DS5 test drive - CitroenChat.com

gabdat · 08-10-2012, 05:59 PM

hello all,
Serviced my C5 today and manage to test drive the new DS5.
i am making this comparison only to my C5 Dynamique and it is only in my personal opinion.critics and arguments are most welcome.
EXTERIOR
One of a kind.there's not much on the road that even look remotely like it.a real flasher.sexy and solid.curvaceous and well build.
since C5 is much more on the road and has been for sometime,its no match for the DS5.
downside-not everybody likes hatchbacks.
INTERIOR
Again-hands down.its a freaking cockpit..literally!many buttons and switches to impress your passengers.
dashboard is drop-jaw gorgeous.seats compact and caressing.
steering wheel-well placed and sporty shaped F1 style.nice lay out and super futuristic. personal sunroof for every passenger.i was blown away!!!
nothing normal about the instruments and dashboard.it's like Mozart himself did the drawings.
back seats are also generous but C5 is clearly bigger.
DRIVING
This is the sad part. i did not enjoy it at all.after all the beauty and futuristic inside out.......this takes THAT all away.
personally i think the important part would be "the drive" when i am looking for a car.
that's why i chose a C5. i can feel the slightest hump and the smallest pebble and the road noise is......well,noisy.
perhaps there is still some pride left in the C5.
PRICING
seriously,if i can afford it,i'd also look at C180 or the coming 1.6 litre 3 series.
this is my honest and unbiased report.
over and out.

hgatomic · 09-10-2012, 09:35 PM

Did you check out the heads-up display.. the way it deploy... super cool...

However I agree with you in the drive...

voyager · 09-10-2012, 11:15 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymXeLlKBQU8

hgatomic · 09-10-2012, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voyager

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymXeLlKBQU8

Yeah... super cool... i actually thought of switching to it... hahaha

Ram Ram · 10-10-2012, 10:08 AM

gabdat, thanks for posting your field report! It's a niche car for a niche segment! You are right. At that price point, a few other strong competitors...

gabdat · 10-10-2012, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hgatomic

Did you check out the heads-up display.. the way it deploy... super cool...

However I agree with you in the drive...

yes i did...and yes,it is super cool.it also can be adjusted according to the driver's height and glare.fantastic feature!

gabdat · 10-10-2012, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voyager

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymXeLlKBQU8

so that's how it works!..thanks voyager.thought it was folding rather than sliding.

voyager · 10-10-2012, 08:28 PM

you are very welcome, gabdat :-)

bravooc10 · 21-11-2012, 09:41 PM

Finally did a test drive on the DS5...saw the black DS5 with red leather seats in the showroom and it was just dazzling....

Perceived built quality.
Compared to my current pre fl c200, the interior is definitely a few notches better. Buttons feels good. Switches pulls with just enough resistance. Cubby holes close and shut nicely. The leather seats are just so ..... Sexy...... They feel right to the touch... Can't explain it but it's like touching a Hermes bag ( DS5) to touching a Gucci bag ( c200)... So soft and supple. Its my 2nd time in a DS5 and i still love the way it looks and feels in and out. The only grouse I have is the way the door closes... Doesn't sound as "solid" as the c200. Compared the DS5 to my Picasso?... Picasso no fight... C200 also no fight....

Driving position
Can't seem to get comfortable with it yet but I guess given time, one would find the optimal. Finding them more suitable for short legs in my short test drive despite trying a good 1-2 minutes fiddling with the switches. Plenty of seat adjustment though.

Handling
Steering's a bit overly assisted compared to both the Picasso and c200 but nonetheless fairly sharp at times. Brakes ain't as sharp as the Picasso ( EGS engine brake better?). About as spongy as the c200. Heard much about the much dreaded bumpy ride but this test unit is shodded with 18s instead of the 19s reviewed in other countries and I found it pretty comfortable.

Knee and head room
Kinda cramped even compared to the c200. Although the transmission tunnel is small, the center seats are kinda hard. The Side seats are quite comfy though. Rear Head room is cramped for me. (I'm 1.75m tall). But the individual sunroofs are really a nice though.

Price
Didn't plan to buy. After test driving, wanted to buy... Heng the salesman told me the price and we worked out the finances......and my impulse sagged...

Really really liked this car... Evokes emotion..... Very much like the Picasso did when I first bought her in 2010.... Hope to have more disposable cash....

Ram Ram · 26-11-2012, 02:57 PM

Test drove early last week... The drive was firm and stable. The gear shifts pretty smooth. The torque response was linear... Cabin was unique & outstanding... Rear legroom was spacious as compared to E class. Rear headroom was limited and maybe difficult for taller passengers.

Not much to rant about but my only grouse is the pathetic-looking foot pedals used in comparison to its detailed styling. It's like a nicely trimmed and well-dressed gentleman in a white suit but forgot to put on socks!

However, the chrome sports pedals were used in their manual and hybrid versions. A pity.

Given it was built as a left-hand drive, the Sports Mode button is on the left side of the gear knob. So for the right-hand drive, it was not ergonomic to access the button. I believe this was intentional as it minimizes the cost of adapting into a right-hand car.

