DS Automobiles has never exactly been accused of playing it safe, but with the new No7, it’s doing something far more consequential: playing for keeps.

This is the successor to the DS 7, a car that quietly carried the brand on its shoulders—at times accounting for half of its total sales. Now comes the replacement, and it arrives not as a mild evolution, but as a clean-sheet rethink aimed squarely at the most hotly contested corner of the premium market: the compact luxury SUV class.

At 4.66 meters long, the No7 grows just enough to matter—five extra centimeters between the axles translates into noticeably improved cabin space—but the bigger change is philosophical. Where the outgoing car leaned heavily on ornate detailing to stand apart, the No7 pivots toward a more cohesive, modern identity. It borrows heavily from the flagship No8, adopting a sharper, more technical aesthetic defined by a V-shaped light signature, an illuminated grille that practically announces itself in Morse code, and available 21-inch wheels that fill the arches with intent.

It’s still unmistakably French, but now it looks like it means business.

Underneath, the No7 shares its bones with a familiar cast of Stellantis stablemates, but DS insists the magic lies in what you don’t see. And what you do get is a powertrain lineup that reflects the industry’s ongoing identity crisis: part electric future, part combustion present.

The headline act is the all-electric variant, packing a 97.2-kWh battery and offering up to 460 miles of range in its most efficient form. That’s not just competitive—it’s borderline showboating in a segment where range anxiety still sells cars. Even more impressive is how it gets there: a drag coefficient of 0.26, achieved not through dramatic coupe-like compromises but careful aerodynamic housekeeping.

For those who want more punch, there’s a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version producing 370 horsepower and still managing a claimed 422 miles of range. And for buyers not quite ready to cut the cord, DS offers a hybrid setup pairing a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with an electric motor for a combined 143 horsepower. It’s not thrilling on paper, but it’s designed for efficiency—up to 53 mpg—and can operate with the engine off around town for roughly half the time.

Charging, meanwhile, is brisk. The EV can pull up to 160 kW and, more importantly, sustain that rate across a useful portion of the battery, adding nearly 120 miles in just 10 minutes. That’s the kind of real-world usability stat that matters more than peak numbers.

Inside, DS leans fully into its boutique luxury ambitions. The cabin is less about minimalist restraint and more about curated opulence. A 16-inch central touchscreen dominates the dash, flanked by a 10-inch driver display, while physical controls remain—thankfully—for key functions. The X-spoke steering wheel looks like it belongs in a concept car, and the dashboard flows seamlessly into the doors, creating a wraparound, cocoon-like effect.

Materials and craftsmanship are where DS is staking its claim. This is not a brand trying to out-German the Germans; it’s offering an alternative—one built on texture, detail, and a certain Parisian flair.

And then there’s the ride. DS’s Active Scan suspension system uses cameras and sensors to read the road ahead and adjust damping in real time. It’s the kind of tech that sounds like a gimmick until you drive over a broken stretch of pavement and realize the car already knew it was coming.

Pricing is expected to start around £40,000 for the hybrid and £45,000 for the EV, putting it right in the crosshairs of established players. It’ll be built in Italy alongside its corporate cousins, but DS is betting that design, comfort, and technology will justify the premium.

That’s the gamble here. The No7 isn’t just another entry in a crowded segment—it’s a statement of intent. If it succeeds, DS moves from niche curiosity to serious contender. If it doesn’t, well, there’s no understating what’s at stake.

Either way, this is the car that will define what DS becomes next.

Source: DS Automobiles