Costs & verdict
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
Most DS 9s will end up in the hands of company car drivers, so benefit-in-kind (BIK) car tax rates are arguably a more important consideration than brochure prices.
By plug-in hybrid standards, the E-Tense 225 and 4x4 360 don’t offer particularly cheap tax bills because both have an official electric range of less than 30 miles. The E-Tense 250 will be taxed at a lower rate because of its longer (38-mile) electric range, and falls in the same BIK band as the BMW 5 Series 530e. The Volvo S90 T8 offers cheaper tax bills than both cars, though, thanks to its official electric-only range of up to 56 miles.
Standard equipment is impressive, with even the least expensive Performance Line+ trim getting a whole host of features some rivals do without, including keyless entry. The range-topping Rivoli+, which most buyers are expected to go for, adds adaptive cruise control, massaging front seats and a leather interior.
DS didn’t feature in the 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey, but sibling brands Citroën and Peugeot came in 11th and joint 22nd (out of 30) respectively in the overall manufacturer league table. The DS 9 gets a three-year/60,000-mile warranty on most components, with the drive battery covered for eight years or 100,000 miles. That's par for the course in the luxury car class.
The DS 9 hasn’t been safety tested by Euro NCAP, but the list of standard-fit safety technology includes automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot detection and lane-keeping assistance.
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