Price: £25,980
Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl diesel
Power: 118bhp
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
0-62mph: 12.7 seconds
Top speed: 119mph
CO2: 104g/km
MPG: 70.6
The birds that perch in the trees opposite my house are not fans of the new DS 5. They made their displeasure clear with a night of strategic bombing. God only knows what they’d been gorging on, but they created a proper splatterfest. One of those you end up scraping at with a thumbnail. And I sort of agreed with them – not that I’d have expressed it in the same way.
Some cars are so much more photogenic than others. In pictures the DS 5’s high bonnet and swirling chrome detailing give the impression of a nicely balanced vehicle, surging athletically up the road. But in the flesh it looks awkward: its bonnet and vast sweptback windscreen too big for its body, like one of those egg-headed dogs Princess Anne is so fond of.
I haven’t mentioned the C-word yet because, despite what you might think, this is no longer a Citroën. DS split from its parent company last year and its double chevron has now been replaced with a sinuous D kissing a flirty S.
Launched 60 years on from the original DS, which still captivates with its curves and ingenuity, this DS probably won’t be celebrated in quite the same breathless way in 2075. However, DS is keen to establish itself as a constructor of premium cars which stand out from the crowd, and it has made every effort to combine ambitious styling with good comfort, dynamic technology and a decent engine.
Step in and you’ll find an interior which is quirky and different, but not always in a good way. The seats are strikingly padded with leather blocks which look both retro and modern – especially in the Toffo-tan colour mine was. The dashboard is clutter-free thanks to half the buttons having migrated to a central strut overhead between the twin sunroofs (there’s also a third glass panel above the back seats). But rather than feeling light and airy, the interior feels oddly claustrophobic and unsettling.
The 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel which I tested is economical and superbly quiet. You might be underwhelmed if you wanted to hare round corners, but on a long cruise it’s admirably unflustered and the fuel economy is excellent. The steering wheel feels big in your hands, which goes against the trend for smaller, sportier styles.
Speed bumps are a tiresome issue round me – though not for my wife, who happily slams over them, bouncing the rear axle sickeningly into the air. I once persuaded the kids in the back to wear their cycle helmets to make a point, but that only encouraged her. However the DS 5, with its upgraded suspension, coped brilliantly, easing gracefully over every sleeper. However I’m not sure this new car will enjoy as smooth a ride further down the road.
Email Martin at martin.love@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter at @MartinLove166
