Item: DS 3 Crossback E-Tense
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

The all-electric E-Tense feels the strongest on the road and is very refined, too. It's an expensive option, but at least range is decent at around 140 miles in the real world. It's more comfortable and quicker than other versions too, making it our pick of the range.

100kW E-TENSE

Hatchback

DS has only existed as a standalone manufacturer since 2015&nbsp;(prior to that the badge was used on upmarket&nbsp;Citroëns), but it is now the premium brand in the PSA Group, which also includes&nbsp;Citroën, Peugeot and Vauxhall.

In 2018, DS stated that it planned to launch a new model every year, with all of these influenced by the French fashion industry and&nbsp;designed&nbsp;to take on the ubiquitous offerings of Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

First to arrive (that same year) was the&nbsp;DS 7 Crossback – a large SUV that competes with the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. Then in 2019 this was followed by the smaller DS3 Crossback SUV, which is not only available&nbsp;with petrol and diesel engines, but also in fully electric E-Tense form.

More recently, DS&nbsp;unveiled its answer to the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class luxury saloons. And while this DS 9 won't now go on sale until 2021, when it does arrive it will be offered with a choice of petrol, hybrid and fully electric power.

DS 3

Performance Line builds on base Elegance trim with Alcantara trim, heated electrically folding door mirrors, dark 17in alloy wheels, tinted rear windows and sports pedals. This trim is the entry-point for the all-electric E-Tense.

Performance Line builds on base Elegance trim with Alcantara trim, heated electrically folding door mirrors, dark 17in alloy wheels, tinted rear windows and sports pedals. This trim is the entry-point for the all-electric E-Tense.

Performance Line

100kW E-TENSE Performance Line 50kWh 5dr Auto

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Audi E-tron GT

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Citroën e-C4

DS 3 Crossback E-Tense

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Nissan Leaf

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Vauxhall Corsa-e

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

As a product of the PSA Group’s ‘premium’ brand, the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense doesn’t come cheap. It’s priced roughly in line with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/e-niro/estate/review/n18388">Kia e-Niro</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a>, and is much more expensive than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mg-motor-uk/zs-ev/hatchback/review/n20171">MG ZS EV</a>. It is substantially cheaper than the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/hatchback/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3</a>, though.

Unlike the regular DS 3 Crossback, the E-Tense isn't offered in a basic&nbsp;trim level; the range kicks off with relatively plush Performance Line trim. Alongside the infotainment features we mentioned earlier, Performance Line gives you lashings of faux suede and&nbsp;a perforated, leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrasting stitching, as well as&nbsp;dual-zone climate control. Prestige trim adds more luxury and convenience, but at this point the E-Tense starts getting really rather pricey.

DS didn’t feature in the latest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-uks-most-and-least-reliable-car-makes/n20069">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, but sister brand Citroën finished a disappointing 22nd out of 31 manufacturers. The E-Tense comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is pretty standard for the class, although the battery is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles – whichever comes first.

The regular DS 3 Crossback received&nbsp;an impressive five-star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/euro-ncap-safety-ratings-2019-%E2%80%93-how-safe-is-your-car/n17044">Euro NCAP</a>&nbsp;score, so it's likely the E-Tense will also protect you well in an accident. All versions comes with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">automatic emergency braking (AEB)</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-new-car-technology-that-could-save-your-life/n17548">lane-keeping assistance</a>, traffic sign recognition and a speed limiter as standard.

From a performance point of view, it can’t quite match the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a> or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/e-niro/estate/review/n18388">Kia e-Niro</a>. The E-Tense's&nbsp;134bhp falls some way short of the 201bhp produced those rivals&nbsp;so, unsurprisingly, acceleration is more sedate. Still, 0-62mph in 8.7sec will be quick enough for most people. And it doesn't&nbsp;only feel nippy around town; getting up to motorway speeds is a stressless affair, too.

As with any electric car, when you lift off the accelerator pedal, regenerative braking returns&nbsp;some energy to the battery&nbsp;that would otherwise be wasted.&nbsp;There are two levels regenerative braking aggressiveness to choose from, but even the stronger&nbsp;mode doesn’t allow one-pedal driving like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/leaf/hatchback/review/n17338">Nissan Leaf</a> can offer. The brake pedal feel is inconsistent, too, and will take some getting used to – especially&nbsp;if you haven't&nbsp;driven an electric car before.

If you haven't done so, though, you’ll be really impressed by the absence of engine noise in the E-Tense; this puts it at an immediate advantage over rattly diesel versions of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ds/ds-3-crossback/hatchback/review/n19063">3 Crossback</a>. There is a subtle sci-fi whirr but it's far from unpleasant and you'll have to really listen to hear it a lot of the time.&nbsp;There’s also more sound deadening in the E-Tense than in fossil-fuelled versions, so it’s quieter at a cruise. That said, you can still hear some wind noise from around the windscreen pillars at motorway speeds along with quite a bit of road noise on coarse surfaces.

