DS 7 SUV - Interior & comfort

There are soft-touch materials almost everywhere you look, with upper trims like Performance Line liberally covering surfaces with leather and Alcantara. It’s certainly more characterful than most of its rivals, with a quirky design. Build quality appears excellent, too, with small but noticeable touches like soft linings inside the door pockets instead of scratchy plastic. Shut the door behind you and it slams home with a pleasing thud and no rattles.

DS 7 SUV dashboard

Even the entry-level Performance Line gets an attractive 12-inch touchscreen mounted in the centre of the dashboard. It’s closely related to the system in the Peugeot 3008 and 5008, and that’s no bad thing: it works well and gets bespoke graphics to complement the DS brand. Instead of analogue gauges, you’ll also find a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, again with new fonts and graphics that look sharp and distinctive.

Another few highlights include the B.R.M clock that takes pride of place in the middle of the dashboard and rotates into place when you start the engine, along with optional night-vision technology that hasn’t been fitted before in the class.

18

Equipment

The entry-level Performance Line model is well equipped, getting 19-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, a 12-inch touchscreen with DS Connect Nav, a digital instrument display and keyless start. It’s also fitted with driver aids including lane-departure warning, and has climate control and wipers.

Performance Line+ adds Active LED headlights, electric adjustment for heated front seats, a reversing camera and front parking sensors, and features wireless phone charging and a retro B.R.M. analogue clock on the dash, along with an electric tailgate and black roof rails.

The more fashion-focused Rivoli trim adds crystal controls dotted around the interior, LED ambient lighting, heated massaging seats and swathes of leather on the dash. Esprit De Voyage is above this, with a powered tailgate, ventilated front seats and Nappa leather.

Opera is even more lavish, with 20-inch wheels, an upgraded stereo system and Nappa leather seats with an eye-catching watch-strap design, which are also comfortable, heated and have a massaging function. Convenience is also improved by 360-degree cameras, keyless entry with a powered tailgate, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance.

Sitting above Opera there was previously a limited-edition Le Louvre model that celebrates the French museum of the same name. It gained a smattering of Louvre badges and black exterior trim, plus a highly unusual feature that lets you see 182 of the Louvre’s artworks on the car’s touchscreen (a different image each day) with audio commentary about the art. La Premiere is now the top trim, with large 21-inch alloy wheels, a FOCAL stereo system and a DS Night Vision camera to aid forward visibility.

Options

Sapphire Blue is the only standard colour, so you’ll need to budget around £600 for metallic paint or £800 for one of the pearlescent finishes. Wireless smartphone charging can be added for £150, and a powered ‘hands-free’ tailgate costs £500 extra for trims without it. A Drive Assist Pack is available for just under £1,200, adding features such as semi-autonomous driving, a reversing camera and a 360-degree view..

Technology

Coming as standard from Performance Line and above, the infotainment and instrument cluster displays both impress with their sharp displays and snappy interfaces. Smartphone fans will be pleased they’re also compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with Mirrorlink, allowing you to use some of your favourite apps like Google Maps and Spotify.

There are some unique features too, including DS Night Vision, which hasn’t been seen in the class before. Here, distant people or even large animals are highlighted in the instrument cluster, alerting you to their presence. Usually reserved for very high-end models, this feature is also available lower in the range as part of the £2,000 Night Vision Pack.

Some optional equipment may be cheaper if you’re buying a high-spec model to begin with, especially if you are spreading the cost with a PCP finance deal.