DS 3 Crossback

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To start, a clarification. The fact that his name begins with "DS 3" does not mean that the historic hatchback of DS Automobiles will disappear. That true highlander of the automotive industry - born ten years ago under the Citroën brand - will still be in production.

This DS 3 Crossback arrived in Argentina just when the commercialization of the DS4 ended (read obituary). Although neither will be its direct replacement.

The DS 3 Crossback is an SUV for Segment B (boy) and will be positioned just midway between the current DS3 (hatchback of Segment B) and DS 7 Crossback (SUV of Segment C, compact). We are facing the first small SUV in the short history of DS Automobiles and it is also the first model of the PSA Group to release the new CMP Platform: it is the structural base that will be used to manufacture - since mid-2020 - the second generation Peugeot 208 in Argentina (see spy photos).

But let's not talk about general brands like Peugeot. DS is working to position itself in the premium segment and from that point of view we manage and analyze for a week the top-of-the-range version: Grand Chic, of 54 thousand dollars.

The full review is reproduced below.

OUT

Wow, where to start? If DS set out to create a car different from any other that you can cross the street today, you have to admit that it succeeded. The DS 3 Crossback is modern, original and striking.

Attractive? That goes in tastes. During the week I tried it, I met people who thought it was beautiful, but also with many who thought without half measures: "It's horrible."

I was surprised for the first time I saw it in photos. And I was a little less shocked when I started using it. I don't like the shark fin on the sides (that "body tilde" in the central stop, Pilar B). This car, in general, seems to me to have a somewhat presumptuous design. But I think that is the goal of the brand: a vehicle designed for someone who does not want to go unnoticed.

With the DS 3 Crossback you can achieve that goal, accompanied by the two-tone body, the huge diamond grille, a good amount of chrome, two huge rear barrel-shaped exhausts and generous 18-inch wheels (roads with Michelin Primacy 215 / 55R18 ).

All that is crowned with the coolest doorknobs in our market: they are retractable and hidden in the body. They are only deployed, with an electric motor, to unlock the doors. And they hide again when closing the doors or when they exceed 20 km / h (see video below).

 

To understand the objective of these original and elaborate solutions, we must not forget that the DS 3 Crossback competes in the same segment of two rivals, who also bet on being rupturist, although each with its own style: Audi Q2 (between 150 and 190 hp, between 46 thousand and 51 thousand dollars, read criticism) and Mini Countryman (between 136 and 231 hp, between 48 thousand and 77 thousand dollars, read criticism).

INSIDE

Wow, where to continue? This Grand Chic version comes standard with interior coverings in Nappa Leather. The clear hue is an optional. It is a very striking finish to the eye, very pleasant to the touch and that brings a lot of light to the cabin. Of course, it is not suitable for phobic "do not dirty me upholstery, please." It washes and removes easily.

Of course, as in the DS 7 Crossback (read review), the entire interior is a trip to the Universe of the Rhombus. The Rivoli level of completion is a tribute of DS to the old French technique of Matelassé: a sewing pattern that is based on rhomboid shapes. You will find this geometric figure in the instrument panel, but also in the commands and even in the interior lights.

And you can not miss the classic "discomforts" with which DS plays to be rebellious and different. The glass lifter commands are not at the doors, but next to the shifter. The keys are the same as the DS 7 Crossback: so worked and baroque, they are almost illegible.

More discomforts: the armrest located inside the front doors is so high that when you sit down and want to close the door, you will not be able to reach it. You'll have to hook the bottom map holder and pull. Although careful: it shows that it is a fragile piece and is not designed for that.

We continue with the discomforts. The air conditioner (single zone) can only be adjusted from the multimedia touch screen. It is the least intuitive.

What we have to say is that this screen is very complete. Includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In addition, from there the excellent audio equipment with Focal speakers is commanded.

The board is completely digital, as seen in the most modern models of the PSA Group. I really liked the driving position: the steering wheel has an excellent touch and the armchair has a very good design. I already told you that I loved the Nappa Leather upholstery? As much as you do not intend to buy a DS 3 Crossback, approach a DS Store, ask for permission and sit for a while. It is a pleasant sensory experience.

All the comfort of the front seats is not replicated in the back. As with its segment rivals (Audi Q2 and Mini Countryman), the rear seats are somewhat limited: there are only two adults. The trunk is just right: it has 350 liters of capacity. Under the cargo floor, bad news: temporary help wheel.