08-10-2012, 05:59 PM	#1
gabdat Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 64	DS5 test drive hello all, Serviced my C5 today and manage to test drive the new DS5. i am making this comparison only to my C5 Dynamique and it is only in my personal opinion.critics and arguments are most welcome. EXTERIOR One of a kind.there's not much on the road that even look remotely like it.a real flasher.sexy and solid.curvaceous and well build. since C5 is much more on the road and has been for sometime,its no match for the DS5. downside-not everybody likes hatchbacks. INTERIOR Again-hands down.its a freaking cockpit..literally!many buttons and switches to impress your passengers. dashboard is drop-jaw gorgeous.seats compact and caressing. steering wheel-well placed and sporty shaped F1 style.nice lay out and super futuristic. personal sunroof for every passenger.i was blown away!!! nothing normal about the instruments and dashboard.it's like Mozart himself did the drawings. back seats are also generous but C5 is clearly bigger. DRIVING This is the sad part. i did not enjoy it at all.after all the beauty and futuristic inside out.......this takes THAT all away. personally i think the important part would be "the drive" when i am looking for a car. that's why i chose a C5. i can feel the slightest hump and the smallest pebble and the road noise is......well,noisy. perhaps there is still some pride left in the C5. PRICING seriously,if i can afford it,i'd also look at C180 or the coming 1.6 litre 3 series. this is my honest and unbiased report. over and out.

09-10-2012, 11:15 PM	#3
voyager Capitaine Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,464	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymXeLlKBQU8 __________________ 2003 C5 2.0 2005 C4 1.6 (dad's) 2006 C5 2.0 2010 C5 2.0 WiFi 2013 DS 5 1.6THP WiFi 2015 C4 Cactus 1.2 2016 (2014) C4 Picasso 1.6 e-HDi

10-10-2012, 08:28 PM	#8
voyager Capitaine Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,464	you are very welcome, gabdat :-) __________________ 2003 C5 2.0 2005 C4 1.6 (dad's) 2006 C5 2.0 2010 C5 2.0 WiFi 2013 DS 5 1.6THP WiFi 2015 C4 Cactus 1.2 2016 (2014) C4 Picasso 1.6 e-HDi

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09-10-2012, 09:35 PM	#2
hgatomic Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Mount Sinai Posts: 55	Did you check out the heads-up display.. the way it deploy... super cool... However I agree with you in the drive...

10-10-2012, 10:08 AM	#5
Ram Ram Connoisseur Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 844	gabdat, thanks for posting your field report! It's a niche car for a niche segment! You are right. At that price point, a few other strong competitors...

21-11-2012, 09:41 PM	#9
bravooc10 Connoisseur Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 759	Finally did a test drive on the DS5...saw the black DS5 with red leather seats in the showroom and it was just dazzling.... Perceived built quality. Compared to my current pre fl c200, the interior is definitely a few notches better. Buttons feels good. Switches pulls with just enough resistance. Cubby holes close and shut nicely. The leather seats are just so ..... Sexy...... They feel right to the touch... Can't explain it but it's like touching a Hermes bag ( DS5) to touching a Gucci bag ( c200)... So soft and supple. Its my 2nd time in a DS5 and i still love the way it looks and feels in and out. The only grouse I have is the way the door closes... Doesn't sound as "solid" as the c200. Compared the DS5 to my Picasso?... Picasso no fight... C200 also no fight.... Driving position Can't seem to get comfortable with it yet but I guess given time, one would find the optimal. Finding them more suitable for short legs in my short test drive despite trying a good 1-2 minutes fiddling with the switches. Plenty of seat adjustment though. Handling Steering's a bit overly assisted compared to both the Picasso and c200 but nonetheless fairly sharp at times. Brakes ain't as sharp as the Picasso ( EGS engine brake better?). About as spongy as the c200. Heard much about the much dreaded bumpy ride but this test unit is shodded with 18s instead of the 19s reviewed in other countries and I found it pretty comfortable. Knee and head room Kinda cramped even compared to the c200. Although the transmission tunnel is small, the center seats are kinda hard. The Side seats are quite comfy though. Rear Head room is cramped for me. (I'm 1.75m tall). But the individual sunroofs are really a nice though. Price Didn't plan to buy. After test driving, wanted to buy... Heng the salesman told me the price and we worked out the finances......and my impulse sagged... Really really liked this car... Evokes emotion..... Very much like the Picasso did when I first bought her in 2010.... Hope to have more disposable cash....

26-11-2012, 02:57 PM	#10
Ram Ram Connoisseur Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 844	Test drove early last week... The drive was firm and stable. The gear shifts pretty smooth. The torque response was linear... Cabin was unique & outstanding... Rear legroom was spacious as compared to E class. Rear headroom was limited and maybe difficult for taller passengers. Not much to rant about but my only grouse is the pathetic-looking foot pedals used in comparison to its detailed styling. It's like a nicely trimmed and well-dressed gentleman in a white suit but forgot to put on socks! However, the chrome sports pedals were used in their manual and hybrid versions. A pity. Given it was built as a left-hand drive, the Sports Mode button is on the left side of the gear knob. So for the right-hand drive, it was not ergonomic to access the button. I believe this was intentional as it minimizes the cost of adapting into a right-hand car.