Citroen's DS5 - An Upmarket Move That Failed Spectacularly! 

The DS5 is an underrated car that can rack up huge mileage in diesel guise. Worth looking at if you are on a budget and want something different as a used car.

Well I have owned a white DS5 for 5 years,I bought it second hand,it has the 165hp diesel engine and it is the longest I have owned a car,it drives great, it has never failed a MOT,in fact has had no advisories,I love the shape of it,I have the two toned seats a expensive option at the time,this was a concept car in the 2010 Paris motor show,and Citroen put it into production with minor changes,and it looks so good it is different,they are a rare car to see on the road,which is great,I love the glass roof,you can have the passengers have the sun,or just you the driver,or just the front seat passenger,they are a serious bargain second hand ,the paint is so hard unlike mercedes and other cars,my car has no stone chips,so the DS5 was brought out in 2012,and the design still looks good,bad bits the glove compartment is a joke,no space saver wheel,thats about it,at the moment you can buy these cars for less than 6 grand they are a bargain for what you get.

I drive a hybrid DS5 which has just ticked over to 252,000 miles and has been incredibly dependable. It has everything you could want. Heated, electric leather seats which massage you, a heads up display, sat nav, xenon headlights, 3 sunroofs, automatic everything, keyless entry and a great sound system. The main issue is that the early ones really do have a shockingly hard ride quality (although the hybrid model is slightly better as they have independent rear suspension), and they eat front springs for breakfast. But thankfully in typical PSA fashion all of the oily bits are shared with other Peugeot' and Citroen models, so parts aren't expensive. It's incredibly quiet on the motorway though with its laminated side windows, and the cockpit interior still feels very special over a decade on.

When regular manufacturers introduce an upmarket brand they seem to not do that well (Lexus excepted), but when they introduce a utilitarian brand they seem to succeed, and those brands often end up being more desirable. There are loads of posh families in the part of London I live in with Skoda Kodiaqs and Dacia Joggers all with the obligatory roof box or bike rack. Can't really imagine most of those people buying anything as flash as an Audi or downmarket as a Renault. They seem to sit quite nicely for them.

I think the DS5 is a good car in today's money, they can be picked up quite cheap now and its something different? If you get one with the 2.0hdi engine they are very reliable and can rack up starship mileage without much trouble. Cracking stuff as always Jack buddy 👍

My mum had a wonderful blue and white Citroen DS Safari, the state version the French used for ambulances….she used to hit 100mph on the way from London to granny in Scotland…although we were stranded in Dumfries for three days while someone drove up some replacement hydro pneumatic spheres that the morris garage had no idea about as had never seen it before 😅. Most comfortable car ever….these modern DS are a branding exercise….id go for an older C6 personally..❤

Spot on as usual! Remember taking one for a test drive when they came out. After about 2 km turned around, dropped it off and walked straight back to my Alfa 147 (still got it) and never looked in that direction again. Sad since we got a 1965 ID19 and a 1972 DS21 in our family..

The original DS was completely unique - unlike any other car (So was the 2CV in its own way), but I am not sure it would ever be possible to do that again in this day and age.

I like the DS5 - although I’m always at odds with PSA trying to give some historic link from their modern ‘whackily styled’ Peugeots to the iconic Citroens from their heyday.

I really miss the glory days of PSA. I had a ZX and it handled like a dream, as did the 306, 405/406. I often drove my sister's 206, and that was pretty good, too. But I really think that was the end. Perhaps the C6 was worthy. Somehow, they gave up their 90s heyday design brief. I used to so look forward to going to France on holiday, around the early 2000s, and hiring a small french hatchback. Went again last October, after an absence of 19 years (been spending all my money on cars😂) and the selection on offer from the hire company was just depressing. Ended up hiring some evil crossover that looked and handled like a brick. It's literally put me off going back to France. "When I was a boy... ".

