DS 5 (2012 – 2018) Review

Citroen’s bold shot upmarket success was spearheaded by the arrival of the DS5 in 2012. Initially badged as a Citroen DS5, the company spun the DS5 off to create the DS brand in its own right. A mixed bag, that dares to be different against the all-too-predictable Germanic norm in the class it aspired to, the DS5 is near monobox hatchback with a lounge like interior and bold styling inside and out. Production ended in 2018, the DS5 not making any significant impact on the premium class, but it’s paved the way for the brand’s SUV choices that tap more into the motoring zeitgeist than DS5 ever did.

There isn’t a car manufacturer out there that doesn’t look at the sales in the premium sphere and think ‘I want a bit of that’. Citroen decided to do exactly that with its line of DS models. The badge arrived with the DS3, which was a fun small car to rival competition like the Mini, though the DS5’s arrival in 2012 underlined the firm’s aspirations with the DS brand. Harking back to Citroen’s iconic DS of old, the French firm hoped that DS would do what that big, innovative and fabulously styled saloon would do, that is offer something completely different to the rather sober-suited Germanic norm, with the DS5 being a large hatchback with striking styling, a genuinely smart interior, plentiful standard equipment and rarity on its side. 

Certainly, buy one and you’ll be asked about it in the office car park, it standing out among the sea of BMW 3 Series, Audi A4s and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, not least because it’s a bit higher than all of them. Indeed, Citroen carved its own bold path with the DS5, with some cool-looking chrome giving real presence to the DS5’s front end, the DS5 in profile being slightly shooting brake in its form. Conventional it isn’t then, which is rather the point, the DS5 aimed at exactly the people who find convention boring. 

An admirable stance from Citroen, and, in a bid to add to the distinction the brand was completely separated from Citroen in 2015. Citroen’s not alone in trying this, SEAT recently having tried to spin off a sportier brand with its Cupra, while Audi might be considered its own premium entity it’ll always be linked with VW. There’s credibility to what DS is trying to achieve, but with the DS5 the gallic brand might have gone a little bit too far off-piste. 

It sent out mixed messages, too, the old DS was world-renowned for its incredible ride comfort and relaxed gait from its clever hydropneumatics suspension, though somebody obviously forgot about that when specifying the DS5. Perhaps buoyed by the success of its sporting, enjoyable DS3 relation, the suspension of the DS5 evidently tried more of the same, though the result can only be described as disastrous. At the DS5’s launch it was vilified as offering little enjoyment behind the wheel, and certainly not enough to justify the bone-jarring ride. Citroen hastily tried to rectify this, eventually getting the DS5 to ride with a modicum of decorum with the 2015 facelift and brand shift, though the damage had arguably already been done by then. Power came from a range of engines and transmissions familiar to Citroens, so diesel and small capacity turbocharged petrol units, with a hybrid offering, too.

The French have always excelled at cars that ride commendably, with a supple fluidity, yet control that allows them to glide down less than perfect roads. Somebody forgot to tell the DS5’s suspension engineers that, because when it was launched the suspension was little short of shockingly bad. Overly firm, the DS5 would bump and fidget over even the smoothest roads, while rough surfaces were catastrophic to the ride, it being busy and downright uncomfortable. Citroen addressed these criticisms quickly, but even after some tuning the suspension still felt seriously compromised, and there wasn’t like there was even some sporting agility and prowess to give it a pass on the poor ride quality. 

When the 2015 facelift arrived it was apparent that the suspension engineers had been busy, because they’d fitted some fancy new PLV (Pre-loaded Linear Valve) shock absorbers and managed to achieve a ride that, while still not in any way exceptional, at least didn’t attempt to rattle your teeth out. A huge own goal, because if Citroen had given the DS5 a soft, plush and cosseting ride from new, it could have carved a real niche for those buyers who just don’t care about dynamics, agility and engagement, and instead value isolation and comfort. 

If you’ve owned Citroens, or indeed, Peugeots, before then the DS5’s engine line-up will be familiar to you. Over the six-year production run it essentially featured the same range of engines, with some minor tweaks during that time to improve performance – both in relation to power and torque, as well as environmentally. The line-up consisted of 1.6-litre engines in either petrol or diesel, with a 2.0-litre turbodiesel being something of a Citroen mainstay. Unusually, the hybrid, badged Hybrid4, was attached to that 2.0-litre turbodiesel, it adding four-wheel drive into the mix thanks the electric motors driving the rear-wheels, too. 

The 1.6-litre turbodiesel, the turbodiesels denoted by the HDI badge, offered between 112-120PS depending on when it was offered for sale, with the later cars being the more powerful. It’s a smooth engine, but it’s better suited to smaller cars, it feeling a little bit overwhelmed under the DS5’s boldly-styled snout. The 1.6-litre petrol was a rare buy in the UK, the DS5 around when diesel was still king, particularly among French cars. The 2.0-litre HDI is the best all-rounder, it variously delivering between 163-180PS depending on the model/year. We’d usually suggest an auto with such an easy-going engine, but the electronically-shifted manual – dubbed 6EAT - that Citroen passes off as a proper auto is day one learner driver in its speed of gearshifts, resulting in a head-nodding, yawn-inducing pause as it goes for the next ratio. It’s okay in the hybrid where the electric assistance seems to smooth the transmission, though you don’t have the choice there, anyway.  

