DS 5 2016

Still hard to read that without missing the “Citroën”, right? Well, this is particularly easier to understand in this case. After all, this is the spiritual successor of C6, XM and CX, not to mention the original DS. Citroën has a huge tradition when it comes to luxury cars, but what has always distinguished it from the others is the fact that those cars were “quirky” almost as much as fancy. However, as interesting as this formula might be, it has never been a great seller outside France. This article’s car is PSA’s latest attempt to divide (those two characteristics), so as to… conquer (the world).

This is the last of DS’ current models to become free of the parent brand, but there is a sense in which it’s actually the first. After all, 5LS and 6WR are still sold only in China, while DS 3 and DS 4 had their names changed without dropping the two chevrons. Therefore, this is the very first “100% DS” vehicle to be released in several countries. In order to carry the new logotype with all the pomp and circumstance that are due, DS 5 received the mild facelift these pictures anticipate. If such package seems good enough for you, you’ll like to know that this is the main model with which the PSA group is celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the DS brand this year – taking into account the first Citroën DS, of course. Many great things happening at once, right?

One of the characteristics that compose any good luxury brand, not only of automobiles, is consistency. PSA knows that, and you can see its execution on this car. The only section that received important changes was the front fascia, and not even completely, but each new element was so carefully crafted that it’s actually hard to believe that this is an adaptation of an older project. The headlights, for instance, are sleeker and now combine LEDs and xenon bulbs; the first ones compose what DS calls “sequential” turn signs. Between these lies the corporate grille that every new high-luxury vehicle made by PSA will carry from now on. It’s made with a thick, chrome frame shaped as a three-dimensional hexagon which encases a black mesh whose pattern converges into the brand logo.

Yes, it’s as simple as that. And, at the same time, as fascinating as that. After all, instead of cluttering the zone with too many lights, colors or shine, it just takes the attention to what really matters: the understanding of who makes the car. As if it wasn’t awesome enough, being that simple makes it easy to adapt to multiple proportions and sizes, so there shouldn’t be a DS car to ever look weird with it. Besides, when it comes to DS 5, PSA worked so well that it was even possible to retain some signature elements of its previous phase: the most noticeable are the boomerang-shaped, black-plastic pieces which receive more air and carry the fog lights, and the “sabre” styling lines which connect the front to the windshield. Consistency, once again.

Entering the car reveals a great addition: the new infotainment system uses a touchscreen, which means several less physical controls at the central stack. As the trend dictates, it became possible to access some car functions through your cell phone (using the MyDS application)… and to access cell phone functions through your car (Mirror Stream projects its screen into its own so as to enable safer operation). Other improvements include new dampers with pre-loaded linear valve technology, dedicated to make the dynamic response more progressive, and new trim packages. Everything else remains unchanged, including the entire list of available engines and transmissions. The new French premium vehicle, as PSA calls it, was officially released at the last Geneva Auto Show.