I could never understand this kind of marketing. Take an iconic brand - Citroën - and push it aside to promote 'DS' which offers dressed-up PSA models (essentially perfectly decent) cloaked in a cynical association with something totally different from the past. Almost as silly as the current MG. Or Daimler-Benz's attempt to re-introduce Maybach which served to devalue the status of Mercedes. Does anyone buy these artificial, constructed 'brands' because of the reference to past 'glory'?

DS = Depreciates Shockingly

One of the best reviews of these I’ve seen. Most of the RU-vid reviews just list facts and figures. I like that fact that in your

It was built in mid 10's where all cheap brands were looking to bring faux luxury to their cheaper models. Just like Ford with the Vignale line, where cheap electronics and a plethora of accessories, they made production runs with full extra features for an "affordable" price. Especially the Ford Vignale line of cars promised free car washes and some extra goodies that never came to fruition, because of the pandemic shortage of electronics and seeing a drop in sales because no one was allowed to move. All these faux brands failed, but it was fun. Don't ask me how I know so much about the Ford Vignale....

You should try the Citroën C5X. They have a special suspension with cushions, and are supremely comfortable.

The question still remains to be answered...is a Citroen (or a DS for that matter) a REAL Citroen, without the hydroneumatic suspension? Try an C5 (X7) with hydro and one with the "metalic" suspension. I believe it was the ONLY model wich you could choose what kind of suspension to get...and you can come to a definite conclusion. As an owner of a C5 with HYDRO and having tryied the "metalic" setup, I can assure you guys...its a world of difference!!! And even by today standards, it still is one of the most confortable cars in the segment...above! And on a personal note, the ONLY worthy Citroen of the DS brand is the C6...shame that it never came to be...a DS. Cheers and keep it up!

Thank you for this video! Looks ok to me although I would have thought it was a Seat from a distance.

Great video as always. I particularly wanted to watch this one as i was pretty sure where you were going with it . I have a DS3 and generally like the car , 1.6 diesel mapped to 130bhp and still returning 60 mpg daily but my god is it a bone shaker !! Fine on a motorway or nice bit of tarmac but unfortunately with the state of uk roads these days i have to be constantly scanning the road surface ahead and avoiding pot holes . Strange decision making the ds ride so firm i agree.

close mate had one of these from new. he absolutely loved it until his wife loved it even more

Love the turtle shell pattern seats

It is a beautiful and very distinctive car. It was one of my choices for the first car. But eventually I've got an Alfa Romeo 159, which looks sexy and gives you a pleasure from turning the wheel every time.

Really well presented with interesting comments on the design both external and interior. I’m not sure I would be tempted to take the plunge with the DS brand but I can definitely see the reasons why people would choose to.

The car is a future classic.

I still remember how stoked I was when I first read "Citroen announces a new DS". I definitely expected something in the true spirit of the original DS. Then came the first pictures and I went "this is utter shit! Merde! Who in their right mind would buy this overpriced $hitbox?" It felt like an absolute betrayal. It's no surprise this thing failed.

I had a C6 and a DS5. I liked them both.

relaunched 2015 model and onwards when they removed Citroen from the badge name, they improved the suspension which people complained about most in the previous years, and they added better sound proofing glass so it was much quieter. I'm looking for one of these with the watch strap seats. I've test drove one and it's great...very comfortable.

The hybrid version is the one you want. Suits the car perfectly.

I feel Citroën has a valid design team, but maybe not a very savvy engineering team. We don't get Citroën brand in the states, so they do seem very unusual, but hearing the dynamics, engine choices, and suspension setup, I don't think they'd have had much success over here. Thanks Jack, another interesting and cool review. I'm I'm a big fan of your channel. 👍✌️

I had that very model it was brilliant the only thing missing for me was a 3.0ltr turbcharged petrol engine that would have made it unbelievable any other shortcomings would have been tolerated no problem, the only reason I moved on was a fetching Bentley Arnage that I couldn't afford without sacrificing the DS5.

