Citroen DS5 1.6 THP (A) Review
05 Nov 2012|33,516 views
The trilogy is completed. And no we aren't talking about movies or fictitious works of literature here. It is a varied form of art work, in the automotive sense. Stylish, and inspiring - we can safely say that the DS line of recent has evoked souls of fans and non-fans of automotive alike.
And yes, the car you see here is the very same which will appear in our DS feature, and this is as far as I would go to hint about the content (look out for it in the 'Features' segment at a later date).
Younger readers may wonder what all this fuss about the Citroen DS is. A quick search, however, will reveal that the original DS was the trendsetter of its time, scoring big on both popularity and sales charts.
Exterior
The DS5 follows the tracks of its more diminutive siblings, vividly communicating the French flair with its bold lines. Arguably, it is the sheet metal that brings out the character of the DS5 the most. And while the launch pictures did enough to stun us before the model arrived on our shores, the car looks every bit as good in the flesh.
The flagship model is also the biggest in the family. As such, there are more spaces where the designers could work their brushes, more distinctively the chromed bit running down the A-pillar to flank the bonnet, which gives a characterful touch to car.
And yes, the car you see here is the very same which will appear in our DS feature, and this is as far as I would go to hint about the content (look out for it in the 'Features' segment at a later date).
Younger readers may wonder what all this fuss about the Citroen DS is. A quick search, however, will reveal that the original DS was the trendsetter of its time, scoring big on both popularity and sales charts.
Exterior
The DS5 follows the tracks of its more diminutive siblings, vividly communicating the French flair with its bold lines. Arguably, it is the sheet metal that brings out the character of the DS5 the most. And while the launch pictures did enough to stun us before the model arrived on our shores, the car looks every bit as good in the flesh.
The flagship model is also the biggest in the family. As such, there are more spaces where the designers could work their brushes, more distinctively the chromed bit running down the A-pillar to flank the bonnet, which gives a characterful touch to car.
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The rear, too, is not spared from artistic touches. The humpback silhouette is a reminiscent of the more recent 'shooting brake' bodystyle, albeit carrying its own unique touches such as the roof spoiler. The downside however is that it greatly reduces visibility of the rear windscreen.
 |
Interior
With relatively larger dimensions, the DS5 packs commensurate day-to-day practicality. The rear seats can easily pack three adults with adequate allowances. Fans of the tetris-styled cushions will be glad that they have found their way to the flagship model, and are now present at the backseats too.
The tetris-styled cushions does not look out of place at all
The interior is a bold statement to the French marque's ingenuity and eye-for-style. The three-piece sunroof for instance, adds a novelty touch by allowing different quarters to individually open and close at a touch of the button.
With relatively larger dimensions, the DS5 packs commensurate day-to-day practicality. The rear seats can easily pack three adults with adequate allowances. Fans of the tetris-styled cushions will be glad that they have found their way to the flagship model, and are now present at the backseats too.
The interior is a bold statement to the French marque's ingenuity and eye-for-style. The three-piece sunroof for instance, adds a novelty touch by allowing different quarters to individually open and close at a touch of the button.
The dashboard too, is littered with intrinsic details. Citroen's iteration of heads-up display in the DS5 has virtually taken cue from sci-fi movies - a concave screen which folds up every time the engine is started. Another attention-seeking detail is rectangular timepiece on the dash, which evokes a greater sense of craftsmanship, adding to the sense of occasion.
Intrinsic details on the dashboard makes the overwhleming multitude of buttons forgivable
On the other hand, the multitude of buttons may create confusion for the first time driver, which takes time to get used to. And while most of the frequently used switches lay well within the driver's reach, the 'hazard lamp' is strangely positioned on the far left, feeling a tad out of place.
On the other hand, the multitude of buttons may create confusion for the first time driver, which takes time to get used to. And while most of the frequently used switches lay well within the driver's reach, the 'hazard lamp' is strangely positioned on the far left, feeling a tad out of place.
 |
The Drive
Frankly, we were quite sceptical about how the DS5 is going to drive. The EGS gearbox (Citroen's version of clutch-less manual) in both DS3 and DS4 were quite a handful to master, and we reckon the less seamless transitions would cause more stir in the executive DS5 which is supposed to be more luxurious.
