The DS 3 is back with a new look, new kit and new engines as part of the bourgeoning French brand’s attempt to crack into the luxury car market.
Although it’s based on the same underpinnings as its Citroen-badged predecessor, the new DS 3 features a brand new deep-set front end that now sports a DS logo in place of the Citroen chevrons.
Swept-back headlights which combine LED and Xenon technology also sit on the revised front, with twin chrome-finished wings that sweep under the fog lights and wrap around the grille.
Three million personalisation options
The car’s design team has worked hard to retain the original car’s look, with the same floating roof, two-tone colour schemes and ‘shark fin’ C-pillars carried over from the previous version.
According to DS, more than three million personalisation options are available, with a choice of 78 body/roof paint finishes, new alloy wheels and new interior upholsteries that include Nappa leather.
Inside, the DS 3 has room for three adults in the back and up to 285 litres worth of boot space, while the Cabrio version’s roof can be fully opened and closed even at motorway speeds.
New equipment includes a seven-inch touchscreen with a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors and Mirror Screen functionality which supports Apple CarPlay and Android MirrorLink.
New equipment and engines
The new DS 3 also now comes with the Active City Brake safety feature, which can automatically engage the brakes if the car senses an impending collision with an object at speeds of up to 18mph.
Engine options include a choice of three Puretech three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engines, with outputs of 81bhp, 108bhp and 128bhp, plus a larger 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol with 163bhp.
Drivers can also specify a choice of two BlueHDi diesel motors with either 99bhp or 118bhp, while a six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard along with a new six-speed automatic as an option.
The cleanest option is the 99bhp diesel, which emits just 87g/km of CO2, but the most exciting news is the addition of a new DS 3 Performance variant, which aims to inject extra sportiness to the range.
DS 3 Performance hot hatch
Powered by a 205bhp version of the 1.6-litre petrol engine, the new DS 3 Performance comes with a manual gearbox with shorter ratios than the standard models and a Torsen limited-slip differential.
Lower to the ground and with a wider track than the regular DS 3, the Performance variant also comes with larger Brembo brakes and styling tweaks like a twin-exit tailpipe and flared wheel arches.
Carbon fibre side moulding and different sill plates complete the look, alongside bucket seats upholstered in leather and Alcantara, plus special ‘DS Performance’ embroidery inside.
Prices for the new DS 3 range are yet to be confirmed, though DS is due to release more information next month ahead of first deliveries which are expected in April.