DS 3 E-Tense review

Business as DS usual in here, meaning lots of touch-sensitive buttons laid out in a kind of tessellating diamond pattern, and a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Both of which are a bit irritating: the buttons are less responsive than we’d like and don’t give any haptic feedback. Look on the bright side – at least they're buttons and not screen menus.

Meanwhile the infotainment looks great, but the UI, although less confusing and more responsive than it was, has a bit of a learning curve. Once you've set it up how you like, it's perfectly useable.

Other switches are fine knurled metallic items, including the electric window rockers in the centre console. Might seem an odd place to put them, but they free up space on the doors for vents. With the source of the airstream moved further outboard than in most cars, it can aim for your face rather than chilling your knuckles on the way.

By the way, clustering the window switches in the centre saves cost. It means no doubling-up of switches because driver and passenger can reach each one, and it cuts the expense of RHD conversion.

There is a feeling of plushness in here. The cheapest materials are mostly hidden away, and in pricier models there’s a bit of intricate leatherwork that’s good to look at and nice enough to touch.

Space up front is fine. It's more cramped for legroom in the back, and dark because the shark-fin thing compromises the rear windows. It also affects the driver’s over-the-shoulder visibility.