First Drive: The DS No8 is a comfortable but left-field choice

Premium EVs are becoming a popular choice among buyers here in the UK, with the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes all offering prestige and comfort in an electric package.

However, the French have always been one of the pioneers when it comes to luxury and the posh sub-brand of Citroen, DS, is beginning to take the electric era very seriously.

Welcome to the DS No8, the firm’s poshest model yet to take on the Audi Q4 e-tron, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model Y.

But, is it an SUV, coupe, coupe SUV or saloon and are any of them good? Well, we’ve been finding out.

The No8 is the trailblazer for DS’ new naming strategy, with the new No4 to follow later this year.

The car features electric power and promises to offer best-in-class driving ranges from its battery packs.

Under the skin, the car sits on Stellantis’ STLA Medium platform, which is the same as you’ll find in the Peugeot E-3008 and Vauxhall Grandland Electric.

But, the interior design is all new, featuring unique details and sustainable materials to make the cabin feel as luxurious as a DS should be.

DS offers the No8 with a choice of two battery packs of 73.7kWh or a larger 97.2kWh unit.

We’re driving the latter setup which comes with a single electric motor that produces a total of 241bhp and 343Nm of torque. In terms of acceleration, the car can sprint from 0-60mph in 7.6 seconds and the car will go all the way to 118mph.

But, where the car really stands out is with its electric driving range. DS claims that the No8 with this setup can travel up to 466 miles between trips to the plug and that 200kW DC rapid charging is compatible, taking the car from a 20 to 80 per cent top up in 27 minutes.

There is also an all-wheel-drive version of this powertrain that boosts power to 345bhp and 509Nm of torque. Zero to 60mph is dealt with in 5.2 seconds and the car will reach the same top speed of 118mph. The manufacturer claims this variant has an electric range of up to 427 miles.

Considering the No8’s sheer size, it’s actually a really pleasant thing to drive.

Around twisty sections of road, the car handles really well with the steering nicely weighted to make it feel a lot more composed. The ride is very smooth and the overall experience is quiet, refined and relaxing, thanks to the acoustic glass – exactly what you’d want from a large French car.

However, push a bit harder and you can feel the car’s 2.2 tonne weight in the corners as the car begins to run out of grip, while the X-shaped steering wheel doesn’t feel natural to hold and the rear visibility is limited due to the narrow back window.

Also, around town, the car’s regenerative braking allows you to travel using just one pedal, however in its highest setting, it feels far too grabby and overly assisted which makes driving a little bit jerky.

The exterior design features lots of bold angles. At the front, there are vertical LED daytime running lights and on top-spec models get an illuminated front grille and DS logo.

The side profile features a sloping roof design to reflect on its coupe-esque design, flush front door handles and hidden rear ones to give the car a cleaner look.

The lower body of the car is finished off in gloss black and at the back the vertical LED lights continue with a seamlessly integrated curved rear spoiler on the tailgate as well as model and brand-specific lettering too.

Also, you can get the car with a two-tone contrasting roof, giving it an even classier image.

The No8’s interior has its own distinctive feel that makes the whole cabin feel quite special.

You’re immediately drawn to the X-shaped steering wheel, while there is a 16-inch touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster and a seamless dashboard design.

You won’t find any chrome inside the cabin, as DS has turned its attention to offering more sustainable materials such as Alcantara, aluminium and vegan-friendly Nappa leather.

In terms of storage, the floating centre console features a cup holder, split centre armrest and large cut out bin beneath. The door bins are of a decent size and the glove box is capacious too.

Space in the back is mixed. Legroom is impressive, however you can’t slide your feet under the front seats, and the sloping roof line really eats into headroom – which is made worse if you go for the optional glass roof like on our test car.

However, there’s no shortage of space in the boot with the car offering 620 litres, however DS has not revealed the total capacity with the 40:20:40 split seats folded down at this stage.

DS offers the car with a choice of two trim levels being the Pallas and Etoile.

We’re driving the entry-level Pallas which starts from £50,790 or £54,690 like our test with the Long Range battery. All models come with heated front seats, front and rear laminated acoustic glass, 20-inch alloy wheels and a wireless smartphone charger.

The flagship Etoile comes in at £54,790 or £63,290 for the all-wheel-drive variant and boasts extras such as comfort seats with DS’ neckwarmer built into the front seats, a digital rearview mirror and a 360-degree camera.

All models come with an energy-saving heat pump as standard and for an additional cost you can have the 3D Electra HiFi 690-watt premium sound system which gives you 14 speakers, and built-in tweeters on the front door cards if you’re into your music.

The No8 has a confused personality, it doesn’t offer the high driving position of an SUV and looks more like a premium saloon that has a bit more ground clearance.

But, either way, if you look at what the DS has to offer, it’s an impressive package. Its luxurious interior coupled together with a decent driving experience and excellent electric driving range makes this a rather complete car.

However, with prices starting at over £50,000, it’s still expensive to buy with the competition having a more premium band image for similar money. For that reason, it’s difficult to predict whether the No8 will be a success or another French flop.