The DS9 is an executive mid-size luxury sedan and also the very first true luxury mid-size sedan by the French brand DS. DS used to be under the Citroen umbrella, but they branched out back in 2015 in order to carve their own path towards becoming a full-fledged luxury car brand. So, is Citroen DS9 a good car?
The DS9 is a really good car in itself, but it is surrounded by established mid-size luxury car offerings such as the BMW 5-Series, the Audi A6, the Volvo S90, and the Mercedes Benz E-Class. Rivaling these brands is a difficult task and is the main reason why the DS9 needs to work twice as much to gain a similar level of popularity.
Either way, the engines on offer are powerful, efficient, and relatively sophisticated. The design is stunning to some yet over-styled to others. The interior is nicely laid out with high-quality materials, but the infotainment system is far from its German rivals. The driving experience is really good because DS9 is a really comfortable car.
Reliability-wise, it is still too early to tell how well the DS9 is going to fare, but as of right now, it does seem to suffer from certain infotainment system issues. The DS9 is priced as much as its German rivals which is a tough swallow for many. Practicality on the other hand is really good thanks to loads of space throughout.
DS9 – The powerplant
The entry-level gasoline DS9 engine is a 1.6L inline 4-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor that pushes out a combined output of 225hp and 265lb-ft of torque. The next model in line uses the same configuration, but the power is raised to 250hp while the torque stays the same. Finally, the top-end model also uses the same configuration but power is raised to 360hp and 383lb-ft of torque.
It seems like these three are the only powertrains available at the moment and diesel is nowhere to be seen. All three of these are really efficient no matter where you drive the car. The entry-level car and the mid-spec car are front-wheel-drive while the 360hp model is AWD. All three of these also come with an 8-speed automatic gearbox as standard.
All in all, the DS9 powertrain is decent as it gives you lots of power and torque, but also manages to stay efficient at the same time. Some customers can’t fathom having a mid-size luxury sedan without a 6-cylinder engine and those typically opt for German luxury cars.
DS9 – Design and chassis
The DS9 exterior design language is heavily inspired by the future which is obvious the moment you lay your eyes on the DS9. It gets many sharp creases and potentially even over-styled components which make the car feel and look really modern. The interior of the DS9 is really stylish and also very well-appointed thanks to lots of high-quality materials throughout.
The DS9 chassis and suspension tuning is tailored towards comfort. However, the DS9 also gets a performance line which does make the car agile to a certain degree. It is not a BMW 5-Series, but it sure is more fun to drive than some other German luxury cars.
DS9 – Reliability and common issues
When it comes to reliability, we can’t say for certain how well the DS9 does because it is still way too early to tell. The car is only starting to go out and after it reaches a considerable amount of customers we can say if it is truly reliable or not. However, some issues were already mentioned by various automotive journalists who test-drove the car.
First of all, the infotainment system isn’t on par with its German rivals, and it can sometimes glitch out or turn itself off. Thankfully, these are likely going to be sorted out with a software update. Some journalists criticized the car for questionable quality control, but that does not seem to be an issue per se.
DS9 – Value and practicality
The DS9 is priced almost identically to its main German rivals which is a tough sell for those who are used to buying cars from established luxury brands. The DS9 is the very first true luxury sedan from this brand, and the fact that it shares its platform with the Peugeot 508 ( a non-luxury car) makes selling the DS9 that much more difficult.
Practicality on the other hand is really good as the DS9 offers loads of interior space while trunk space is almost more than enough. Visibility could be better, but overall, the practicality of the DS9 is as good as it is in its German and Swedish rivals.
FAQ Section
Can the DS9 rival the BMW 5-Series, the Audi A6, and the Mercedes E-Class?
It depends on how you look at it. If you are loyal to your German-established luxury brands, you are not going to see the DS9 as a true competitor even though it is in most areas. The biggest difference between these three and the DS9 is that these three have a longstanding legacy of being the car of choice for almost all mid-size luxury car buyers.
Getting into a group as established as this one is not an easy task, especially for a brand that used to be underneath an economy car brand umbrella.
Is the DS9 a good buy?
The DS9 can be a good buy if you got yourself a good deal and if you like the car for what it is. However, we are not aware of how badly the DS9 is going to depreciate which means that waiting a year or two before pulling the trigger is indeed a really good idea.
Is DS a true luxury brand?
In order to answer this question correctly, we first need to define what a luxury car even is. A luxury car is made by a desirable and well-established brand, it is a car that compliments a luxurious lifestyle because it manages to exceed most expectations and because it can do many things really well without compromising on almost anything.
DS is not yet an established brand, but DS tries very much to change that. No one can deny that DS appoints their cars really well as virtually all of them are packed with the latest and greatest technology, amazing build materials, and strong engines. As such, DS is certainly a luxury brand in the making.
