A sedan to devour miles and miles of road more comfortably than with any SUV

He DS 9 will stop being sold in Europe at the end of this year, just four years after its debut in our market. But saying goodbye doesn’t mean it’s not in top form and we’ve bought it in the terrain where it’s most comfortable: on the road.

To say goodbye to the DS 9, we got behind the wheel of its 360 hp 4×4 plug-in hybrid variant on a trip that took us from Madrid to Valencia under a blazing sun, but with a very high level of comfort.

It’s time for PHEVs, but not for sedans

As electric car sales slow and many manufacturers lower their commitment to full electrification, Plug-in hybrids gain groundAt a time marked by so much uncertainty, PHEVs have become the best alternative for many drivers because they combine the advantages of full electrification with the advantages of traditional combustion models.

Brands are also interested in boosting sales of this type of vehicle, especially now that they are selling fewer electric vehicles than they expected, because it will help meet the new CO₂ emissions targets which the European Union will impose from next year.

However, PHEVs have some drawbacks, such as a higher price and weight than equivalent models with internal combustion engines, which is why they fit better in the premium segment and, even better, with larger cars.

DS had it clear a long time ago, when it decided to limit the range of its flagship, the DS 9to plug-in hybrid engines. After several updates, this remains the case, with a 250 hp option and a 360 hp option, the latter with all-wheel drive.

Now, The DS 9 has its days numbered and will soon be replaced by the DS 8, a crossover that will take its place and become the new flagship of the French firm. Unfortunately, sedans are not going through their best moment, at least in Europe, so there is hardly any room for this type of car in our market.

It is true that everything responds to market demand and, as people want SUVs, the cars that sell the most are SUVs, but it is sad that this means that there is no place for traditional sedans.

For decades, this format has been the best for travelling and I have been able to confirm that it is still the case. I have done so on a trip from Madrid to Valencia at the wheel of the DS 9 Plug-In Hybrid 360 CVthe most capable variant of the French saloon’s range. Until now, it was called E-Tense, but DS has decided to reserve this name for its 100% electric models and call the plug-in hybrids Plug-In Hybrid and the mild hybrids Hybrid.

With this new name, the DS is coming to the end of its commercial cycle in Europe just four years after its launch. Its design has hardly changed over all this time, so it remains one of the E-segment sedans with the most personality.

From the very beginning, the aim has been to take on the premium alternatives in this segment, namely the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Lexus ES. There were once many more premium sedans in the E segment, including several French ones such as the Renault VelSatis, Peugeot 607 and Citroën C6, but that has all changed and the DS now has few rivals. However, those it does have are tough to beat and design is one of its strengths in staking its claim in the category.

Although it has the classic three-box saloon look, it is loaded with unique details, such as the lights located on the C pillars that nod to the Citroën DS of the 1950s. It is large because it measures 4.93 meters longbut it looks proportionate because it is also wide and low, much lower than an SUV. It is striking because it is increasingly difficult to see new cars this low outside the sports ecosystem.

DS 9 interior: quality, technology and lots (LOTS) of space

This is something that is especially noticeable when sitting in any of the seats. You have to “lie down” on the ground and that is one of the reasons why many people choose an SUV, but it is also what allows for a driving position that, today, is out of the ordinary.

It allows you to sit very low and with your legs much more stretched out than in an SUV, but it is extremely comfortable and the ergonomics are almost perfect. The only thing that takes some getting used to is the position of the electric windows because they are located in the central console and this is unusual. Otherwise, everything is within easy reach, visibility is very good in all directions and the design is well thought out, with a good-sized digital panel, with sufficient information, easy to read and configurable.

The central touchscreen is also large and well-positioned; the multimedia system is not as intuitive and almost everything is managed via the screen, including the climate control, but it works smoothly and allows you to connect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto without using cables.

Beyond how comfortable it is, not only because of the position, but also because of the seats themselves, the interior of the DS 9 stands out for three things: the qualityhe space and, just as on the outside, the design.

It is very well made, with materials that are very pleasant to look at and to the touch throughout, even on the pillars and the roof, which are covered in a kind of velvet. The design is also full of personality and in terms of space it is very spacious, both in the front and in the back.

It is one of those cars that invite you to travel in the back seats; even the tallest people can do so very comfortably because there is plenty of space at all levels. It also helps that these seats have heating, ventilation and even massage, like in the top-class sedans.