A quick drive in the DS5 soon irons out the worries. Equipped with the marque's six-speed automatic, the cog swops were much smoother. More notably, the DS5 packs adequate punch for daily commutes. The 1.6-litre has been force-fed to churn out 156bhp and 240Nm of torque - good enough to allow the 1.4-tonne car to complete the century sprint in 9.7 seconds.
The 1.6-litre powerplant is capable of keeping up with the pack on highways
While the car is certainly no sprinting elite, it packs nimble handling which defies what is expected of a car this size. The flat-base steering may seem bulky on first look, but it carries a meaty feel to it.
Frankly, we were quite sceptical about how the DS5 is going to drive. The EGS gearbox (Citroen's version of clutch-less manual) in both DS3 and DS4 were quite a handful to master, and we reckon the less seamless transitions would cause more stir in the executive DS5 which is supposed to be more luxurious.
A quick drive in the DS5 soon irons out the worries. Equipped with the marque's six-speed automatic, the cog swops were much smoother. More notably, the DS5 packs adequate punch for daily commutes. The 1.6-litre has been force-fed to churn out 156bhp and 240Nm of torque - good enough to allow the 1.4-tonne car to complete the century sprint in 9.7 seconds.
While the car is certainly no sprinting elite, it packs nimble handling which defies what is expected of a car this size. The flat-base steering may seem bulky on first look, but it carries a meaty feel to it.
Unlike the plush ride, courtesy of complex air suspension systems which earlier Citroen was renowned for, the DS5 comes with a conventional spring setup, which has a firmer setting for a more focused approach. This give rise to a rather mediocre ride quality, which is least expected of a model of such status.
Conclusion
There should be no doubts about the DS5's ability to stand out from the crowd. We reckon this may be the best-looking Citroen of late, and few other cars come close to this aspect.
The flagship's average performance in ride quality may raise a few brows, but isn't enough to tarnish the appeal of the car.
The price point, perhaps, will be the main point to consider.
The trilogy is completed. And no we aren't talking about movies or fictitious works of literature here. It is a varied form of art work, in the automotive sense. Stylish, and inspiring - we can safely say that the DS line of recent has evoked souls of fans and non-fans of automotive alike.
And yes, the car you see here is the very same which will appear in our DS feature, and this is as far as I would go to hint about the content (look out for it in the 'Features' segment at a later date).
Younger readers may wonder what all this fuss about the Citroen DS is. A quick search, however, will reveal that the original DS was the trendsetter of its time, scoring big on both popularity and sales charts.
Exterior
The DS5 follows the tracks of its more diminutive siblings, vividly communicating the French flair with its bold lines. Arguably, it is the sheet metal that brings out the character of the DS5 the most. And while the launch pictures did enough to stun us before the model arrived on our shores, the car looks every bit as good in the flesh.
The flagship model is also the biggest in the family. As such, there are more spaces where the designers could work their brushes, more distinctively the chromed bit running down the A-pillar to flank the bonnet, which gives a characterful touch to car.
And yes, the car you see here is the very same which will appear in our DS feature, and this is as far as I would go to hint about the content (look out for it in the 'Features' segment at a later date).
Younger readers may wonder what all this fuss about the Citroen DS is. A quick search, however, will reveal that the original DS was the trendsetter of its time, scoring big on both popularity and sales charts.
Exterior
The DS5 follows the tracks of its more diminutive siblings, vividly communicating the French flair with its bold lines. Arguably, it is the sheet metal that brings out the character of the DS5 the most. And while the launch pictures did enough to stun us before the model arrived on our shores, the car looks every bit as good in the flesh.
The flagship model is also the biggest in the family. As such, there are more spaces where the designers could work their brushes, more distinctively the chromed bit running down the A-pillar to flank the bonnet, which gives a characterful touch to car.
The rear, too, is not spared from artistic touches. The humpback silhouette is a reminiscent of the more recent 'shooting brake' bodystyle, albeit carrying its own unique touches such as the roof spoiler. The downside however is that it greatly reduces visibility of the rear windscreen.
Interior
With relatively larger dimensions, the DS5 packs commensurate day-to-day practicality. The rear seats can easily pack three adults with adequate allowances. Fans of the tetris-styled cushions will be glad that they have found their way to the flagship model, and are now present at the backseats too.
