DS No8

Previously, DS models were so French and so fashionable that they appealed only to the true Francophile. It took outsiders some time and empathy to see the charm. With the No8, things are different: the model appeals immediately and is the first to convince of an entirely new generation of DS cars. Also special: the No8 is more extravagant than DS's previous models, while still appealing to a wider audience.

The No8 owes its unusual appearance to its basic shape. The No8 is taller than a traditional sedan, but lower than an SUV. Strictly speaking, it is therefore a "crossover", but one with the roofline of a coupé. The large wheels and small glass area give the No8 a tough and muscular look. The upright slats of the grille give it the distinguished look of a high-end car.

DS has spent years working on unique colours that, with the right hue and sparkle, do full justice to the lines. When two-tone paint is chosen, not simply the top is black and the bottom of the car is in the chosen colour. Only the middle of the bonnet has a contrasting shade, the outer edges do not. Until now, only brands from the absolute top segment offered something like this, but by colouring the No8 with a print head (i.e. not a paint sprayer), DS can now offer this too.

Thanks to the fancy decoration, the No8 looks much bigger than it actually is. In fact, the No8 is the same size as a Tesla Model Y or Ford Mustang MACH-E, but judging by its looks, this looks like a car from a much higher segment. Despite this, the No8 costs about the same as the aforementioned competitors.

Interior and space

As usual with DS, the cabin is a true work of art, but here too the No8 manages to appeal to a wider target group than before. Four diverse styles are available: from fashionable French (dark blue Alcantara) through classic British (brown leather) to modern and worldly (grey and blue faux leather). This goes far beyond the upholstery, however. For instance, the door panels have several laser-cut speaker grilles, which stand out like works of art. The centre tunnel has two levels, with the upper one again featuring unusual patterns and really presenting the No8 as a premium product.

Thanks to the above-average build, entry is also slightly higher than average. The front seats have only limited height adjustment and therefore the seat is higher than in a sedan and lower than in an SUV. The diagonal spokes of the steering wheel look very original, but make a perfect ten-by-two position difficult. The seating position and grip on the steering wheel therefore require some familiarisation/adjustment from the driver.

Because of the low roofline, DS has reclined the rear seats a little more than the front seats and therefore the space in the rear is also adequate. However, because of the batteries under the floor, space for the rear passengers' feet is moderate. The boot is deep and wide, but not high. There is no extra storage space ("frunk") under the bonnet, unfortunately.

Equipment

Despite the extravagant design, the ergonomics are thoughtful. DS opts for a slim display in the middle of the dashboard. The layout of the audio, communication and navigation system has been adapted accordingly, as as much information as possible is displayed side by side. Thanks to a link with ChatGPT, the driver always has access to a smart assistant. Those who do not want this, and other online functions, can turn on a "privacy mode" that temporarily halts all communication with the outside world. And so it should be: the DS offers functions and it is up to the user to choose whether they are active or not.

The design of the menus is, of course, entirely in style with the rest of the car. A nice touch here: when the colour of the dashboard lighting is changed, the menus and graphics on the central display change colour along with it.

As usual with DS, the audio system is provided by French specialist Focal. The sound is clear and impeccable, so it does not tire easily (if filters and dynamic mode are switched off).

Electric vehcile

The No8 is intended as a luxury vehcile for travelling long distances. That's why DS has done a lot of work on the aerodynamics. This ensures less driving noise and lower fuel consumption. Even parts that seem decorative, such as the unusual shape of the headlights and the tight-fitting wheel arches, actually contribute to the favourable streamline.

DS offers a choice of two batteries, for standard (572 km) or extra-long (750 km) range. There is also a choice of front-wheel drive (245 hp) and all-wheel drive (350 hp). Because the No8 is very heavy, and to protect the driver from himself, power is built up gradually. On paper, the all-wheel-drive version is much faster than the front-wheel-drive version, but in practice the difference is small. In fact, the two-wheel-drive version feels lighter and is therefore preferable.

In addition, the consumption of the four-wheel-drive No8 is particularly high (test consumption 22.3 kWh / 100 km) while the two-wheel-drive version is almost unrealistically economical (test consumption 14.3 kWh / 100 km). This low consumption makes for a great range (750 km on paper, 645 km in practice). Because of its cheap Chinese rivals, DS opts for 400-volt technology. As a result, the battery is less quick to charge (maximum 160 kW), but the price is competitive. As far as Autozine is concerned, this is a smart choice, because in practice electric cars are charged when parked for longer periods and fast charging is only needed during unusually long trips.

To further reduce consumption, the driver can control in three steps how much the No8 decelerates when releasing the accelerator and thus how much energy is recovered during braking and coasting. On top of that, a one-pedal mode is available. Then it suffices to depress the pedal deeper to accelerate and release it to brake (to a standstill if desired). This is easy to dose in practice, so it does not come at the expense of comfort. Very clever: even with a full battery, the No8 also brakes on the motor, so the response to the accelerator is always the same.

Driving characteristics

With the arrival of the No8, DS only offers electric cars and therefore the platform could be optimised for electric driving. This is reflected in the streamline, the sound insulation, the fine-tuning of the mechanics and thus the driving characteristics. The driving characteristics are perhaps the biggest surprise of this introduction to DS' new flagship model!

Because the No8 looks bigger than it is, the car feels surprisingly agile. At the same time, DS chooses not to disguise the car's high weight. The No8 feels heavy (the all-wheel-drive version more so than the two-wheel-drive version) and therefore definitely does not invite sporty driving. When the electronics can do their job (clear view for the camera reading the road surface/moderate speed), the No8 actually makes driving easy and that creates the superior feeling that comes with a car like this.

Conclusion

The introduction to the DS No8 was a pleasant surprise. The new flagship model from DS Automobiles not only looks extraordinary, but exceeds expectations even with its other qualities. Because the No8 looks much bigger and more stately than it is, this crossover is unexpectedly agile. Yet, DS explicitly opts for quietness and comfort. The No8 is silent, performs with ease and has a huge range, which makes for a superior feel.

Thanks to the special design of the exterior and interior, occupants always have the privileged feeling of driving something special. As compared to previous models, the No8 is more mature, more refined and at the same time even more stylish. The No8 is less French than before and more worldly to appeal to a wider audience than just Francophiles.

Thanks to thoughtful design in terms of technology, the price is competitive. This allows the No8 to compete with the German premium brands as well as Chinese newcomers.