featuring a diamond design, whilst integrating the indicators. Speaking of indicators, they are not on the top of the C-Pillar like many believed when the car was revealed in 2019. These lights are purely aesthetic serving no purpose other than looking quite cool.
On the inside, styling is oh so typically French. Starting up front with the dashboard, there are two large screens with one being the 12-inch infotainment display and the second one being the 12.3-inch digital cockpit screen. Both screens are very sharp and bright, with many, many functions. The infotainment system offers a built-in sat nav system which is rather responsive and offers several functions to both the driver and front passenger. I did not go too deep into the navigation system but was impressed with what I saw. The infotainment screen also has a section dedicated to the drive modes, which can also be configured in the digital cockpit. Sitting on top of the infotainment screen, there is a beautiful B.R.M R180 clock, which is illuminated and adds a certain level of class that rivals don’t offer.
In terms of comfort, the front and rear seats are incredibly comfortable while offering an ample amount of support. All seats are heated, with the front seats offering a massage feature and ventilation functions. The materials throughout the interior are excellent with leather everywhere, other than some areas where it is plastic, but these bits of plastic are in the areas you won’t touch that often as they are under the dashboard.
Tech
There is a range of many safety features as standard, as you would expect from a car of this type in 2021. The DS 9 has all the right safety features to enable Level 2 semi-autonomous driving which means it has things such as self-parking, various drive assist modes which includes lane keep assist, night vision, automatic lights, automatic suspension settings, and driving attention monitoring. The coolest feature that was explained to me was a system where the car actively monitors your eyes to see if you’re paying attention to the road or not. If you’re not paying attention, the car beeps at you in order to get you to pay attention to the road again, which is actually quite useful if you’re someone like me.
Going back to the infotainment screen as mentioned before, it’s a large 12-inch display which is super sharp and quite responsive to the touch of a finger. It’s very similar to a modern smartphone as it handles multi-touch gestures smoothly, with the sat-nav portion of the system responding quite well to the pinch-to-zoom movement when it comes to zooming in or out of the map. Speaking of the map, it can be either 2D or 3D. Also, the DS 9 offers wireless charging, along with standard USB sockets in the front and back, with full Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. Other useful tech features include keyless entry, bi-zone climate control, an air quality system and an auto-dimming rear view mirror. There is also an excellent Focal Electra sound system which includes 14 speakers and comes in at £990.
Engines
Being based upon the China-only Peugeot 508L, it shares the same EMP2 platform which caters for conventional petrol engines and PHEV systems, both of which the DS 9 offers. Initially in the UK, the DS 9 will be offered with the 1.6 PureTech 225 engine meaning it’s petrol only, offers 225bhp, automatic only and is also front-wheel drive. Pay a bit more and you get the E-Tense 225 model, which offers the same amount of power as the 1.6 PureTech but comes as a PHEV. However, later on you will be able to get the E-Tense 4x4 360 model which will be the range topper, offering 360bhp and all-wheel drive. This is the same set up as seen in the new Peugeot 508 PSE. The PHEV models should be able to drive at least 30 miles on pure electric power alone, but this does mean you’ll have to plug it in while you’re at work or overnight at home. Charging times are between 2-6 hours, depending on what type of charger you use.
Rivals and pricing
The DS 9 is part of a dying breed of cars, with the new car market quickly shifting towards crossovers and 4x4s. However, the DS 9 is going up against the well established German executive saloons, with them being the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class.
It’s hard to say how the DS 9 drives to make a full comparison to the rivals stated, but in terms of interior space, comfort and pure quirkiness, the DS 9 is a strong rival to the very best. It will be interesting to see how it contends with a similarly specified Mercedes E300 e, as both are similar on paper and in terms of price.
Speaking of price, the DS 9 starts at £40,615 for the PureTech 225 model in Performance Line + with no options, with prices going all the way up to £55,965 for a fully loaded E-Tense 225 in Rivoli + trim. These are strong prices and are aimed directly at the Mercedes E-Class. It’s also worth noting that the E-Tense 4x4 360 model will probably cost upwards of £60,000 when that eventually launches, but there are no confirmed prices for that model at the time of writing.
Order books are open now, but UK cars won’t arrive until November 2021, which is when we should be able to get our hands on one to review in full.
Big thanks to Robins & Day DS Store in Leicester for allowing us to check out the DS 9 for the afternoon.