DS No 8 Review

It’s fair to say that the DS brand hasn’t been a runaway success in the UK. Or anywhere, really, except in the car park of the French embassy. The posh arm of Citroen sold less than 100 cars in October.  

Could this car change that? Well, the new naming strategy is part of the plan, with the ‘Number 8’ clearly meant to mirror some other luxury French brands - such as Chanel’s perfume. 

There are some other numbers which make the DS look seriously tempting. Like a range of 469 miles, and a price which I’ve been told will undercut the usual German rivals and take on that other curveball choice, the Polestar 4. Think around £60,000 ish.

Range, Battery and Charging

Getting the 469 mile range requires the biggest battery, which is borrowed from the Peugeot 5008 and is just under 100kWh. There is also a 74kWh pack which gives a 358 mile range. That’s really competitive in terms of efficiency.

A key part of this is the aerodynamics. The DS N°8’s shape and active cooling flaps give it a low drag figure, improving the range on the motorway especially.

Further improvements come from heating and cooling, with features such as the ‘air scarf’ vent in the headrest and ventilation in the seats meaning the occupants don’t need to use the energy sapping heater (or air con) as much. An energy-efficient heat pump is standard too, meaning the energy needed to heat the cockpit is up to 40 % lower.  

Charging? Well that’s not the fastest at a maximum of 160kW, but DS say it will hold that peak while charging from 20% to 55%. That results in a 27 minute time to get from 20 to 80%. 

The DS N°8 has an 11 kW on-board AC charger, with an optional 22 kW available at a later date. V2L (Vehicle to Load) allows an external electrical device to be plugged in.

Practicality & Boot Space

The DS N°8 is a big car – at 4.8m long its main competitors are cars like the Polestar 4, Tesla Model Y and Audi Q6 e-tron. It’s not as tall as some of the more SUV-like rivals though, so interior space is more reclined than you might expect. This isn’t a problem in the front seats, where there is plenty of room and storage space dotted all around the cabin.

In the back it is more noticeable however. While kneeroom is fine for most people, the floor is raised higher than you might expect and there is little space to put your feet under the front seats. Optioning the big panoramic glass roof will maximise headroom too, and provide occupants with a bright atmosphere inside. 

Round at the boot, the news is much better. There is 620 litres of space, split above and below a false floor. You can even option a spare wheel if you miss this once-ubiquitous feature. The boot is more than a metre deep from the tailgate to the backs of the seats too. That makes it more practical than estates such as the Audi A6 e-tron Avant and BMW i5 Touring. 

Interior and Technology

Inside, the styling is just as bold as the exterior, with interesting use of metal finishes, lighting and soft materials. The colour choices make a welcome change from the blacks and greys of rivals too. 

There is some space age tech too, like Active Scan Suspension, which uses cameras to scan the road ahead and spot when things are going to get rough. It then softens the dampers in a fraction of a second to make it feel smoother. 

The cruise control also talks to the navigation so it knows when you are approaching a roundabout or sharp curve and will slow down automatically. 

Talking of navigation, it’s all controlled via a 16 inch- screen which DS say is big enough to be used by the passenger as well as the driver.  Which might cause the odd marital row.

If you want to settle an argument, the DS also has Chat GPT built in, so you can ask the car to search the internet and find the height of the spire or Salisbury cathedral. Or anything else. Clever.

If you want to listen to some music to calm you down after the row, DS and premium French audio specialist FOCAL have joined forces to develop a 14 speakers system with a power output of 690W.  

Motors and performance

There are three motor choices – 230 and 245 hp with front wheel drive or a 350 bhp twin motor. The car will add another 30bhp for short periods if you boot the throttle because you need to overtake.  

That means 0-62 times of between 7.7 and 5.4 seconds. DS know that’s not Tesla-worrying but wanted to prioritise efficiency, and it should be fast enough for most drivers.

Verdict

DS seems to have thrown everything it’s got at the Number 8, perhaps because it’s a last roll of the dice for the brand. In terms of technology, range, performance and tech it’s a match for best competition, while the styling is divisive enough to make it a ‘must have’ for some buyers.

Personally, I really like it and think it offers something truly different in the sector. If the lease costs are low enough to make it a realistic alternative, it could be the success DS badly needs. 

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