SECURITY

As it happened with the DS 7 Crossback, this is one of the strongest points of this model. The DS 3 Crossback comes standard with six airbags, ABS brakes with EBD, stability control, traction control and Isofix anchors.

And it differs from the Audi Q2 and Mini Countryman by offering a good amount of driving assistance (ADAS): autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front-end collision risk alert and speed limit signal detector. This Grand Chic version adds two more ADAS: adaptive cruise control and active lane maintenance system.

The DS 3 Crossback has already undergone EuroNCAP crash tests. The version without emergency autonomous braking obtained a four-star rating, with 87% protection for adults, 86% for children, 54% for pedestrians and 63% for driving assistance. The AEB version climbed to five stars.

MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION

This is the first DS in Argentina that does not use the old and well-known THP 1.6 turbonaftero engine. The three versions of the DS 3 Crossback that reach our market offer the same mechanics: PureTech 1.2 three-cylinder turbonaftero.

It is the same driver that in Argentina already offered the Spanish Citroën C4 Cactus and still brings the DS 3 Hatchback, but in the case of Crossback it comes with greater power and torque: 155 horses and 240 Nm. Another difference in favor of the DS 3 Crossback: it has an eight-speed automatic transmission, with torque converter.

And here there is a point where this model loses advantage over its direct rivals: it comes only with front-wheel drive. In Argentina, the Audi Q2 and Mini Countryman offer much more powerful versions and also with all-wheel drive.

In other markets smaller turbonafteras and turbodiesel are offered, between 102 and 131 horsepower. There is also a 100% electric variant, called E-Tense, with 50 kWh batteries, 136 hp of power and 260 Nm of torque. It is possible that it arrives in Argentina, but it would be only from the year 2021.

BEHAVIOR

If you ever drove an Audi Q2 or a Mini Countryman, you will find a completely different proposal. And, if you tried a DS 7 Crossback, you will discover a clear inspiration and coherence. The primary objective of the DS 3 Crossback is to be a vehicle with a comfortable ride. And he gets it without problems. The suspensions are soft. The address is very light. Low-profile tires suffer from our bumps and pavements, like any other, but bumps and roughness reach the cabin through a filter, which seeks to avoid any discomfort.

The only disruption comes from the side of the three-cylinder engine that, when cold, vibrates a lot. But, when it reaches the operating temperature, it emits an even pleasant sound, a boxer simile.

It is not intended to be a sports car, but its benefits are more than acceptable. Accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 8.5 seconds, reaches a maximum speed of 205 km / h and the average consumption is 7.7 liters per 100 kilometers. The tank has a capacity of 44 liters, enough to make road trips.

To have such a good performance, the secret is in the small engine, but also in the box. The eight relations extract each drop of sweat to the 155 horses of this three cylinders. Therefore, the exit from below is very good, but it also allows crossing at a very low rate. At 120 km / h in octave, the engine works at only 2,000 rpm. It is an unusual value for a 1.2.

Walking so smooth in the city has as a consideration a behavior that may not be liked by those who travel strong on the highway. The steering is not very precise at high speed and the suspension conveys a barge sensation, with the sea in the background: "sail". It is nothing that is dangerous, but it is clearly in the antipodes of the karting sensations that a Mini Countryman transmits.

Adaptive cruise control and active lane maintenance system work excellently. ADAS are not only a great contribution to safety: they also make travel more relaxed and pleasant.

CONCLUSION

For engine and transmission, the DS 3 Crossback sold in Argentina compete directly against two SUVs of Segment B (boy) and premium positioning: Audi Q2 1.4 TFSi S-Tronic (150 hp, 46 thousand dollars) and Mini Countryman Pepper AT (136 hp, $ 48,300).

The DS 3 Crossback has 155 hp and starts with more affordable prices, from 39 thousand dollars. However, the Grand Chic version tested by Autoblog is affected by internal taxes and climbs up to 54 thousand dollars. It is a high value and is located in a strip where the Q2 and Countryman already offer more powerful versions and with all-wheel drive.

The good thing is that, even in the entry-level versions, this DS has a safety equipment above its competition and is distinguished by a very different driving philosophy: comfort, above all, above a sporting behavior.

And do not forget the design. DS set out to create original cars, with a French spirit and that do not resemble anything in the streets today. Whether you like the final result or not, the goal was achieved.