With the DS 7 facelift, the addition “Crossback” will no longer apply from 2022. However, it is not yet clear what the facelift with changes in design and engines means for the price.
The DS 7 Crossback was the first independent model from the French premium brand – most recently from 37,990 euros (as of June 2022). After a good four years, it will be time for a comprehensive update in 2022 – the DS 7 facelift, which has not yet been priced in. The first thing you notice is the changed model name: the addition “Crossback” is history.
But the DS 7 is not only presented in a new light when it is named. The front is adorned with more flashy daytime running lights in the style of the smaller, still very fresh DS 4. In addition, the radiator grille and the so-called “DS wings” arising from it have been redesigned. They now appear sharper and therefore more concise.
A stretched rear section with narrower LED taillights should give the DS 7 an even more elegant appearance. This is also matched by the reduced chrome trim, which can be easily recognized by the panel between the rear lights, which is now black. With the design changes, the DS 7 facelift has slightly increased in size to 4.59 meters in length (+ 2 cm), 1.90 meters in width (+ 1 cm), and 1.63 meters in height (+ 1 cm).
New DS 7 Engine
Nothing changes in the well-known good space conditions in the interior of the DS 7 2023. The infotainment system, which is still operated via a 12.0-inch touchscreen, will receive the new software. An interface that can be personalized with widgets, like on a smartphone, and intuitive voice control, christened “DS Iris”, for important functions such as navigation or air conditioning are intended to simplify operation on board. The “DS Night Vision” infrared camera now looks up to 300 meters further ahead, which increases driving safety in the dark.
The mid-size SUV will be available with four different engines in the future. As a plug-in hybrid, the DS is available with front-wheel or all-wheel drive and a system output of 225 hp (165 kW) or 300 hp (220 kW). The top model is new, another plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive and 360 hp (265 kW) system output. In addition, the battery capacity of all variants has increased by one kW to 14.2 kWh. This increases the electric range to up to 65 kilometers according to the WLTP standard, which corresponds to an increase of seven kilometers.
All hybrids are equipped with a 1.6-liter petrol engine. Anyone who wants to do without e-support and only trusts a diesel for long distances will continue to be served with the well-known 130 hp (96 kW) diesel engine. New colors for the interior and exterior as well as new 19 and 21-inch wheels round off the DS 7 facelift 2023 – the largest rims, however, are reserved for the new top model E-Tense 4×4 360.
DS 7 2023 Interior
The New DS 7 2023 in the “Opera” equipment variant is ready for the first seat test. There is no more luxury in the mid-range SUV than in this variant. Pearl stitch decorative seams and the seats in watch strap design, which are now typical for DS, adorn the interior, paired with foam-coated fittings with fine Nappa leather covers. The Parisian chic of the brand knows how to please, even if the look is not completely new – apart from the color of the leather.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, the feeling of meeting an old acquaintance remains. Anyone looking for innovations here will increasingly find them in the technology. The infotainment system has been revised and now, like in the DS 4, comes with the “DS Iris” voice control. The air conditioning or navigation can now be operated with natural voice commands, and weather information is also possible via DS Iris. Those who still prefer touch operation will need a little time to familiarize themselves with the changed operation. Some shortcut keys have disappeared, instead, there are now digital menu tiles. You can arrange this personally and the reaction speed of the touchscreen is also convincing, but the condition is no longer quite as intuitive as before.
The DS 7 has grown by a few centimeters in size, but that doesn’t change the interior space. Good: Despite the wide center console, you don’t feel cramped in the driver’s seat. On the back seat, you are happy about enough legroom, but seat giants come into contact with the roof faster than they would like – if the panoramic glass roof of the test car is ordered. The usable trunk of the New DS 7 still holds at least 555 liters.
