New 2025 DS No8 Review

Can the DS No8 Reintroduce the DS brand as a true French competitor to the Germans?

Exterior – Front

So, the new DS No8 is an all-electric SUV and to show this DS has given the car a new design language compared to its other DS Cars. To start with we get this set of very slim headlights that are almost hidden and connected to this down the side is the LED Daytime running light like the other DS models. The grill on the other hand is all new and has a bit of a Rolls Royce feel to it. This is because it is actually behind a clear panel. It lights up at night and looks very cool and premium. Lowe down we get a decent sized air vent as well as some gloss black and silver cladding.

Exterior – Side

Moving round to the side and this is where we can really see the design come through of the old DS9. To start with we get a sleek coupe design near the back. We also get a lot of gloss black material on the wheel arches and sill to show its off roader look. We even get some flush door handles and sleek looking wheels which I do really like. We even have a lot of chrome too.

Exterior – Rear

Moving round to the back and this is where the design is really interesting. To start with we get this floating design on the rear window which acts as a bit of a spoiler, and it looks really concept like. I also like these taillights that stretch down the side giving it an aerodynamic look. It would have been nice though if it did have an aerodynamic purpose. The rear end is minimalistic, and some would say a bit plain but, in this instance, less is actually more. We don’t get the DS logo, but it is written out on the back like the new model plate. The lower bumper is all gloss black and again does feel premium looking. Right, lets have a look and see what battery and motor options you can have with the new DS No8.

Car and engine specs and price

So, the new DS No8 is an electric only car based on the STLA Medium platform. This means you get 3 options. Lets start with the base model first. This has a 228 bhp single motor setup on the front wheels giving this front wheel drive. This is connected to a 73 kWh battery pack giving this car a range of 341 miles which is very decent. 0-62 is delt within 7.7 seconds which also isn’t that bad. The next version is the long-range version. This has a slight increase in power to 243 bhp but the battery pack has increased to 97 kWh. This gives an electric only range of 465 miles which is very impressive. This again is front wheel drive, and the 0-62 time stays the same at 7.7 seconds despite the power increase. The final version is the AWD long range version and as you may have guessed it is a dual motor setup giving this car 348 bhp. this uses the same battery pack giving this car a 425-mile range which is still quite good. 0-62 is delt within 5.4 seconds though which is quite nippy for this size of car. the price of the new DS No8 starts at £50,790 which for a premium electric luxury SUV is quite reasonable to be honest. There may also be a hybrid version coming if there is demand for it too.  Anyway, let’s have a look at the interior.

Interior – Design

So, climbing inside the new DS No8 and before we look at its DS are known for have quite ‘out there’ interiors and this is really no exception. Now I do really like this interior but what is that steering wheel. Out of all the steering wheels I have seen this has to be the worst design every. It is such a shame really. It also has touch sensitive buttons which makes it harder to use. If it was a 3 spoke like the other DS cars it would have a perfect interior. Anyway, let’s have a look at the rest of the interior. So, to start with we get this high dashboard design that houses the 16-inch infotainment system. Now this is the same as the Vauxhall Grandland infotainment system and I have used that one and it does work very well. It is very intuitive and houses all of the relevant information. Also on this level is the 10-inch instrument cluster which again houses the relevant information and also has a classical look to it which is nice. Just below this we get a very slim air vent setup as well as some essential buttons. Sadly, the climate control is on the screen, but it does stay in place on the sides which is quite nice. The centre console has this slim design that gets wider it gets to the split arm rest, and this houses the wireless charging, gear selector, drive mode and volume buttons. Below this we do have a lot of storage which is quite good. Finally, the door cards are very modern with its door speaker that sticks out and concept like switches. We also get some new indicator stalks and these very comfy and supportive seats. Right, lets have a look and see what the rear seats are like.

Practicality

So, climbing into the back of the new DS No8 and practicality isn’t that bad. We get a good amount of legroom and headroom despite the sloping roof. You also get your own air vents as well as climate control system and arm rest and even USB C ports and heated rear seats. You can even sit 3 people in the back because there is minimal hump in the middle. The only thing that I don’t like so much is the door card as it just feels a bit plain and I just wish there was more going on. Anyway, lets have a look and see what the boot space is like.

Boot Size

Opening the boot to the DS No8 and you are welcomed with 620 litres of space which is bigger than its rivals BMW i4 and Volkswagen ID.7. you will have to bear in mind though that if you do have the all-wheel drive version the boot space does reduce to 560 litres because of the extra motor. Also, it may be harder putting items in the back because of the sloping design.

Summary

So, in summary then what do I think of the new DS No8. Well, it is a good revival car. it looks great like the other DS cars, and the interior is great too. it also has the performance to compete against the well-established brand and overall, it just renews the feeling to the DS brand. It gives a fresh perspective to the brand, and I like the way it is going. I just wish it had a proper steering wheel.

Exterior 5/5

Interior 4/5

Practicality 5/5

Total 14/15

Model	DS No8 Etoile
Engine	97kWh Battery Pack, Single Motor, 243bhp, 0-62 = 7.7 Seconds, 465 Mile Range, Front Wheel Drive
Transmission	Single Speed Electric Motor
Price	£59,290
On Sale	Now