DS 7 E-TENSE interior, dashboard & comfort

Comfort is a strong suit of the DS 7. It has seats that are both soft and supportive and rides relatively smoothly on most roads. The interior is definitely eye-catching, with plenty of angular edges and diamond-shaped patterns giving it a unique character that's quite different from what you'll find in the predominantly German competition. Interior quality is a mixed bag: the areas with a leather or Alcantara finish feel upmarket, and there are some nice bright metal touches, but the use of hard, scratchy plastics in places tarnishes the overall look.

DS 7 E-TENSE dashboard

The DS 7 has an up-to-date dashboard that's dominated by two large screens: one behind the steering wheel showing vital information for the driver and another in the middle used to control the audio system, sat-nav and ventilation systems. It's not one for technophobes, then, but even the tech-savvy may find the design unnecessarily fiddly. A leather steering wheel is standard across the range, but it's of slightly higher quality in the Prestige and Ultra Prestige trim levels.

Equipment, options & accessories

The DS 7 E-TENSE is available in three trim levels, as is the case with the non-hybrid variants. The entry-level Performance Line gets 19-inch alloy wheels and an Alcantara suede interior finish (leather is optional). Other features standard on this and every other E-TENSE include an eight-speaker stereo, rear parking sensors, cruise control, a leather steering wheel, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, auto headlights and LED running lights.

The mid-range Prestige model adds leather seats (the fronts are fully electric, heated and have a massage function, while the rears have electric backrests), a rear central armrest, front parking sensors, a reversing camera, keyless entry and a natty B.R.M. clock in the centre of the dashboard. The top-of-the-range Ultra Prestige version adds a panoramic sunroof, a remote tailgate, an upgraded Focal sound system and semi-autonomous driving functionality, which allows the car to accelerate, brake and steer between lanes. This version is very expensive, though.

There’s little to visually distinguish the E-TENSE from the internal-combustion-engined DS 7s, with a couple of badges, the charging socket cap and a ‘Pearl Crystal’ paint finish unique to the plug-in model setting it apart.

Infotainment, apps & sat nav

There’s a massive 12-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital dial screen behind the steering wheel, although these aren’t as intuitive to use as systems found in other premium cars. Bluetooth, sat nav, voice recognition, DAB radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are all present and correct. A premium Focal hi-fi and wireless phone charging are standard on the range-topping Ultra Prestige car, and can be added to the Performance Line or Prestige as options.