Introduction to the 2025 DS No.8
Since DS Automobiles launched its first, proper, standalone model - the DS 7 SUV - in 2017, it has started to find its own feet in the premium marketplace. But it would still like to elbow its way further in to truly stand amongst the Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, Polestar and Volvo illuminati, so now it's attempting another rebrand of sorts, as it switches its models from plain alphanumerics like DS 3 and DS 9, to a new hierarchy starting with this No.8.
This first effort in the latest wave of DS models is an all-electric coupe-SUV with aspirations of taking on some of the more upmarket, long-range electric vehicles (EVs) already on sale from the manufacturers listed above, while also seeing off the likes of the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 that are pushing up from the sector below.
To find out if this stylish newcomer has the ability to see off such rivals, we headed to the Swiss-French border and the Vallée de Joux to size up a couple of versions, starting with this front-wheel-drive (FWD) Long Range variant with the bigger battery.
Pros & Cons of the 2025 DS No.8
Pros: Lovely and spacious interior, 750km of range, smooth ride and refinement
Cons: Feels a bit underpowered, average handling
Exterior & Design of the 2025 DS No.8
• Angular, expressive form
• Highly aerodynamic body aids range
• Is it really a coupe-SUV?
The DS No.8 manages to be both obviously cut from the same cloth as all of the DS 3, DS 4, DS 7 and DS 9 stablemates which preceded it, and yet also visually daring enough to mark it out as part of the new generation of DS Automobiles.
It's difficult to say it's an out-and-out beautiful car - the design is rather busy in places, with a lot going on, but there are also plenty of attractive features too.
Such as the big, vertical light signatures fore and aft. The 'hidden' handles for the rear doors. The swooping roofline that gives the five-door No.8 a coupe-like shape. And, beyond the main illumination and new eight-point LED daytime running lamps at the front on grander specifications, there's also a part of the 'grille' which lights up. What you make of that is likely to be one of two polar-opposite views, but otherwise this latest DS is certainly eye-catching.
What we're most surprised about is that DS calls the No.8 a coupe-SUV, ranging it up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Audi Q6 e-tron Sportback and Polestar 4 (the latter of which isn't very SUV-like either). At nearly 1.6 metres high, the No.8 is fairly tall, but it looks and feels far more car-like than it is moulded in the crossover formula.
The No.8's dimensions are:
Length: 4,820mm
Width: 1,900mm
Height: 1,580mm
Wheelbase: 2,900mm
Irish specifications have yet to be set in stone but, going on other European markets, DS will likely offer the No.8 in just a handful of subdued colours, such as black, grey, white, dark blue and a pearl finish, with the option of either a contrast roof or even an extended bi-tone look that paints the bonnet black as well.
As standard, every variant of the DS No.8 rolls on 20-inch 'Lyrae' alloy wheels. But on the Long Range models, there's a choice to either switch the 20s out for aerodynamically optimised, 19-inch 'Borealis' alloys, or alternatively step up the styling with 21-inch 'Cassiopeia' rims finished in black.
Interior, Practicality, Tech & Comfort of the 2025 DS No.8
• Beautiful material finishing gives upmarket air
• Plenty of space to lounge about in
• Unusual steering wheel
We've always thought DS's interiors were rather swish-looking affairs, but the No.8 takes things to a new level. It is beautifully put together, with a nice array of textures, patterns and detailing. Admittedly, it could come across as a bit chintzy in certain colourways, but in general it's a cabin architecture we heartily approve of.
Interior upholsteries are a choice of leather-effect fabric, proper Alcantara or full-on Nappa leather, in black, cream, tan or even blue tones. Tech is handled by a 16-inch touchscreen for the proprietary DS Iris software, which has 3D connected nav, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
This is teamed to a configurable 12.25-inch digital instrument cluster allied with a large head-up display above, and there's a soft-lined wireless smartphone charging pad down on the centre console, too. Broadly, this all works sweetly enough and looks sharp, but the centre display is so wide that the driver will struggle to reach the far side of it unless they're really long-armed - presumably why DS puts passenger-centric information on that side of the screen, swiped through in a vertical fashion when the rest of the display swipes side-to-side.
There's no complaint, in the main, about space either, as there's plenty of legroom in the back of the DS No.8. But the fancy full-length panoramic sunroof, plus the sloping angle of the car's roofline, means headroom isn't overly generous in the rear of the passenger compartment.
At least a huge 620-litre boot, with a 1.16-metre-long floor even with the rear seats up, helps make up for that.
Up front, no matter how much you adjust the electrical driver's seat upwards, you never feel like you're sitting high enough above the road to call this an SUV. We happen to like that and we think it strengthens our supposition that the No.8 is more of a fastback than a crossover.
We can't move on from the interior until we talk about the DS No.8's steering wheel. Personal taste it may be, but the four-spoke, cross-shaped steering wheel is a particularly odd piece of design.