The trunk, on the other hand, is only correct, at least for a car that is almost 5 meters long; with 510 litersit is enough to carry the luggage of four passengers, the loading opening is wide and the regular design allows for good use of space.

But the fact that it is a car that allows you to enjoy it from the back seat does not mean that it is not up to par behind the wheel, quite the opposite. The driving position is excellent and, today, it is also another example of personality because it allows you to sit closer to the ground than in most cars (SUV).

The digital and multimedia dashboard are also well resolved, much better than in the first DS 9 units that arrived in 2020. Both the instrument panel and the central touch screen are more fluid and the infotainment system is up to date, including wireless connectivity to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

There is only one drawback: the unintuitive multimedia interface and the navigation through menus and submenus take some getting used to, but it is part of the DS’s very distinctive design atmosphere.

At the wheel of the DS 9: to cover kilometres without stopping

Once in motion, it is something that goes into the background because it is enough to travel a few meters for the comfort It doesn’t even take the spotlight. You don’t even need to leave the city because this issue comes to light as soon as you go over the first speed bump or one of the countless speed bumps that Spanish cities have: the DS 9 swallows everything with astonishing ease and it is barely noticeable inside the cabin.

This includes the typical broken roads, which unfortunately are already innumerable in our country (and are increasing). The French model is clearly geared towards comfort and it more than meets expectations. You can even drive faster than you should on roads with lots of potholes and you hardly notice it inside the cabin.

On faster and generally better paved roads, such as most motorways, The suspension also seems to work its magic. because it works constantly to give the sensation of travelling on a flying carpet, like in the great Citroëns of decades ago. It has nothing to envy of the air suspension of an Audi A8 or a BMW 7 Series.

Electronics and the system DS Active Scan Suspension have a lot to do with it. It uses a camera to “read” the terrain, see the bumps and prepare the suspension to go over them in the most comfortable way possible.

It is true that the level of soundproofing in the cabin is not as exceptional as that of these large sedans (much more expensive), so the driving comfort is not at that level, but it is close to it and, of course, it is superior to that offered by its SUV brother, the DS 7.

Leaving comfort aside, the version analyzed is the 360 ​​HP plug-in hybrid (there is another 250 HP PHEV without all-wheel drive) and with that power, there is no shortage of more muscle in any situation.

Although it weighs more than 2,000 kg, this DS Accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds and the electric part contributes to the acceleration and recovery being immediate as soon as you touch the accelerator. It is not a car made for racing, but it can go very fast and is relatively agile, at least on fast roads.

It also comes out well in the consumption section. The test took place between Madrid city centre and Valencia; we left the capital with the battery fully charged (approved 62 km of autonomy electric, but the computer indicated that we could do 58 km in electric mode) and we reached the highway without using a drop of fuel, with the electric driving mode activated.

When we reached the motorway, we switched to the hybrid programme so that the car would automatically manage the energy. Going all the time at the maximum speed of the road, with two people on board and two small backpacks, the average at the end of the journey was 5,8 l/100 km.

That’s a good enough figure to not miss a diesel engine in the DS 9 range. Yes, a relatively powerful turbodiesel engine would suit this car like a glove, but it’s worth remembering that we’re in 2024 and diesel is no longer in vogue. On the other hand, the plug-in hybrid system fits perfectly with the personality of the DS 9 because it allows it to be quieter, smoother and more pleasant than if it had a diesel engine.

All these ingredients, therefore, make the DS 9 one of the best options for travelling on the market, but it has a problem. Well, actually two. The first of them is the price: it starts at 65,503 euros in its Plug-In Hybrid 4×4 variant with 360 hp and with the basic finish, called Rivoli+. It is at the same level as more modern, better equipped rivals with much wider ranges, such as the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

The other problem is that it is a saloon and this type of car is at its peak because SUVs have pushed them to second place. That is why sales of the DS are not good in Europe, and in particular in Spain, where there have been hardly any registrations. 10 units In the first half of 2024, however, 1,504 DS 7s were sold in the same period.

That’s why DS has decided to stop selling the DS 9 in Europe. It will do so at the end of this year, just four years after its debut in our market, suffering the same fate as other top-level French sedans that tried to stand up to their all-powerful German rivals and failed, such as the Citroën C6. At least we were able to say goodbye to the DS 9 in the best possible way, with the most comfortable trip I have had in recent months.

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