DS No 8 review

The No 8 is a biggish electric hatch with a slightly crossover outline. It comes from DS, the slightly left-field French luxury nameplate… indeed its British sales are more left-field than it wishes.

Because the No 8 isn't as tall in the roof than most crossovers, and its tail tapers into a sleek fastback, the total aerodynamic drag is significantly lower. Marry that to a big battery and you get a headline 466 mile WLTP range figure.

DS is part of the enormous Stellantis group, and this chassis and powertrain have been seen before in the recent Peugeot e-3008 and Vauxhall Grandland Electric. But the structure of the DS has been morphed from theirs. The bulkhead is lower, the wheelbase longer, and the rear seat further back, with passengers more reclined. That allowed the roof to be lowered.

DS people say it could be made as a petrol or PHEV (and the Peugeot and Vauxhall are) but vehemently deny those things are in the plan right now. Still, if public take-up of EVs really stalls, DS says it would react.

Can I have some context?

The gap between a tall car and a low crossover is pretty slim. Is the DS No 8 heading for a fertile sweet spot or a barren no-person's land?

Rivals are the Polestar 2 and 4, the Audi Q4 Sportback, and Teslas Model 3 and Model Y. From BMW there's the iX2 (similar prices, goes much less far on a charge) and i4. You might include the Cupra Tavascan.

From the saloon side, we mentioned to DS people the VW ID.7, Hyundai Ioniq 6 and BYD Seal, but they just sneered and said 'Those aren't premium.' Hmm, surely premium is a judgment not an absolute, and the person to judge is the customer.

A word on the name. It's supposed to evoke French luxury products like Chanel perfume. French luxury cars have had a rockier time finding buyers, and one marketing executive told Top Gear that's why DS makes more of being a Parisian car rather than a French one. Parisian in spirit anyway. It's actually manufactured in southern Italy, but with French batteries and motors.

It looks interesting.

'Interesting' is where we stand too. It's certainly not beautiful. But heck would you rather be seen in a car that looks like this or one that looks like an iX2?

Beyond the sheer, angular surfaces, DS has done a lot with the details. The lights are LED blades and pixelated 3D diamonds. The grill and badge illuminate in top specs. You can get a fancy two-tone with split paint down the bonnet.

The aero is fanatically optimised, which is why the range, and especially the high-speed range, is strong.

… and that range is, exactly?

Two battery sizes are available, and even the smaller is 74kWh net, good for 358 miles WLTP. Honestly, plenty for nearly everyone. For the road warrior in you, opt for a 97.2kWh pack. With the front motor alone, range is 466 miles – or about 330 of UK motorway and more if you hit inevitable range-enhancing roadwork sections or traffic. With a twin motor, range drops to 429 miles WLTP. Still tasty.

The front-driver has a 260bhp motor and gets to 62mph in 7.7 seconds. The bigger battery can pass more current and juices that motor up to 280bhp. But it takes 0.1s longer to get to 62mph from rest, because it's 50kg heavier, at 2,180kg. The twin-motor version weighs another 100kg, but its 375bhp gets it to 62mph in 5.4 seconds.

Is it revolutionary, stylish and luxurious?

That question is of course DS's millstone. Having named itself after France's most revolutionary, stylish and luxurious car ever, it's just asking to be measured against that yardstick. It comes up short. Of course.

But then again, today's buyers aren't comparing it against 1955. By today's standards it manages, while mostly sticking with 2025 technical norms, to feel subtly unusual and definitely competitive.

The interior uses striking materials, and its colour and decor stands apart from everyone else's all-black schemes. You're hugged by soft seats and borne along by a wonderfully supple and quiet suspension.

This soft ride doesn't ruin the driver's life. Sure it leans a bit, but it acts progressively so you can be smooth and accurate. The accelerator and brakes have a similar harmony about them. The sense of wellbeing and control it gives you is genuinely luxurious.

Don't imagine that the 1955 Citroen DS was the last decent luxury car the French produced. There have been a few since. Plus, yes, many more that were either heroic failures or lamely forgettable.

The DS No8 is absolutely one of the good ones.

But even the good ones have met a distinctly tepid reaction from buyers. Inevitably that will affect used values, so you'll feel safer leasing this car than buying it. But at least the front-end prices are pretty reasonable for a smart, well-equipped saloon.

Ease your body into the seats' welcoming embrace, and breathe. Let it glide gracefully down the road. It's a car that drives very well while lowering your heart rate. And you certainly won't be troubled by range anxiety.