If you're a keen driver, the E-Tense is unlikely to hold much appeal. The steering isn't as precise as an e-Niro's&nbsp;and there's considerable body lean in tight twists and turns so,&nbsp;even though grip levels are reasonable,&nbsp;driving the E-Tense in a spirited manner isn’t a rewarding experience.

Soft suspension does lead to a mostly comfortable ride, though. When you first set off, you’ll notice a pleasant waft, if a slight feeling of floatiness along undulating B roads. Unfortunately, the E-Tense doesn't deal with potholes, expansion joints and other sharp-edged obstacles particularly well. Hit one at even moderate speeds and you'll hear a thwack from the suspension and feel a shudder as the suspension struggles to cope with the sudden shock. The e-Niro is far more composed and more comfortable as a result.

Perhaps of most importance&nbsp;to many electric car buyers is the issue of range (or how far you can travel between charges), and there’s mixed news on that front. The battery’s 50kWh capacity is smaller than those of some rivals&nbsp;and&nbsp;won’t take you as far as an e-Niro can, but the E-Tense can still officially manage a&nbsp;respectable 200 miles between charges. Although we're yet to put the E-Tense through our scientific&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-car-real-range-which-electric-car-can-go-farthest-in-the-real-world/n18159">Real Range</a>&nbsp;test, early experience suggests 140 miles should be easily achievable – even if you have to venture onto the motorway for a bit. That's farther&nbsp;than you'll get in the cheaper <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mg-motor-uk/zs-ev/hatchback/review/n20171">MG ZS EV</a>.

When it’s time to charge up, the E-Tense&nbsp;can be taken from 0-80%&nbsp;in just half an hour if you can find a 100kW public rapid charger, although these are more commonplace in&nbsp;Europe than&nbsp;in the UK. Meanwhile, a full charge (0-100%) from a 7kW home charger takes around 7.5 hours.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

This entry-level petrol engine is the cheapest option, but can feel a little flat out of town.

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1.2 PureTech

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1.5 BlueHDi 110

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This is our favourite internal-combustion engine as it combines decent performance with reasonable running costs.

1.2 PureTech 130

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Only available in Ultra Prestige trim, it's quick but doesn't feel as strong low-down as similarly powerful rivals such as the Audi Q2 35 TFSI. We'd stick to the Puretech 130.

1.2 PureTech 155

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OUR PICK

100kw-e-tense

How do you remain relevant as a car maker in this day and age? Simple: you introduce either an SUV or an electric car. It could be a stroke of genius, then, that the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is both of those things.

Intrigued by the name? Well, in French, the word ‘tense’ is associated with atmosphere, situation, time and silence; words that paint a picture of&nbsp;what the E-Tense is billed to be all about.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Flpi8cdmAss"></iframe>

As with the regular fossil-fuelled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ds/ds-3-crossback/hatchback/review/n19063">DS 3 Crossback</a> line-up, there are several trim levels to&nbsp;choose from, but only one electric motor and battery combination. Only the really observant will notice that the badge on the bonnet is different;&nbsp;the rest of the exterior is pretty much unchanged over the regular DS 3 Crossback.&nbsp;

As the French PSA group’s ‘premium’ brand, DS gets first dibs on most new technology and benefits from the combined electric car knowhow of Citroën and Peugeot. That’s just as well&nbsp;because the E-Tense finds itself up against some very capable rivals, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a>&nbsp;and a former <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/awards/">What Car? Car of the Year</a>,&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/e-niro/estate/review/n18388">Kia e-Niro</a>. It’s fair to say, then, that DS has big ambitions for its first electric car.

So, has going electric made the E-Tense&nbsp;more recommendable than regular petrol and diesel versions of the DS 3 Crossback? Find out by reading our detailed review. And, when your mind is made up, head over to our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ds/ds-3/hatchback/deals?fuelType=electric">New Car Buying</a> pages to take the hassle out of buying your next set of wheels at a fair price.

The E-Tense's extrovert exterior is matched by an equally eye-catching interior, which&nbsp;makes the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/e-niro/estate/review/n18388">Kia e-Niro’s</a> look as interesting as a caretaker's cupboard. DS clearly dug out its most imaginative mood boards, because the dashboard has an unusual layout, with a tessellated pattern of diamond-shaped, touch-sensitive buttons and controls.

Indeed, look around the interior and you'll see a diamond theme just about everywhere, from the air vents to the speakers. Unfortunately, while this makes for a&nbsp;glamorous&nbsp;and unique design, it doesn’t translate to a particularly intuitive user experience.

Those&nbsp;touch-sensitive buttons provide no&nbsp;confirmation when you&nbsp;press them, tempting you to make a second attempt that will sometimes frustratingly cancel your initial stab. You’ll eventually get used to this quirk, but there’s no doubt that the e-Niro’s conventional controls are far more user-friendly.

We prefer the e-Niro’s infotainment system, too. The E-Tense Performance Line gets a 7.0in touchscreen (higher trims have a&nbsp;10.0in version)&nbsp;and all versions come with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194/">Android Auto</a> smartphone mirroring, along with a DAB radio. However, the system is generally fiddly to operate and there's often a lengthy delay between you pressing the screen and anything actually happening.

