It’s a mouthful, because we’re going to talk about the DS 7 E-Tense 300 4×4 Performance Line+, which we will hereafter abbreviate as a DS7 E-Tense for convenience. Formally, it should actually still have plug-in Hybrid behind it. A luxury car that could certainly receive a little more attention. Not only because of the luxury and styling, but certainly also in terms of its performance.
We drove no fewer than 3 road trips with this DS7 E-Tense through the most popular wine regions in France. Burgundy (La Route des Grand Crus), the Chablis region (read our tips on Travelvalley) and Beaujolais slightly further south. Apart from the trip to the Chablis wine region, about 130 km from the heart of Burgundy, we drove almost the entire route sustainably. This means that we almost exclusively used the electric drive.
DS 7 E-Tense ‘the new premium’
The DS 7 E-Tense hangs a bit above many models of its current owner. DS was already the luxury brand under the old PSA flag. The brand was clearly above its Citroën and Peugeot relatives in terms of finish, execution and luxury. Of course he had matching DNA, but all with just a little more luxury. Sometimes taken a bit too far in some parts, but that is more of a personal thing. Design is something you can enjoy when you see it, and at DS they are clearly specialized in that.
You can effortlessly place the DS Automotive models next to comparable models (model and price level) from German brands, among others. Premium with a level-headedness that suits the times. The concept is also becoming increasingly difficult to interpret for consumers. The concept of premium can better be divided into the (new) premium and platinum for the very highest class. Not very strange because there are already quite a few models on the road with a title of the ‘platinum edition’. In our opinion, the DS 7 E-Tense is the ‘new premium’ model.
PHEV or Hybrid remains a great alternative
We currently see in the automotive industry that many media are tap dancing in the latest electric models of Chinese origin. New brands that are making their mark with mainly large and fairly luxurious models. They are the game-changers that shake up the market and are often placed directly opposite the Tesla generation. A generation that can be described as fully electric and that mainly wages a marketing battle on price, that elusive range and version, but in many cases without any reputation or history.
However, we forget that a PHEV or Hybrid is still a great alternative. Especially if, like our DS 7 E-TENSE 300 4×4 Performance Line+ (we will write it out in full one more time), it is equipped with an additional electric drive and a 14.2 kWh lithium-ion battery. This is enough to allow you to drive sustainably between 50 and 70 km, depending on the circumstances and driving style.
The range of the DS 7 was more than sufficient to allow us to drive fully electrically (and sustainably) during our road trips in Chablis, Burgundy and Beaujolais. With the speed of a 7.4 kW charger (you will encounter plenty of these along the way) you will be back to 100% in two hours.
Fully electric driving during a road trip but also in your area
The aforementioned road trips in the large Burgundy region, which were alternated with visits to wineries and other accommodation locations, offered plenty of opportunities to continuously recharge the DS 7 E-Tense. It was even a pleasant surprise that we had free charging stations at almost all locations where we spent the night. Sometimes from Tesla and Porsche in the more luxurious locations, but also from completely unknown real estate agencies.
It ensured that every road trip was completed silently and sustainably. And that immediately means driving in your own region. Driving a PHEV is in many cases a great alternative if the distances are not long and especially if you have a home charging station. If you also have solar panels and a smart charging station (with insight into charging rates), then you have the best alternative to a 100% electric version.
You have to experience DS 7 E-Tense yourself
It may all sound so obvious when you read it, because my personal opinion is about this DS 7 E-Tense. A car that I just see in my driveway. Spacious and with unprecedented luxury and driving support. Fast and powerful and with a battery capacity that is sufficient to drive fully electric often and regularly.
DS Automobiles, popular in their home country for good reason, also deserves a lot more attention in our country. It is a car that you have to experience for yourself, not an alternative to a ‘vehicle’ with an as yet unknown reputation. It’s the other way around, they are the alternative to a DS and similar counterparts. A compliment that we will continue to repeat in the coming years because every road trip driven with the DS 7 E-Tense was truly a party. To be continued.
Want to know more about our road trips with DS:
- The ultimate wine route through Burgundy in 35 photos (Link)
- La Route des Grand Crus: the most beautiful road trip through Burgundy: 16 beautiful stops (Link)
- The 15 most beautiful places on the Beaujolais Wine Route:
La Route des Vins du Beaujolais (Link) - The best tips to discover the Chablis wine region (Link)
- Vaux-en-Beaujolais or Clochemerle, a place of pilgrimage because of a public urinal (Link)
We also did a road trip through the Beaujolais and the Maconnais in collaboration with DS:
- The art of Travel with a DS 9 (Link)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti meet-up with a DS 7
During our road trip through Burgundy we went looking for the vineyards of Romanée-Conti. This is one of the most prestigious and sought after wines in the world. It is an almost impossible to find Grand Cru vineyard in the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy. The wine that comes from this vineyard is considered one of the best and most expensive wines in the world due to its exceptional quality and limited production. And to find him you only have one clue. A stone in a wall. #check
About the DS 7 E-TENSE 300 4×4 Performance Line+
The four-wheel drive DS 7 E-Tense 4×4 300 has a plug-in hybrid powertrain with an electric motor and a petrol engine with a maximum power of 221 kW (300 hp) and a torque of 520 Nm. The fully electric top speed is 135 km/h. The electric motor ensures that in practice you can effortlessly drive between 50 and 70 km. Those who like to be fast don’t have to worry because the DS 7 E-Tense jumps from a standstill to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. There is no arguing about taste, but our preference for this DS 7 is really 19-21 inch rims, with 20″ being the nicest alternative (see below).
The version we drove was further equipped with: DS Drive Assist + Lane Positioning Assist, DS Driver Attention Monitoring+, 360 Vision+ and DS Night Vision. Musical support was provided thanks to a HiFi System from Focal and, because it was summer, it was equipped with a panoramic sliding and tilting roof (recommended).
The old DS feeling of floating over the road
The DS Pixel LED Vision 3.0 headlights are a story in themselves. Not only beautiful, but with an overdose of functionality that you will experience especially when it is dark. Just like the DS Active Scan Suspension system. In plain English, this is a camera-controlled damping system which ensures that each individual wheel is adjusted based on the irregularities in the road surface. It literally creates the famous DS feeling when fries still cost a quarter. Floating over the road with the caveat that the bigger the wheels the less you float, yes.
The DS 7 E-Tense is available in the colors Lacquered Gray (the version we drove), Sapphire Blue, metallic Platinum Gray and with pearlescent paint Perla Nera Black, Crystal Pearl and Pearl White. It is nice to have it equipped with a Gloss Black window frame and roof rails.
