DS 5 review (2015-2018)

The French designers knew they had to impress owners if they wanted to lure them away from the German prestige brands, so they gave the DS 5 the most upmarket cabin they could create.

That’s why the materials are top quality, and everything is really well fitted together. It feels very durable.

In true French style, the design is a little quirky, with a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a swooping curved dashboard.

Some of the switches are rather eccentric, but owners soon get used to them.

Driving position

The seats look big, plush and supportive. Get in and you’ll find that they feel great to sit in too. In fact, those in the front have lots of head- and legroom.

The distinctive rear spoiler sits in the middle of the glass tailgate, making it a little harder for drivers to see what’s behind. Standard rear parking sensors more than make up for that. High-spec versions get a reversing camera too.

The driver’s seat and steering wheel are multi-adjustable, so it’s easy to find an ideal driving position.

Tech and features

The car was given a long list of equipment to raise it into the executive category. Even base models come with a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, DAB and sat-nav, and sophisticated dual-zone climate control.

Most cars also come with a futuristic head-up display so you can see important instruments without looking away from the road. Handy.

Handling and ride comfort

The DS 5 is not a handling superstar like some of its rivals. The suspension was initially designed to be sporty, which meant passengers registered every bump.

After 2015, the ride was softened and became more geared towards comfort. The French car doesn’t match rivals when tackling challenging curves but feels at its best as a composed motorway cruiser.

Engines and power

Drivers get to choose from a selection of punchy turbo engines, both petrol and diesel, plus a diesel-electric hybrid with four-wheel drive.

Safety

The long list of upmarket features add to the car’s practicality and safety. Standard keyless doors and starting, electrically-adjusted and folding door mirrors, and automatic headlights and wipers all add to the upmarket experience.

Boot space

The DS 5’s boot is smaller than some rivals and has a high lip to lift things over, but it’s much easier to get at things in there thanks to that big tailgate.

There’s a removable parcel shelf to hide items from prying eyes, and even a flap to enable you to carry skis. The back seats fold down, but not completely flat.

Rear seats

As usual with a coupé-like roofline, it gets a bit squashed for tall passengers in the back. Three can fit on the back seat, though the middle section is a little raised and cramped for anything other than a quick journey.

The DS 5 originally cost as much as a Mercedes or BMW, but it depreciated fast, so used buyers can find bargains.

Fuel economy

The diesel engines are economical, with impressive official fuel figures that sit around 70mpg.

The hybrid version, with its heavy four-wheel drive, can only improve on that slightly at 74mpg.

Note that some other running costs may be in the executive category that Citroen was trying so hard to attain.