The interior is a bold statement to the French marque's ingenuity and eye-for-style. The three-piece sunroof for instance, adds a novelty touch by allowing different quarters to individually open and close at a touch of the button.
With relatively larger dimensions, the DS5 packs commensurate day-to-day practicality. The rear seats can easily pack three adults with adequate allowances. Fans of the tetris-styled cushions will be glad that they have found their way to the flagship model, and are now present at the backseats too.
The interior is a bold statement to the French marque's ingenuity and eye-for-style. The three-piece sunroof for instance, adds a novelty touch by allowing different quarters to individually open and close at a touch of the button.
The dashboard too, is littered with intrinsic details. Citroen's iteration of heads-up display in the DS5 has virtually taken cue from sci-fi movies - a concave screen which folds up every time the engine is started. Another attention-seeking detail is rectangular timepiece on the dash, which evokes a greater sense of craftsmanship, adding to the sense of occasion.
On the other hand, the multitude of buttons may create confusion for the first time driver, which takes time to get used to. And while most of the frequently used switches lay well within the driver's reach, the 'hazard lamp' is strangely positioned on the far left, feeling a tad out of place.
On the other hand, the multitude of buttons may create confusion for the first time driver, which takes time to get used to. And while most of the frequently used switches lay well within the driver's reach, the 'hazard lamp' is strangely positioned on the far left, feeling a tad out of place.
The Drive
Frankly, we were quite sceptical about how the DS5 is going to drive. The EGS gearbox (Citroen's version of clutch-less manual) in both DS3 and DS4 were quite a handful to master, and we reckon the less seamless transitions would cause more stir in the executive DS5 which is supposed to be more luxurious.
A quick drive in the DS5 soon irons out the worries. Equipped with the marque's six-speed automatic, the cog swops were much smoother. More notably, the DS5 packs adequate punch for daily commutes. The 1.6-litre has been force-fed to churn out 156bhp and 240Nm of torque - good enough to allow the 1.4-tonne car to complete the century sprint in 9.7 seconds.
While the car is certainly no sprinting elite, it packs nimble handling which defies what is expected of a car this size. The flat-base steering may seem bulky on first look, but it carries a meaty feel to it.
Frankly, we were quite sceptical about how the DS5 is going to drive. The EGS gearbox (Citroen's version of clutch-less manual) in both DS3 and DS4 were quite a handful to master, and we reckon the less seamless transitions would cause more stir in the executive DS5 which is supposed to be more luxurious.
A quick drive in the DS5 soon irons out the worries. Equipped with the marque's six-speed automatic, the cog swops were much smoother. More notably, the DS5 packs adequate punch for daily commutes. The 1.6-litre has been force-fed to churn out 156bhp and 240Nm of torque - good enough to allow the 1.4-tonne car to complete the century sprint in 9.7 seconds.
While the car is certainly no sprinting elite, it packs nimble handling which defies what is expected of a car this size. The flat-base steering may seem bulky on first look, but it carries a meaty feel to it.
Unlike the plush ride, courtesy of complex air suspension systems which earlier Citroen was renowned for, the DS5 comes with a conventional spring setup, which has a firmer setting for a more focused approach. This give rise to a rather mediocre ride quality, which is least expected of a model of such status.
Conclusion
There should be no doubts about the DS5's ability to stand out from the crowd. We reckon this may be the best-looking Citroen of late, and few other cars come close to this aspect.
The flagship's average performance in ride quality may raise a few brows, but isn't enough to tarnish the appeal of the car.
The price point, perhaps, will be the main point to consider.
Conclusion
There should be no doubts about the DS5's ability to stand out from the crowd. We reckon this may be the best-looking Citroen of late, and few other cars come close to this aspect.
The flagship's average performance in ride quality may raise a few brows, but isn't enough to tarnish the appeal of the car.
The price point, perhaps, will be the main point to consider.
Photos by Julian Kho and Nicholas Low
Car Information
Citroen DS5 1.6 THP (A)
CAT B|Petrol|13.7km/L
Horsepower
116kW (156 bhp)
Torque
240 Nm
Acceleration
9.7sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used Citroen DS5
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