These were cool in period, still are. A left field choice and a good deal used.

Morning Jack. Sad to see the brand like this. It basically lack passion which the french are known for. It looks like the account department took on this project and as such (to me) it just looks like a nissan or renault SUV of sorts. My neighbour has a DS ehich they bought new in London. Drove it around the world before settling in Australia. Its beautiful.

Thank you for the review of this car which I didnt know much about. Citroen (PSA/Stelantis) seem to be only playing with 'DS' name to try and make a halo brand which does not really work. In the 1970s about when Citroen ran out of money they tried to capitalise on the D-Saloon by making a high performance version (the SM) because the D was always criticised for its 'poor' engine but by the end of production it had fuel injection and was a near credible alternative to newer executive offerings. What PSA did here with DS5 was to try and push existing old technology upmarket rather than developing something entirely new and making a brand from that. To make a distinctive decent strong-selling product that then create two or maybe three sub products including a halo car could be what Citroen really wanted to do but appear to have lost their way. A few other brands are also utilising hydropneumatics but whay has Citroen given up - the DS5 here doesn't seem to utilise anything that sets it apart from any other well made modern car but the older models do D, CX, GS, XM, Xantia (particularly the Activa), C5 (hydro) and C6. Today I learned that President Macron prefers the C6 over the 'DS' brand and the government fleet still run C6 vehicles.

I had that exact DS5 and loved it I had the top of the range 2liter HDI

Should have had hydropneumatic suspension. Yeah, it's expensive, but do you want to play in the big league, yes or not?

I have 2013 DS4 HDI. It is absolutely brick hard and very uncomfortable on British 3rd world roads the steering is very dull and lacks feel. But saying that I like it all the same. Actually fancy a DS5 next for more punishment. 🤷🏼‍♂️

I love the looks and the interior. I could even overlook the iffy chassis dynamics. But what put me off buying one of these is the chronic unreliability. I had a Peugeot 308 GT 175, which is fundamentally the same car. I loved it but it was never out of the garage and when the warranty ended I chickened out and sold it.

With all the constraints on the mass car makers ,it would seem unlikely that anything as unique, radical and groundbreaking as a Citroen DS will be along anytime soon . And as for the German marques , they stay in their comfort zone, at least the French try something new . To quote Jay Leno. " Germany was the birthplace of the automobile, but France was the nursery".

I have a Citroën DS5, and love it. You have a DS 5 there, not a Citroën.

As an ex Citroen C6 owner I salute them for trying to make things a bit different. Would I buy another Citroen/DS though, no way.

I'm pretty sure that there was a hybrid version that had an electric motor assisting through the rear wheels and that model had independent rear suspension.

I had the top of the range Citroen DS5, it was a gorgeous car inside and out, people would stare as I drove past. It was very reliable but eventually I sold it as the quality of the ride was terrible. It was jarring and would feel like there was no dampers most of the time. Was especially worse for the driver as you could feel the jarring and bumps through the steering wheel. It was better for the passengers. It is however still one of my favourite cars of all time due to its absolute uniqueness and undeniable style. If I had space to park it, I would have kept it as a 2nd car.

For the steering weighting point, is the lane departure nanny state setting turned off? I remember driving a KIA ceed.with that and steering would randomly.feel.weighted

I have owned four assorted Citroens over the years. An AX GT,a BX GTi, a C3 Picasso diesel, and now,a DS5. Mine is the”base” model,120 HDi((1.6 turbo diesel,Adblue, six speed manual box).Brilliant on fuel,euro 6 compliant,and only£20 road tax. Downside,as Jack said ,is the suspension. Mine would probably have been better,but the original buyer spent an extra three grand on “extras”,MOST of which,I really appreciate,BUT,the 19 inch wheels and low profile tyres,I most definitely could do without. They look superb,but every pot hole is a bloody nightmare, as they have ,effectively , undone any improvements to the suspension made in 2015 , and having once owned the glorious floaty suspension in my BX GTi, I really wish they had made the effort to put this in the DS5. It would transform the whole driving experience beyond measure. One small point;-another comment mentioned the pathetic glove box(couple of C.D..s and a first aid kit in mine),but completely overlooked,as did Jack, the enormous air conditioned storage space under the central armrest! Perfect for chilling your sarnies and cold drinks on a long haul.

