DS3 Crossback: a graceful french poetry

Take a look at this car.

I know it was hard to go on and read what I’m writing right now because most probably the stunning beauty of this car hypnotized you. Imagine what would have happened if you were face to face. There’s something about this car that makes you want to stare at it for minutes in a row, without noticing how time flies on your watch. It has that “quelque chose” like French people say.

My first encounter with the DS3 Crossback was back in 2018, at Mondial de l’Auto. It was one of my favorite cars exhibited at the motor show, definitely in the top 3 of my preferences. I remember this was the car in which I spent the most time. And I made a wish, which didn’t fade away as time passed: to test it, someday. Needless to say, it came true, thanks to DS Store Thionville.

This DS 3 Crossback I received for a driving test is a piece of history. It’s part of the exclusive edition, “La première“, who was available for the public between October 2018 (when orders had begun being taken) and April 2019. This is the most luxurious DS 3 Crossback and it had been reserved for the bold early-adopters.

The DS brand knows how to make exquisite cars. Their design stands out and it’s wonderful that in a world in which you might say that you’ve seen it all you can find something just… different that you can afford and it’s not a concept car.

The DS 3 Crossback is an example of luxury on four wheels and I might be subjective when I say that jeans don’t go with this car but can’t you read in its headlights that it demands an elegant dress code?

This urban SUV teaches us all a masterclass of automotive elegance thought each and every small part that builds up this work of art.

Step into wonderland

This DS Opera interior Inspiration in Art Rubis red is exclusively available for La première edition and it’s a luxurious place to spend time in. I can easily say that in this car there is an art museum atmosphere.

Back in October 2018, it was the first time I was seeing a head-up display and was finding it futuristic. I have already driven a few cars with a head-up display and I find it to be a must-have in every car. Do you know that feeling you get when you forget your phone at home? Yeah, this is how I feel when I drive a car without head-up display. The benefits are huge, starting with having right in front of your eyes the speed limit.

In the interior of this car, you will find two screens, both digital, that will assist you in your driving adventures: one of them is a 7-inch driver’s information display, on which you can see a variety of details, such as speed, fuel, driving aids and navigation.

The other one is the 10 inch HD touchscreen, where you can play with different options in order to configure your car according to your wishes.

Usually, you find this screen embedded in the dashboard but this time it gloriously stands on it, having a rather… inserted look.

The information is very well structured and I’m absolutely in love with the gold tone details, they emphasize the elegance of the experience.

Right under the HD screen, you can find a series of touchscreen buttons. Just take a look at their remarkable shape. Do you think they look like diamonds? Because I do.

The start and stop button isn’t, of course, just a simple button. There is poetry around it, just like it has to be.

This car has an automatic gear and I have nothing special to say about the lever, it works like you are already used to (if you are). This might be classic but there is something that’s intriguing the driver while looking at the central console, just like DeeDee did in Dexter’s Lab. What do these buttons do?

Well, they open windows. How cool is that? It might take you a while to get rid of the habit of caressing the doors in search of buttons, but it’s worth it. You are doing it for the love of usability and design:)

Also on the central console, you can find a button that activated the electric parking brake, a button that interchanges the driving modes and a generous space for charging your phone through induction technology.

You cannot adjust the electrochromic gloss black exterior mirrors from the central console. No buttons on the door. Where can they be?
Here:

The blank premium leather steering wheel has the right amount of buttons and it’s very responsive.

The SOS button gives a feeling of trust in the DS brand. It’s good to know you can initiate a connection with it if something might happen with the car.

Carseats.

These lovely car seats. You can tell just by looking at the pictures that they are utterly comfortable and you are not wrong.

The driver’s car seat is a little bit more special since it has an incorporated electric lumbar adjustment with massage function. The premium driving experience is now complete!

The height of both front and rear headrests is adjustable. Speaking of height, it is also adjustable for the front seats.

What about driving?

Although this is an urban SUV, you don’t really feel you are driving one. It slides effortlessly between the lanes and your commands receive prompt responses, regardless of the type of road or weather.

You can choose between three driving modes: Eco, Normal and Sport. The transition is smooth (the DS3 Crossback does everything with grace) but the behavior of the car is different right after you switch between the driving modes.

The driving experience is very pleasant, I would compare it to a luxurious holiday on four wheels. Everything becomes effortlessly behind the wheel of the DS 3 Crossback.

This car has a premium safety pack that also includes the DS Drive Assist, the co-pilot that maintains the speed, keeps a safe distance between you and the car in front while making sure that your car is in the center of the lane. It can also reduce speed and stop the car.

Bold looks

The DS brand makes beautiful cars, that’s a fact. Even their logo is incredibly gorgeous. And the headlights, well… diamonds are forever, it’s all I want to say!

Your watch matter, your shoes matter, your car matter. Owning a DS is a declaration of elegance and social position.

My feelings about this car can be summarized in one word: exclusivity. I felt special behind the DS 3 Crossback’s steering wheel and I’m sure it’s not just because I had it for a limited time period.

The client service experience also counts. For example, when you step in the DS Store Thionville, my partner for this driving test, you basically arrive in Wonderland. There is a synergy between the atmosphere from the car and the one from the showroom, in both places you feel like in an art museum. There’s no mistake when it comes to the DS brand, nothing is left behind, everything is perfectly connected. And this makes it a respectful and trustworthy brand. Chapeau bas!