Small SUVs are the axis on which the car market turns, these days. For many, they’re the default family car, with all the brand lustre and driveway one-upmanship that you could ask for, complete with the roominess of a baby 4x4 and the low running costs a family hatch.
That is the magic recipe that the new DS 3 Crossback is working to, and it needs to have the ingredients just right if it’s to take on rivals like the Volkswagen T-Roc, Mini Countryman, Audi Q2 and BMW X1.
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The DS 3 Crossback is being offered with both a 1.5-litre diesel, and also a pure electric powertrain offering a range of 186 miles. But the most popular engine will be the 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol tested here. Three versions of the 1.2 PureTech are on offer; the 99bhp and 153bhp models bookend the petrol range, while we’re testing the 128bhp PureTech 130 complete with compulsory eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Pull the flush, chrome door handle and slide into the driver’s seat, and you’ll likely be impressed. Even entry-level Elegance models get the seven-inch touchscreen with all the connectivity you could want – including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – as well as safety aids including lane-keep assist, emergency city braking and traffic sign recognition. The dash looks striking and tactile with its characteristic DS diamond pattern dominating everything.
Unfortunately, some of the plasticky materials don’t live up to that initial wow factor, and there are some odd quirks to the interface, too. Why you need a button on the dash (touch-sensitive, no less) to turn the air-con off, when you have to use the touchscreen to change the temperature anyway, is a mystery. Some obvious functions, such as turning off the nav’s voice commands, are well hidden in the screen’s menus, but generally the system is easy to use with familiarity.
Many buyers will opt for mid-spec Prestige trim, which is some £3,000 more than the entry-level car but ups the screen size to 10 inches and adds navigation, climate control, leather upholstery and automatic wipers. Frustratingly, however, you have to step up yet again to Ultra Prestige to get heated front seats – they’re not even optional on lower trims.
Still, the 130 PureTech is a civilised and tidy-handling thing that will make light work of the mostly-urban-with-a-bit-of-motorway commuting that it’s likely to be tasked with. Ride comfort is well sorted for a start; there’s a fair bit of body lean but nothing too dramatic, while the suspension on the 18-inch wheels of our test car soaked up big bumps and undulations well. Coarse, scruffy surfaces can make it feel a bit busy but it doesn’t get jarring or uncomfortable.
This, mated to the cheerfully burbling three-pot with its hearty mid-range and quiet (when on a steady throttle, at least) manner, all makes for calm, relaxing progress. The eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox is compulsory on the two more powerful petrol engines, and is a bit tardy on a down-shifts, but responds fairly well if you use the standard column-mounted paddles to spur it on. In normal, unhurried driving the auto box shifts smoothly and at the right time, making it easy to forget about it all together.
You can even hustle the DS 3 Crossback along with a bit of vigour if you want to. This front-wheel drive SUV corners with gumption if you want it to, offering neutral, grippy handling that makes it feel stable but encouraging, just as you’d want it to be. On top of that, the small steering wheel emphasises a keen initial bite for entertainingly darty responses through windy urban roads.
It’s no dynamic masterpiece, but it is a comfortable and composed car, complete with an engine that’s actually fun if you occasionally like a faster pace.
Just don’t expect your DS 3 Crossback to carry four passengers and all their luggage. This is a compact SUV, with the emphasis on compact. Even the driving position feels rather hatchback like, and visibility is quite poor thanks to the slick, swoopy-looking design.
A couple of shorter adults will be fine in the back seats for a while, but access via the narrow door aperture as you step over the high sill is awkward. In fact, the high floor can even make it easy to trip into the front seats, so this isn’t likely to be a great option for those with restricted movement looking for a high hip point and easy access. Even the 350-litre boot, while fine for normal use, has a big drop over the load lip, and the folded rear seats leave a chunky step in the boot floor.
Ultimately, the VW T-Roc and Mini Countryman are more spacious and practical; the DS is really all about looking good and feeling good in a small but plush package. If that’s what you’re after, it could be the baby SUV for you.
- Model: DS 3 Crossback 130 PureTech Prestige
- Price: £27,950
- Engine: 1.2-litre 3cyl turbocharged, petrol
- Power/torque: 128bhp/230Nm
- Transmission: Eight-speed auto, front-wheel drive
- 0-62mph: 9.2 seconds
- Top speed: 124mph
- Economy/CO2: 47.1mpg, 117g/km
- On sale: May
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