Those chrome strips look like they didn't know what to do with them past the A pillar. Bizarre.

Hi Jack, if I may, I have a possibly intriguing car suggestion! As an owner myself, I’d recommend(if you’re interested in it) a Citroen Xsara VTS (the 2.0L 167hp petrol), it’s comfortable and somewhat practical, but really fun to drive! I would offer my car, but it’s not in amazing condition right now, and I also live in Australia so as you can imagine, it wouldn’t really work. I definitely suggest you try one out, though! I personally have a phase 2, but I think the phase 1 handles and drives basically the same, since the phase 2 is just a facelift.

I think a V6 and hydropneumatic suspension could have framed the entire car in a different way. It could be seen as a baby R class and more of a spiritual successor to the SM and CX. THey could have done a souped up GTI version just like with the CX. I once drove an early Hybrid diesel 200hp that had been chiptuned to 240hp. Was quite gutless, did not feel like more than 140. Transmission was slow and shocky. Steering was very vague, it felt like the wheels were not attached to it, but radio controlled by it. The car I drove also had a hidden gun space under the centre console. Which I think you'll need if you plan on running away from the cops in this.

I see the DS5 as a C4 Picasso coupé. Not as a real D-segment car. Still it looks beautiful.

Would have bought one, but the suspension was rock solid! Looks lovely, but the banging and crashing is the opposite of what Citroën stood for.

I had a 65 plate with the 2.0 litre 161bhp engine. I really liked the car but even with all the glass it felt bit claustrophobic . I always wished it was a few ihches bigger in every direction. Mst annoying thing though were the very shallow, difficult to reach cup/bottle holders at the front of the door pockets

I love these cars. Very hard to get in Australia so they're very expensive.

Hi Jack. Hope your doing good. That was a good video. I loved it. I love the seats in that Citroen. I love the trims too. Stay safe and take care.

Thanks Jack for your balanced review - spot on!

I can't recall ever seeing one, or hearing about them: looks OK, shame it's a miss match then. I like the details, might eb a bargain in years to come.

I like the Tag Hauer bracelet upholstery. A class of it’s own, the original DS.

Well obviously it would never succeed in the UK, "french crap init" Here in France you still see a fair few DS5's and you now see absolutely loads of the big SUV DS7. The DS brand is a success in France and mainland europe. The Brits are stuck in a mindset of the only good european cars are German, 20 or 30 plus years ago they really were top of the game and I love that era of them. However now they are just trading on a no longer deserved reputation and being bought by the gullible.

Ive got a 2012 2.0 DS5,, had it for 5 months after looking around for almost a year. I love the styling,, granted mines had a few issues, but ive done a stage 1 remap and love it. Ive got to say though, i much prefer the pre-face lift versions of the DS5. I personally think the front end looks MUCH better with the Citroen logo then it does the DS. Just how its styled looks better. My next upgrade is to find a decent android car play unit for it 😅

The French quality control is nowhere near the Asians. This review is excellent; informative, well-edited, cruel but factual. Subsrcibed.

The king of variety is in the house 😊

Love my DS5 it is fantastic reliable and fun . Eco to drive and great for long drives perfect for Australia 🇦🇺

I've had Peugeot 405 1.6GR 93K, 405 1.9TD GLX 95N, 406 2.1TD 97P &2.0HDI 04 all were great drivers car's. I've experienced the ride&handling of a Citroën BX but never bought any Citroën as the complex suspension put me off.

