DS9 Is France’s Newest Flagship Sedan And It’s Based On The Peugeot 508 L

It’s been half a year since the DS 9 broke cover in China as somewhat of a luxed-up Peugeot 508 L, with the French brand finally unveiling the European version.

It’s pretty obvious that the DS9 is based on the Peugeot 508 L, though DS tried to do all they could to separate the “9” from its sister brand’s sedan, such as having two different shoulder lines and roof lines. There’s also a lot of chrome involved, such as the thick line that graces the hood vertically. That’s a bold design choice, to say the least.

Other design traits include the chrome surrounds for the taillights, the fastback-like silhouette (obviously), and diamond-shaped light graphics at the rear. One thing that did surprise us is that the 9 does not feature frameless door windows like the Peugeot 508, which is a curious choice since most people view this type of setup as classy or even luxurious when it comes to family cars.

The interior of the DS 9 features Peugeot’s ergonomic automatic gear selector, two massive displays (gauge cluster plus infotainment screen) that look identical to the ones in the DS 7 Crossback, as well as the latter’s steering wheel. It’s certainly more plush than any Peugeot-branded car out there, but whether buyers will resonate with the DS 9 as opposed to premium alternatives from Germany, remains to be seen.

The DS 9 is equipped with a multitude of impressive features, such as the Active Scan Suspension, heated, cooled and massaging seats with built-in USB ports, Drive Assist for Level 2 semi-autonomous driving at speeds of up to 111 mph (180 km/h), Park Pilot, DS Safety (Night Vision, Driver Attention Monitoring, Active LED Vision, Blind Spot Monitoring, Automatic Emergency Braking and Extended Traffic Sign Recognition) and DS Smart Access.

With the latter, you can almost forget you own a key to your car, as you’ll be able to grant your smartphone access to your vehicle. Also, when you approach the car, the flush door handles deploy like they would on a Tesla.

“DS 9 launches a new interior. This is a desire to assert a vertical architecture which is both an expression of stature and elegance. The verticality accentuates the perception of width. The low seating and roofline strengthen the impression of the horizontal. This is accompanied by the elaborate positioning of lighting which scrolls from the doors towards the dashboard with eight different color shades,” explained DS design boss, Thierry Metroz.

DS also added a Focal Electra sound system, and will give buyers the chance to personalize the car through ‘DS Inspirations’ where you can choose between multiple interior themes named after famous quarters in Paris.

Initially, the DS 9 will be offered with a new E-TENSE plug-in hybrid powertrain, featuring a PureTech turbocharged petrol unit working alongside an electric motor for a total of 225 HP. It will also be able to travel between 25 and 31 miles (40 – 50 km) on battery power alone thanks to the 11.9 kWh unit. The powertrain also houses an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Shortly after launch, there will come two additional E-TENSE power units, one with 250 HP, 2WD and more range, and another with 360 HP and intelligent 4WD. Chinese buyers will get the 250 HP E-TENSE version from launch.

Measuring 4,933 mm (194.2 in) in length, 1,855 mm (73 in) in width, 1,468 mm (57.8 in) in height and boasting a 2,895 mm (114 in) long wheelbase, the DS 9 is nearly as long and wide as a BMW 5-Series. Its wheelbase however is a bit shorter than what you get with your run-of-the-mill premium midsize German saloon.

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