At PSA they wanted a premium brand so bad, they disconnected the sub-brand DS to create a brand of its own.
That doesn't mean you can only give it a higher price. No, premium is in the details.
And that's what the DS 7 Crossback has a lot, details. Another 'secret' premium brand,
which isn't very vocal about being premium is Mazda. That's why we're comparing the DS 7 Crossback and Mazda CX-5 today.
So, premium, what is that? Well, when you get into the DS 7, you'll start to understand.
This is the Performance Line version of the DS 7, the THP 225, which is the most powerful petrol version...
combined with the Performance Line. There's alcantara everywhere.
On the dashboard, nice stitching, on the steering wheel, even around the gear lever.
Everywhere you can think of. Alcantara always reminds me of Lancia,
they always loved to use alcantara as well. It's a special material really.
So if you equip your dashboard like this, it feels very wealthy.
Or take this clock for example. It's a €300 optional extra, but it looks fantastic.
If you start the car, it tilts. Those kind of details are very good.
I haven't even spoken about these switches here. It all looks very special, just like the digital instrument cluster.
It has a rather positioning as well. Also, it comes with a night mode.
Stuff like that makes the DS 7 incredibly special, and you haven't even driven it yet.
However, especially with a premium brand as this, the drive is incredibly important.
What's the ride like, does it distinguish itself... If you take a look at the Audi Q5, Mercedes GLC...
and the Volvo XC60, they're all available with air suspension, but you can't get that on here.
When it comes to size, the DS 7 is kind of between the Mazda CX-5 and Audi Q5.
However, it comes with a special feature. No air suspension, but a camera in the windshield.
That analyzes the road ahead an adjusts the adaptive dampers as you go along.
Basically, a DS 7 is a car with very smooth springs, even as a Performance Line.
It has lots of travel, but sometimes, the damping can be very enthusiastic when processing the movement.
So, does the drive differ a lot from the Peugeot 3008 and 5008 GT-line? Well, they're kind of similar.
They do share a lot of parts. The steering is different though, because of the bigger steering wheel in here.
I shouldn't mention those cars anymore, because the DS 7 is a standalone product.
That it's the top-of-the-range model, is made clear if you look at the engine range.
It's powered by the well known 1.6-litre PureTech, the turbocharged 4-cylinder, producing 225 horsepower in the most powerful spec.
It's available with 180 horsepower as well, but this one has that little bit extra.
It's connected to the well-known 8-speed automatic gearbox, and when you're driving away,
it engages pretty abruptly. You'll be like this. It'll move in a way you don't want it to,
but the moment you actually change gear, are very good. They don't take long either. It's a very good gearbox this.
225 horsepower is more than enough, so this version produces nice performance figures.
If you try your best, you can even get some nice fuel consumption figures.
It's a real downsize-product, something the Mazda doesn't have.
I already went crazy because of the alcantara in the DS 7, but take a look at this would you.
Leather everywhere and it looks really good. Nice stitching as well, just like in the steering wheel...
It's a different setting than the DS 7, but I really like Mazda-interiors from recent years.
Over here we've got the central turning knob for the multimedia system, just like BMW, Audi and Mercedes have it.
Quite the comparison for a Mazda, but it works really well. The system in the DS 7 just is a little too slow.
Sometimes you have to wait and be patient when you start up the car. Some buttons are hard to be found too.
In here, it's a lot easier.
It also comes with a touchscreen, but it only works if you're stationary. If you're driving, the touch is disabled.
A conscious safety choice by Mazda.
I'd like to say something about the measurements of the screen as well, because it's rather small compared with everything else.
Displays are getting bigger and bigger, so Mazda kind of lags a little.
Something Mazda also doesn't do nowadays is equipping a digital instrument cluster. It has conventional dials,
but there's nothing wrong with that. So, the Mazda CX-5 GT-M.
It's the top version, and it's so complete, that it practically has everything you need.
A heated steering wheel, heated seats, a whole battery of buttons for the safety systems, you name it.
The lane keeping assist works pretty well, but not as good as in the DS 7.
It'll say you have to keep your hands on the wheel pretty quickly, and the car keeps searching between the lines on the road.
That's where the DS 7 is ahead. Then there's one thing Mazda always does right, the drive.
The chassis technology. The springs are a little firmer than on the DS 7,
with less travel. The dampers are firmer as well, so it's a harmonious whole.
For an SUV, it's pretty agile, but when the steering wheel is in the neutral position,
it's a little nervous. The DS 7 gives more ease.
When it comes to steering as a whole however, it's a party in the CX-5.
I remember the previous CX-5, which was the first mid-size SUV that was fun to drive.
Then there's another that the stubborn people at Mazda keep at. Keep building the SkyActiv-engines.
Engines with rather special compression proportions. There's no downsizing here, it's a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder...
in the top of the range model. It produces 192 horsepower and it's always connected to an automatic gearbox.
You're able to choose between front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. The automatic gearbox isn't its strong point however.
It's their own six-speed automatic gearbox, whilst competitors have eight, nine or even ten gears.
That's why you can hear the engine and the gears are longer. Just listen to the little whine.
It does use all of the torques from the 2.5-litre. You don't always have to put your foot down,
like you have to with the 2.0-litre. That's an advantage, because the engine will remain quieter.
However, the six-speed automatic gearbox from Mazda is still a point of attention.
Then, the Mazda CX-5 is very spacious on the inside. However, because of the longer wheelbase,
the DS 7 is even more spacious. Also, the luggage space is bigger in the DS 7 than in the CX-5.
So, what does it cost? Well, the DS 7 THP 225 Performance Line costs €52.090.
If you want the CX-5 SkyActiv 194 with four-wheel drive and GT-M-trim, you'll have to pay €51.990.
That's almost the same, however, you do get four-wheel drive,
and you can't get that on the DS 7. If you exclude the four-wheel drive,
you'll be talking about €46.990. That's about the price of the DS 7 Performance Line,
only with the THP 180 horsepower. That's 14 horsepower less than the Mazda.
The four-wheel drive is kind of a thing if you're looking for it.
What else is there? Well, a DS 7 Crossback is very complete as a Performance Line,
but you can complete it even more. Some nice options like that clock, the night vision system,
lots of safety systems, 20-inch instead of 19-inch... Tick all of those boxes and you'll be looking at €64.000,
like this particular car. At Mazda it's what you see is what you get.
A GT-M is very complete, but there aren't a lot of options left to tick anymore. That's where DS is the true premium brand.
You can go as wild as you'd like. That's where DS distinguishes itself from Mazda.