Not bad for a modernish. A workmate swears by his Citroens. Real comfy as well.

The french keep doing the same mistake on and on since the 70s. The germans started by building very cheap cars after the war and, then, used their experience to diversify move upmarket in increments with great success (until they arguably started screwing up more recently). The french decide to design a luxury model, out of the blue. Then it fails for a reason or another, so they give up. Then, they complain that every body buys german luxury cars, so they try again 10 years later, but it fails, so they give up... It's very annoying (or very funny, depending on how you look at it)

Will never be as cool as the original ❤ I’d drive the new if I could 🇺🇸🙋🏽‍♂️ I’ve always loved Citroën

It's a shame that the DS5 didn't get the more modern EMP2 platform that, among others, the Citroën C4 Picasso II has. It has really good driving characteristics compared to its predecessor which, like the DS5, has the aforementioned PF2 platform.

It's a handsome car, I really like the chrome flick on the front wing and is a rare occasion for me that I think black is likely the best colour because of the contrast to the chrome. And the interior looks pretty nice too, but the problem is it's the classic modern Citroen problem; a lot of style and no substance. Sure it's got good looks and has a good interior but neither handles like a German car nor rides like a true luxury car and has no halo model to really sell it. BMW and Audi have their big 3.0l 6 cylinder models to draw in buyers wanting something with a bit of meat. The Renault Avantine was never meant to sell in big numbers, it was there to make people think of Renault as a brand they wanted and I think the DS5, which was the top model in the DS brand at the time if I remember rightly, needed something, even if it was a case of throwing one of the higher power variants of the Prince engine in and putting a GTi/R moniker on it.

The thing about the ride / handling you mention doesn't really stack up, when PSA were also capable of producing some of the all-time great FWD chassis. Maybe it was brand pride, but they could have used some of Peugeot's chassis know-how to give a better ride compromise. I think they spaced so much development cash on the bespoke interior and exterior they had nothing left for the the oily bits.

Had it been hydropneumatic with rear multilink...i would have bought it instead of me C5. The desing was great... But they saved money in what a good car becomes a good Citroen ... Suspensions

Had a BX for a month in the 90s. Then the head gasket blew. 😢

Where is the road you start your videos on;is it just off your usual test route i.e the B road between the A361 & Charlbury?

The DS5 could de bought with a diesel hybrid, very interesting at the time. But yes, those were a bit expensive for what they were, they ought to use C5 platform to develop interest from the Citroen purist market.

My next door but 1 had a beautiful nearly identical 18 plate hybrid DS5 which he loved and as im a bit of a Fan as i have a 15plate DS3 which i consider the best looking supermini. My neighbour has just got rid for a 24plate lovely spec 4x4 Dacia duster.

Had mine a couple of years and love it!say what you like about it I’m happy

I truly believe this, and all the other "DS" branded cars are an absolute insult to the original and true DS. Stretching a compact car to sell it as an executive, not using all independent suspension with hydropneumatic but a vulgar twist beam rear axle and crashy shock absorbers, if that ain't a spit in the face Lancia also did this dirty trick the 3rd gen "Delta" which actually is a streched Bravo, they even shamelessly put the same dashboard inside, no wonder why it didn't sold well. Seeing how Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia hitting rock bottom just kills me, Stellantis will only make the matter worse

One can never blame Citroën for being different, apart from some questionable compromises. I do love the design and I think it would've been a truly unique and epic car if it was based on the C6.

We looked at a couple but, found the " jewellery " switches just took all the space away, the over stuffed watchstraps seats were too big, so the cabin was just too small.

Thinking that DS5 was a Audi A4 and BMW 3 competitor was (and still is) a common and rather short sited misconception, based ONLY on the number 5 in its name, like the C5, a proper D segment vehicle had.... IT WASN'T!!! Its direct competitors were Audi A3 Sportback, and even more directly, a Volvo V40! By their size, engine range, practicality, roominess, etc.... and even by the target customers.