Standard equipment in all includes ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Emergency Braking Assist, DS Connect Box and Emergency and Assistance System – which calls the emergency services in the event of a collision – as well as a good number of airbags in front, to the side and at your head should an accident be unavoidable. Electronic Stability Control is also standard, while optionally the DS5 could be specified with a Safe Drive Signature Pack, which added a Lane Departure Warning System as well as Smart Beam Headlights. Tested by EuroNCAP, to now superseded standards, it scored a full five-star crash test rating, so it should protect you well.    

A good number of DS5s might find themselves in front of a caravan or suchlike, and if that’s what you want it for then it’ll tow anywhere between 750kg with an unbraked trailer, or as much as 1500kg with a braked one. Check the specific towing ratings for your specific model, though, as they can vary due to the differing engine and trim choices – the hybrid, for example, is rated at 500/800kg for braked/unbraked, respectively. 

For a long time Citroen was the class-leader in providing monobox, MPV and crossovers for those placing value on space. In some regards the DS5 tried to replicate that, after all, what’s more upmarket and luxurious than space, and it differentiated it from the somewhat cramped interiors of those German saloons. Think big hatchback with the DS5 and you’re on the right track, with loads of room up front, however, the rakish tapering of the roofline at the rear does impact on headroom, lessening that spacious feeling. It’s fine for kids, but a bit tight for adults in the back seats. There are ISOFIX mounts back there, while the seatbacks fold in a 60/40 split, too, while there’s an armrest with a through-load hole that’s perfect for a couple of pairs of skis.

The boot is decently shaped and voluminous, with 465 litres of capacity with the seats up, or as much as 1288 litres with them folded. If you’re after a hybrid model and need a big boot it’s worth noting that the battery pack eats into the bootspace, to the tune of 143 litres. There’s decent cubby storage throughout the cabin, with a big lidded bin between the front seats, and not one, but two glasses/sunglasses holders in the roof, too.

It’s fair to say that Citroen’s material quality isn’t quite as good as its mainstream rivals like VW, but in recognition of that the DS5 did see a leap in quality, with plenty of leather, titanium effect trim mixing with plastics, that while not at the top of their game, that are of a good enough quality to pass muster as premium. Forget comparing its cabin to the solidity of something like an Audi, but stacked alongside things like Volvos and VW’s premium-leaning models like the Passat CC, the DS5 doesn’t feel like the poor relation. 

The interior styling was at least refreshingly different, too, with a great deal of noise made about the airplane cockpit-like roof controls for some functions, while the optional ‘watchstrap leather’ seat trim really did lift the DS5’s interior from passable to genuinely admirable, it worth seeking out if you’re after a used example. 

The DS5 was around for six years, and in that time the standard infotainment was upgraded from a button heavy set-up to one that utilised a 7-inch touchscreen instead. It worked well then, though will feel a bit clunky and outdated today, though it did bundle DS Nav, a DAB tuner, an aux-in socket, Bluetooth connectivity as well as Mirror link tech which allows Apple CarPlay. Most of the screen’s operations are duplicated on the steering wheel, while the option of a head-up display was possible for just £300 when new, this again worth seeking out if you’re browsing the classifieds. 

When new, the DS5 struggled against its rivals; the lack of a known brand, the inherent quirkiness and pricing that placed it up among those premium players made it a difficult leap of faith for all but the most determinedly different among the buying public. Those early adopters have left a reasonable number of used examples out there for people looking for a second-hand example, with prices for the earliest cars starting at around £4,000 (at the time of writing) and rising to around £12,000. Those will be Citroen-badged, with the trim levels being D-Style, Airdream and DSport. 

Pop DS into your preferred online used car search engine and you’ll get the later DS-branded examples out there, with the earliest DS DS5s being in the region of £7,000 from 2015 onwards, rising to prices around the £16,000 sphere for the final models from 2018. 2015 onwards trim levels were Elegance, Performance Line and Prestige, the later 2015 cars preferable due to Citroen having worked extensively on the suspension to improve the ride comfort.    

The DS5 might wear an aspiring premium badge, but its Citroen roots means running it shouldn’t be as expensive as its genuine, legacy premium competition. Tested to the old NEDC fuel consumption standards, the 120PS 1.6-litre turbodiesel and 150PS 2.0-litre turbodiesel were quoted at between 62-70mpg on the official combined cycle, but the reality will be more likely to be around 40mpg, or a decent bit more on a longer, sustained run. The petrol choices were quoted at 48mpg, but you’ll do well at 30mpg for regular, daily use. The champion for quoted fuel economy was the hybrid, which was claimed to deliver fuel economy in the 80mpg region, but you’ll manage 45-50mpg on the road. Don’t think there’ll be big periods of electric-only motoring with that hybrid either, it very much in the ‘assist’ category – you might get a few metres on electric-only power, but no more.

Insurance, servicing and taxing it should all be relatively painless, though some of the hybrid’s improved fuel costs will be off-set by the fact it’ll be a bit more expensive to insure – it being in the highest category insurance group of any DS5.   

Trim levels for 2017/2018 MY:

Elegance – 17-inch alloy wheels, LED running lights, dual-zone air conditioning, keyless entry and start, 7-inch touchscreen with DAB, Sat Nav, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Cockpit-style toggle roof switches, leather gearknob and steering wheel, cruise control with speed limiter. 

Performance Line – (over Elegance) – 19-inch alloy wheels, leather and cloth interior, Xenon Directional Headlights, DS perfromance graphics, leather instrument binnacle, DS Performance coloured stitching, Front Parking Sensors, Driver’s Seat Electric Adjsutment, cup holder in rear armrest. 

Prestige – (over Performance Line) – 18-inch alloy wheels, full leather interior, reversing camera, blind spot monitoring system, interior mood lighting.