Meanwhile, the digital instrument display behind the steering wheel is small but crisp, with handy readouts telling you how much battery charge you have left and your approximate remaining range – along with sat nav instructions and plenty of other information.&nbsp;

Most of the interior materials&nbsp;are suitably plush. There are plenty of soft-touch areas around the dashboard, even if materials lower down are more durable than they are tactile. Everything feels well screwed together for the most part, too, although overall build quality is still a step below that of the e-Niro.

There’s plenty of adjustment in the driving position, but neither electric seat adjustment nor adjustable lumbar support is offered on any E-Tense. The seats themselves are soft and fairly comfy initially, but not that supportive in corners and some will find them on the narrow side. Although you don't tower over other cars in the E-Tense, you do feel noticeably higher than you would in a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/e208/hatchback/review/n20228">Peugeot e-208</a>, for instance.

However, visibility&nbsp;is poor for the class. The E-Tense's&nbsp;chunky front pillars and the kink in the side window-line obstruct&nbsp;your view around corners and when looking left or right, while the thick rear pillars have the same effect on&nbsp;rearward vision. At least rear parking sensors are standard, with a rear-view camera optional.

Best version of the DS 3 Crossback, but&nbsp;the Kia e-Niro is still a&nbsp;much better buy

DS 3 E-Tense

There’s a decent amount of space in the front, with enough head and leg room for even tall drivers to stretch out. Storage space is less generous, though;&nbsp;the door pockets are small and their rearmost extremes are awkward to reach, while the cubby under the centre armrest isn’t that big, either.

In the back, passenger space is poor compared with the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/e-niro/estate/review/n18388">Kia e-Niro</a>. There isn't much leg room, especially&nbsp;if someone tall is sitting in the seat in front, and the downward-sloping roofline eats up head space. Kids will be fine, but six-footers won't want to ride in the back for too long – especially since the tiny rear windows make the whole experience even&nbsp;more claustrophobic.

The rear seats split and fold in the standard 60/40 configuration, but they don't slide back and forth. Nor is boot space particularly impressive:&nbsp;the E-Tense won't swallow anywhere near as much luggage as an e-Niro, making the latter a better choice if you need to lug around bulky items, such as buggies or sets of golf clubs. There's also a considerable lip to negotiate and the boot entrance.

Montmartre

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Bastille

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performance-line

Performance Line +

Rivoli

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Louvre

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Going electric has fixed some of the weak points of the 3 Crossback – but not all of them. It’s quieter, for example, and a little less fractious along bumpy roads. Objectively, though, rivals such as the Kia e-Niro have a longer range, are better to drive and are much more practical.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals. These cars qualify for the maximum plug-in car grant (PICG) of £3500.

The Renault Zoe is one of the most affordable options and has a surprisingly long range of between 120 and 180 miles (depending on the weather and the road type). However, the Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen e-Golf are more practical and more accomplished to drive, even if the latter doesn't have a particularly long range between charges.

At the other end of the scale, Tesla’s ground-up EV philosophy – and the American brand’s own network of super-fast chargers – makes the Model S a tempting choice. It has seating for up to seven, an classy interior and a long enough real-world range to make inter-city travel a real possibility.

Electric

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Running costs that won’t break the bank </li> <li>Generous kit</li> <li>Pokey engine and tidy handling</li> <li>Spacious interior</li> <li>Boot big enough to cope with family life</li></ul>

The car-buying public has fallen in love with small SUVs, or crossovers as they’re often called, with thousands turning away from conventional hatchbacks in favour of something that rides that little bit higher.

The original baby SUV is the Nissan Juke, which remains a popular choice, but there are plenty of better rivals to consider instead. We’d recommend you look at either the Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq, because they offer&nbsp;a great blend of practicality and value that keeps them&nbsp;clear of the opposition. Equally, if you’ve got more money to spend, the Audi Q2 and Volkswagen T-Roc&nbsp;are both fine choices.&nbsp;

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DS 3 Crossback E-Tense review

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Buying advice for the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

As a product of the PSA Group’s ‘premium’ brand, the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense doesn’t come cheap. It’s priced roughly in line with the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona Electric, and is much more expensive than the MG ZS EV. It is substantially cheaper than the Tesla Model 3, though.,Unlike the regular DS 3 Crossback, the E-Tense isn't offered in a basic trim level; the range kicks off with relatively plush Performance Line trim. Alongside the infotainment features we mentioned earlier, Performance Line gives you lashings of faux suede and a perforated, leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrasting stitching, as well as dual-zone climate control. Prestige trim adds more luxury and convenience, but at this point the E-Tense starts getting really rather pricey.,DS didn’t feature in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, but sister brand Citroën finished a disappointing 22nd out of 31 manufacturers. The E-Tense comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is pretty standard for the class, although the battery is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles – whichever comes first.,The regular DS 3 Crossback received an impressive five-star Euro NCAP score, so it's likely the E-Tense will also protect you well in an accident. All versions comes with automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition and a speed limiter as standard.,

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