I love this car, thanks for doing a film about it.

8:32 ....So that's every single road in Essex then 😆 🤣 😂

The whole DS (sub)brand thing was a marketing move. The only sensible argument I can come up with is that Citroen might be difficult to pronounce in many places. The rest is lazy manager stuff. Look at many a DS styling study: Lady stocking motives do not make a true new DS. And don’t get me started about the lack of hydropneumatics. 😔

The main problem is that so-called automotive "journalists", back in the day, and now the bloggers, commentators, opinion makers, and "influencers" (more like influenzas), that roam about the internet, have always looked down on what is different and defies the mainstream. Particularly concerning Citroën, being a French company, the Brits in particular (coupled with the Germans) and the English-speaking in general, have always managed to criticize, and many times quite unfairly, when put up against other so-called premium brands. First and foremost, if we want to critique something in a serious manner, then there should be hard facts to back it up. Looking at the consumer satisfaction index (btw: As the majority of these studies are made in the USA, no French brands are present!!! - that's how "impartial" things are), the "premium" brands rank as follows of 29: 1st: Rivian 3rd: BMW 24th: Mercedes-Benz 25th: Audi British brands are non-existent on the list, which is predictable since Britain doesn't have a car industry anymore. To sum it up, the bad criticism, fueled either by ignorance, spite, or some stupid nationalist sentiment contributed to a general disdain towards the Citroën brand, resulting in a sales flop of the brand, especially in the upper segment.

What the hell were they thinking with that facelift grille? It just looks like they tacked on a Peugeot grille from a late 308.

Thanks!

Enjoyed the video. An attractive, interesting car, despite it's misdirection.

No no I prefer my old cx turbo 2. Also Got a c6 3l . Anyhow just thinking citroen lost theyr path beginning with the xm. Had one ,too mutch audi to me.😊

Remember the DS? Well, this is nothing like it.

Citroen Xantia Activa still holds the speed record for the moose test maneuver while being as comfortable as a Rolls-Royce (at least). DS means "the godess" so using the C4 platform with this badge is sacrilege

I have a 1988 CX GTi. I'm not sure any of today's cars would convince me to swap it. 😂

Personally, I like the styling very much. I wouldn't opt for those seats (given a choice) -- otherwise, thumbs up. But if the car is "all show and no go", then it's no from me.

I did go to look at some but the insurance was equal to the volvo so i gave it a miss but theyre so comfortable to sit in, not sporty though.

I wonder how it compares with the Jaguar xe, which is a lovely car to drive let down only by the limited space in the back abd it's smallish boot!!🙄🇬🇧

A Citroën DS without the hydronumatic suspension, no sale.

Quite simply, the original DS is an automotive work of art. But this....

If they'd put a 3 litre straight 6 petrol with twin turbos in it a lot of the mistakes would have been forgiven.

Are there many diesel hybrids left?

Требуем вернуть производство DS 5!

A slither? Surely you mean a _sliver_ .

The DS 5 could’ve certainly looked more unique, take a look at the DS 3. I live in the US so I have no experience with Citroen, but I do like how quirky French cars can be specially in a sea of nigh identical looking automobiles. Keep wishing that Citroen stays weird and crosses the Atlantic.

A well deserved punishment for marketing which, as with all other car brands, try to fool the market with a slick appearance and interior while totally compromising on the technical quality and sophistication. How did they dare to build this car on a C4 chassis and put it in competition with the BMW 3 series and alike. And as for the French car makers in general: they neved managed to even get close to the German top 3.

The way the console sweeps up into the dash is very reminiscent of post-86 CX interiors. That said, the styling leaves me cold. It's trying too hard, inside and out, and the interior is overstuffed, and encrusted with fripperies. It's like a C4 Picasso Vanden Plas.

The chassis was terrible especially in the early, very stiff, guise… The one you’re driving was the more comfortable later ones!