DS 5 facelift Test Drive Review

Date: 28 May 2015   |   Author:

Equipment: 6 airbags, puncture repair kit, 17in alloys, LED running lights, leather steering wheel and gear knob, aircon, cruise control with limiter, cockpit roof, rear parking sensors, three-part panoramic sunroof, electronic parking brake, 7in touchscreen, DAB, Bluetooth, USB, satnav, Mirrorlink Engines: Petrol: 165hp 1.6; Diesel 120hp 1.6, 150hp/180hp/200hp 2.0 Trims: Elegance, Prestige Transmissions: 6-sp man, 6-sp auto Category: Upper medium P11D price: £27,085 Key rival: BMW 3-series On sale: July 2015

There's sufficient power from the 150hp engine to get the DS 5 smoothly up to speed, and while there's a little noise from the diesel under harsher acceleration, there's enough soundproofing to limit noise in the cabin.

DS has taken special care on the facelift to improve the ride, much criticised in the pre-facelift model, and the DS 5 is very much at home comfortably cruising and is much better at absorbing lumps in the road. While it isn't the most agile saloon on the market, it's perfectly capable on winding roads, with limited body roll.

The interior is where the DS 5 really shines though, with swooping lines wrapping round the driver and little touches that make it stand out from the crowd. The sunroof is split into three segments: one for the driver and passenger, and a separate one for rear passengers.

All the switches and dials have an aerospace feel to them, and even though it is possible to spot some Citroen switchgear in places, the touch points have all been given a little tweak, with the likes of the indicator stalks wrapped in a material that differs from that Citroen would use.

One letdown, though, is the seven-inch touchscreen: the graphics look a bit dated compared with the best brands, such as Audi have, to offer. However, drivers get a lot of kit on the Elegance trim, including the ability to link their smartphone to the car with Mirrorlink. The DS 5 also launches with the brand's new MyDS smartphone app, which can send locations to the satnav ahead of time and also includes functionality to help drivers locate their car.

One of the biggest challenges facing the car relates to running costs, and DS has some more work to do with residual value setters to help them to better understand the brand.

KwikCarcost has put RVs at 28.5%, and as a result, it damages the whole-life running costs, despite the DS 5 having a competitive engine, BIK costs for drivers, and P11D price. The model's 61.2p isn't a bad performance, but with a better RV it would mean the DS 5 could make a stronger argument for itself beyond design. As it stands, it's slightly cheaper to run a Volkswagen CC, Jaguar XE or BMW 318d, and that means DS will be relying on demand from drivers to pressure fleets to get it on lists.

Verdict A positive first step, with the DS 5 displaying improved ride and design				7/10
	Premium and unique interior		RVs bump up running costs

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