DS Automobiles knows it has a problem—and it’s called the DS 3. Once the brand’s breakout hit, the stylish little hatch has quietly slid into irrelevance, becoming the oldest and slowest-selling model in DS’s three-car lineup. Now, with sales dwindling and competition fiercer than ever, DS is preparing a reboot that leans heavily on the car that started it all—without falling into the retro trap.

According to DS design chief Thierry Métroz, the next-generation DS 3—soon to be renamed No3—will draw inspiration from the original, first-generation DS 3 of the mid-2010s. That car, remember, wasn’t just successful; it was a phenomenon. Half a million units sold, strong uptake in France and the UK, and enough visual swagger to establish DS as more than just Citroën’s fashion-forward sub-brand. That’s the magic DS wants back.

But don’t expect a nostalgia play.

“We don’t want retro design,” Métroz told Autocar at the Brussels motor show. Instead, the brief is something far trickier: take the essence of the original DS 3—its simplicity, sportiness, and visual clarity—and reinterpret it through a futuristic lens. In DS-speak, that translates to “sporty,” “hot,” and unapologetically modern.

Back to the Future, DS-Style

The first DS 3 worked because it didn’t try too hard. Its proportions were clean, its surfacing was smooth, and its details—especially those distinctive, squarish rear lights with a three-dimensional effect—were memorable without being gimmicky. Métroz clearly wants to revisit that philosophy.

“What I love looking back,” he said, “is the super-sleek, very sensible, very round design. Very simple design, no additional design feature or cladding, very clean, very pure, but very expressive.”

That last part is key. If the current DS lineup sometimes feels like it’s drowning in chrome accents and visual noise, the No3 is being positioned as a reset—a return to strong forms and confident restraint, executed with modern tech and materials. Think less decorative excess, more architectural precision.

More Than a Facelift

This won’t be a mild refresh or an evolutionary update. DS insists the No3 will be completely redesigned from today’s DS 3, and it may even move into what Métroz calls “another segment.” That echoes earlier comments from DS boss Xavier Peugeot, who suggested the car could “create its own segment”—a bold claim in a market that already feels over-segmented.

Whether that means a shift in size, stance, or outright body style remains unclear. But the message is obvious: DS doesn’t just want to fix the DS 3; it wants to redefine it.

That ambition comes at a crucial time. In markets like the UK, the DS 3 has become an also-ran, selling just 250 units last year. For a brand that trades heavily on image and exclusivity, that’s less boutique and more invisible.

Lighting the Way Forward

Visually, the No3 will align with DS’s newer models through shared design DNA—most notably the lighting signature recently introduced on the radical-looking No8 flagship. DS believes lighting is one of its strongest brand identifiers, and the No3 will carry that torch.

Still, Métroz is adamant that cohesion won’t come at the expense of individuality.

“It’s very important that the design will be iconic—something very unique, unique only for DS 3,” he said. “Different from No4 and No8, different from No7.”

That’s a tall order. The No4 and No8 already stake out very different visual territories, and the incoming No7 will likely add another layer of complexity. Making the smallest car in the range stand out—without making it look like a stylistic outlier—may be the hardest part of the project.

A High-Stakes Reinvention

DS’s challenge is clear. The brand needs the No3 to be desirable, distinctive, and emotionally resonant in a segment crowded with polished, competent rivals. Mining the success of the original DS 3 is a logical move—but success this time won’t come from clever colors and floating roofs alone.

If DS gets it right, the No3 could once again become the brand’s gateway drug: a compact hatch with real personality, premium ambition, and just enough Gallic flair to stand apart from the mainstream. Get it wrong, and it risks becoming another stylish footnote in an increasingly unforgiving market.

As Métroz himself admits, “It’s a very challenging car.” For DS, it might also be the most important one.

Source: Autocar