DS AUTOMOBILES DS No7 SUV (2026 - ) review

As ever with an EV, you get super-low running costs with the DS N^o7 E-Tense when running something that, if it were driven by a petrol engine of similar power outputs alone, would be far more expensive to keep on the road. It helps the single-motor N^o7 with the bigger of two battery packs we were driving in Long Range form has an impressive claimed official range of 460 miles. So, if you can avail of cheap overnight domestic tariffs, you could run the DS for mere pence – albeit the sheer size of its battery pack does mean it’ll need more than 15 hours hooked up to a typical home wallbox for a full top-up.

DS is part of the Stellantis Group, which has a decent record for reliability over its many brands. Indeed, the direct predecessor to the N^o7, the DS7, had fairly good reports from its owners. And as the newer SUV is predominantly electric-powered, then there’s less on it that can potentially go wrong.

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Independent safety testing body Euro NCAP hasn’t directly assessed the N^o7 yet, but it has put the related DS N^o8 through the wringer – and the results weren’t right at the top of their game. And Euro NCAP appends the N^o8’s performance to the N^o7, given their physical similarities meaning a four-star overall rating and a particularly low mark for safety assist features. Obviously, the DS No7 isn’t inherently unsafe, but there are rival machines with the full five-star rating in this class.

This is probably the DS N^o7’s strongest suit, although we will say that we haven’t yet tried it on its biggest 21-inch alloys, and the Hybrid version we drove with regular suspension was OK for ride comfort, nothing more. However, our Long Range E-Tense had the Active Scan technology, which uses a camera to monitor the road ahead for lumps and bumps and prepare the car to deal with them so they don’t intrude on the inner calm. In practice, this works brilliantly and the serene progress is mighty pleasant for those inside its plushly-appointed cabin. We only mark it down a little in this section because Active Scan is not quite perfect in action, plus the driver’s comfort levels are spoiled somewhat by having to hold one of the ugliest and most awkward-feeling steering wheels we’ve ever had the misfortune of using! 

Every DS N^o7 comes with at least keyless entry, a powered tailgate, dual-zone climate control, neck warmers in the front seats, LED exterior lighting, an extended head-up display, the DS Iris 16-inch infotainment system with connected nav, wireless smartphone charging, radar cruise control and all-round parking sensors with a reversing camera, among more. Above that, higher trims add things like DS Pixelvision intelligent headlights, a 360-degree exterior camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, Night Vision and a thumping Electra 3D by Focal stereo. However, the problem is the sheer expense of the thing. The three Hybrid trims are the least dear of the range, but the E-Tense cars start from almost 50 grand. And by the time you hit the top of the range AWD dual-motor version in La Premiere trim you’re talking seriously premium money for what is effectively a Citroën in a fancy frock.  

Although there’s a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version of the N^o7 E-Tense the rest of the models are either heavy EVs with not quite enough oomph to be super-rapid, or the Hybrid, which is, bluntly, underpowered for a vehicle of this stature. That said, the part-petrol N^o7 is less than 1.6 tonnes, which is nearly half a tonne less than the electric versions. Performance in the N^o7 E-Tense Long Range single-motor car we tried was pleasing enough, without in any way being remarkable. And although it handles cleanly enough, there’s not much thrill behind that daft, cross-shaped steering wheel. Put simply, a BMW iX1 or iX3 would be a much more satisfying steer if a car of this type is on your shopping list.