New DS 7 design – “the art of travel, French-style”

The new DS 7 has been unveiled at a digital event. At first glance, the model appears to be very similar to the old Crossback, but a host of new exterior and interior design features culminate in a fresh feel.

“While respecting the personality and elegance of the existing shape, we’ve injected an additional touch of dynamism with sharp features,” says Thierry Metroz, design director at DS Automobiles. “The new DS 7’s character is given a boost, particularly at the front and rear, while its design still fits into the current DS Automobiles range. It’s the result of co-operation between DS Design Studio Paris, the technical team who’ve brought a great deal of technology, and our manufacturing team who’ve succeeded in producing new features. Styling touches added to the interior enhance the consistency throughout.”

The DS 7 gets a new front end, characterised by clean lines drawn by the lights and body work. The ‘pixel LED vision 3.0 headlamps’ are slimmer and more powerful when compared to those on the previous Crossback model, with an increased range of up to 380 metres on the main beam. They are connected to a large new grille area featuring an illuminated 3D diamond pattern. This is underlined by a sharp blade, with a wide air intake and matte black bumper below.

The grille is framed by the ‘light veil’, with four vertical strips made up of 33 LEDs positioned ahead of the front wheels, emphasising the width of the car. They use a laser-etched polycarbonate surface which is painted on the inside, making the light appear to move and animate behind the bodywork. These were inspired by the lights on the E-Tense concept and Aero Sport Lounge.

Little seems to have changed on the sides of the DS 7. The same gentle slope of the roof creates a pleasing silhouette, and the same character lines run through the body work. There are new 19-inch alloy wheels which have been designed to improve aerodynamics, and the window surrounds and roof bars are now available in a gloss black finish.

The rear is fairly similar to that of the previous model too. However, the lights have been redesigned and are now slimmer with a dark metallic finish to feature what DS calls a “vortex effect”. The boot lid is outlined by sharper lines, and the ‘Crossback’ lettering has been replaced with ‘DS Automobiles’.

On the inside, the 7 includes a variety of new materials that have been selected by the interior design team in the hope of enhancing comfort and quality, with customers able to choose from two colour schemes: ‘Basalt Black’ and ‘Pearl Grey’. Nappa leather is draped on the IP and door panels, with an embossed linear pattern that mimics the ‘light veil’ LED strips on the exterior. The steering wheel is made up of full grain leather, as is the airbag housing, and the seat bases and backs are cladded in a single piece of Nappa leather without any stitching.

Smaller details include new stitching colours, with white and ‘Zephyr’ options. The signature DS watch on the IP can now be adorned in ‘Pearl Grey’ upholstery, and ‘Clous de Paris’ embossed inserts are placed throughout. The Performance Line trim sees Alcantara microfibre used in place of the leather on the IP, doors, and centre console, while the ‘Bastille’ trim includes an enhanced black leather grain with a crosshatch pattern, inspired by fish scales.

“The new DS 7 embodies our vision of the art of travel, French-style,” says Agnès Tesson Faget, product director at DS Automobiles. “Beyond the basics of the segment, we are introducing some truly differentiating attributes, specifically to our interiors and the choice of our materials.”

As well as new materials, the 7 comes equipped with a redesigned 12-inch touchscreen and new 12-inch digital instrument panel. These feature the DS ‘Iris System’ – a configurable interface that includes natural voice recognition. The new SUV will be made at Stellantis’ Mulhouse factory in France – which also produces models including the 508 and new 308 – with order books opening in August 2022 and deliveries starting from September 2022.