Skip advert
Advertisement

DS 5 review - French premium offering doesn't quite hit the mark - DS 5 ride and handling

Style and character in spades, but DS still has work to do if it's to dethrone the traditional premium brands

Evo rating
RRP
from £26,350
  • Unique design inside and out, comfort, refinement
  • Far from being a driver’s car, ride could be improved further

One should not step into a large, luxury-orientated car from the Citroen lineage expecting it to handle with the flair of something German and propeller-badged, nor to feel as light on its feet as a hot hatchback. Judging it by such standards is neither fair nor relevant.

Its ride quality however should be held to the standards expected of large and typically comfortable French cars, and while the DS 5 is a great deal better than its Citroen-badged DS5 predecessor, it’s a long way from delivering the sort of unruffled experience you’d want from such a car.

Advertisement - Article continues below

In general, the DS 5 is relatively comfortable. a characteristic enhanced by the squashy seats. It does still thump through potholes though, sending a judder through the structure, and on the motorway it jiggles over imperfections where you’d expect it to sail.

Grip is fairly good – our most recent drive in the DS 5 was on 18in wheels and 235/45 Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres. The steering dissuades your attempts to explore the car’s limits however, with a springy resistance to inputs, and next to no feedback. There’s a lack of accuracy around the straight-ahead too, which requires you to make corrections when driving in a straight line where others track arrow-straight.

You’re always fighting the car’s weight too – 1725kg with the diesel engine and automatic transmission. This is not a nimble car, despite a respectably quick steering rack, and any attempt at raising your pace on an entertaining road feels largely futile.

In effect, the DS 5’s behaviour coerces you into driving as you might an older Citroen, but unfortunately lacks the unflustered ride that defined those cars’ dynamics.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
News

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV

If you have to have an SUV, a Stelvio QV is acceptable. Now it's being heavily discounted.
8 Jul 2025
New Aston Martin Vantage S revealed – Ferrari Amalfi rival is more powerful and focused
Aston Martin Vantage S front
News

New Aston Martin Vantage S revealed – Ferrari Amalfi rival is more powerful and focused

With a bump in power output among myriad detail changes, the Vantage S could be the ultimate driver’s Aston
8 Jul 2025
MST Mk1 Sports is a more affordable less extreme Ford Escort recreation
MST Ford Escort front
News

MST Mk1 Sports is a more affordable less extreme Ford Escort recreation

Costing a tenth of most made-new classics, the MST Mk1 Sports is comparatively accessible
8 Jul 2025