Exterior: In my opinion, the exterior design of the DS 9 still exudes the unique, unrestrained creativity characteristic of French cars. The classic French-style hood lines, with their raised and收拢 movements, are quite dynamic, and coupled with a longitudinal "French钉纹" (French钉纹) running across the entire front hood, DS seems to have designed the front end as if it were a luxury handbag. As a straight man, you can say I don't understand luxury goods, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate them. To me, DS is like a fashion blogger in the automotive world.
The lines on the side of the car body are not as complex as the front end. A straight waistline runs from the front to the rear, creating a very good visual effect. Looking back at the concept cars of previous French brands, they had all kinds of complex designs with a lack of transition or shifting ideas; they were stunning at first glance, but overly complex designs become tiring the more you look at them. It's like if your wife is fully made up in front of you all the time, you'd also want to see her without makeup occasionally—that's human nature. Clearly, DS 9 has learned from past experiences this time; the simple and understated side profile is actually a good thing in my view. This way, it can highlight the stunning design of the rear end.
Personally, I think the rear design of the DS 9 is the most attractive part. On one hand, the slightly raised rear back curve creates a coupe-like styling, combined with the flattened design. Then there are the taillights that draw inspiration from the glass pyramid of the Louvre, connected by a chrome strip, exuding an aura reminiscent of the artworks珍藏 in the Louvre. Moreover, the logo frame and the license plate frame echo each other with the same trapezoidal element. Finally, it is equipped with real dual hidden exhausts. When following it from behind, you really can't help but take a few extra glances.
Interior: When I actually sat inside the car, I was truly震撼 by its interior design—what震撼 me was that while retaining the traditional luxury-style design heritage and many classic elements, DS has also moved away from the old-fashioned design approach this time, incorporating many new elements that are refreshing.
Space: The interior storage space of the DS 9 is average. The storage capacity of the door panels and central armrest is ordinary, which can meet the need for placing some drinks daily. The internal space of the armrest box is规整, but the depth is limited, so it can hold some daily use tickets. The split-opening方式 of the armrest box is quite convenient.
Powertrain: The model I test-drove was the DS 9 plug-in hybrid version. The conventional powertrain part is equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, with a maximum power of 147 kW and a peak torque of 300 Nm. Speaking of this engine alone, its power output level is already equivalent to that of mainstream low-power 2.0T engines. At the same time, DS has equipped it with a front-mounted electric motor, with a power of 81.2 kW and a torque of 320 Nm—of course, the total power of the engine and motor is not a simple addition. After balanced tuning, the hybrid system has a combined power of 183 kW and a maximum torque of 360 Nm, which is a reasonable level—but the actual driving experience is better than expected. The equipped 8AT gearbox can well coordinate the output of different power sources, especially using electric drive as much as possible at low speeds. At medium to high speeds, the engine and motor work together quite powerfully, making it feel more energetic to drive than a high-power 2.0T fuel-powered car.
In addition, it should be noted that during the test drive, the vehicle was always in a state of low battery. The system will reserve a certain amount of power for the battery, so that the motor is always involved in power output, thus avoiding the situation where the engine is under full load, resulting in insufficient power and high noise. In fact, when we previously experienced another plug-in hybrid model from PSA, we gave high praise to its plug-in hybrid system, even feeling quite surprised, and we can still see these advantages in the DS 9. However, although the 8AT gearbox is trying its best to distribute power, there is occasionally a slight jerk in power connection, but fortunately, it basically does not affect driving or riding comfort. Overall, this plug-in hybrid system on the DS 9 is at an upper-middle level.
Handling: I found that the DS 9 has been carefully tuned in terms of chassis and suspension. The front and rear independent suspensions can well filter out the细碎 vibrations on the road surface. Moreover, this top-of-the-line model is also equipped with the "Magic Carpet" suspension, which is essentially an electromagnetic shock absorber system. It adjusts the suspension damping in a timely manner by detecting road information to obtain better feedback, which is helpful for comfort.