And it takes a while to get used to as well, because the upper spokes annoy you when you put your hands in the ten-to-two position, and gripping it at quarter-to-three feels unusual as well because there are no spokes in that position to brace your thumbs against, even if there are indentations in the rim at that point to provide proper hand grips. No doubt an owner will soon acclimatise to it.
Performance of the 2025 DS No.8
• Two single-motor models available
• Two battery packs offered, too
• Smooth power - but 245hp just adequate
The DS No.8, as part of the massive Stellantis conglomerate, is on the same 'STLA-Medium' platform we've seen previously in the Peugeots E-3008 and E-5008, and anything of the same ilk spun off their format, like the Opel Grandland.
That means DS will open with three variants of the No.8. First up is a single-motor model making 230hp normally (rising to 260hp on a time-limited boost phase), capable of both 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds and official range of 550km from its 73.7kWh battery.
Next is a 'Long Range' upgrade of that car, which gets a battery with 97.2kWh usable for a colossal 750km potential, although the extra weight means that despite the two power figures rising - to 245hp regularly and 280hp on boost - it's marginally slower to 100km/h from rest (7.8 seconds).
Topping the lineup is a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model with 350hp normally, 375hp on boost, and posting stats of 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds with a 688km range from the 97.2kWh battery.
Reviewed here is the range champion, the single-motor car with the big battery. And as we sampled it in higher Etoile specification, then it had DS's clever Active Scan suspension. We've seen this before in the DS 7 and DS 9, where a camera scans the road ahead of the car, determines what bumps are coming up and where they might affect which of the vehicle's wheels, and then pre-adjusts the dampers involved to improve ride comfort.
Our overall impression of the DS No.8 FWD LR is favourable, but not effusive. Even with the 280hp mode activated, 345Nm to back it up isn't a huge amount to be moving what is effectively 2.2 tonnes of car, and as a result the DS never feels quite as brisk as its 0-100km/h figure might have you believe.
Connected to the lack of straight-line speed, which is not a fatal flaw for an EV you understand, is the sensation that this chassis does not want to be hustled in the slightest.
Thankfully, we've started with the negatives here because, if you throttle back in the DS No.8 and drive it far more sensibly - as befits a big, luxury EV like this - then you'll find it a delight to travel in. The aerodynamic body doesn't just mean more range, it also equates to a vehicle which cuts through the air in the quietest and most unruffled way possible for a big machine like this. Coupled to a huge amount of acoustic insulation in both the structure and glasshouse, it makes the No.8 supremely quiet at all speeds.
And it's comfortable too, the suspension doing a grand job of smoothing out even poor road surfaces. It's not quite perfect - there's always a background sense of patter on tarmac with high-frequency transverse ripples, while the large 20-inch wheels can occasionally thump through sunken manhole covers with less dignity than they ought to - but you can't call the No.8 anything other than pleasantly serene.
For most of the time, the DS rolls around with an effortless and cushioned ride that makes driving longer distances less of a chore than they otherwise might be.
Range, Battery & Charging of the 2025 DS No.8
• Between 550- and 750km on one charge
• Aerodynamic body helps it go further
• Maximum DC charging rate of 160kW
The Long Range No.8s can go considerably further than 650km to one charge, no matter how many motors they have, and the 750km capability of this FWD variant is particularly noteworthy. That's a good 50km or so in advance of other electric SUVs from Stellantis which utilise this same hardware, which speaks volumes about the aerodynamic benefits of the No.8's svelte form.
At 73.7kWh, the regular FWD's 550km range is not to be sniffed at, but we suspect most buyers will go for the 97.2kWh power pack if the price walk isn't too much. Interestingly, DS says that even at sustained motorway speeds of 120km/h, the FWD LR should be able to do more than 500km in one hit, which only enhances the EV's overall appeal.
Charging speeds are competitive, without being outstanding, mainly thanks to the fact the DS No.8 uses a 400-volt architecture rather than the 800-volt set-up seen in some of its rivals.
At its 160kW DC maximum speed, either battery will take 26-27 minutes to go from 20-80 per cent, while the same percentage top-up on a 7.4kW wallbox will take seven hours 48 minutes for the smaller battery and an hour longer for the Long Range cars.
You'll be looking at more like 13 hours for a complete 0-100 per cent top-up, though, but if you need faster AC charging speeds, DS is looking to offer optional 22kW capability later in the No.8's life; its current AC max is 11kW.
Running Costs of the 2025 DS No.8
• Cheaper than petrol or diesel to run
• Incredible official efficiency
• DS offers three-year warranty
The benefits of zero-emission propulsion are obvious when it comes to running sizeable luxury cars like this, because a 280hp car with a petrol or diesel engine would be a lot more to tax and fuel than the No.8 will be - the DS will cost you just €120 per year in motor tax and, if you can avail of low, overnight domestic electricity tariffs. then it'll be peanuts to run per kilometre.
That'll especially be the case if you can get close to the official 13kWh/100km consumption figure.
DS offers a three-year, unlimited-distance warranty on all its new cars, so it's good in terms of kilometres covered if not in duration. Like many EVs, the high-voltage traction battery and associated systems are covered for up to eight years on the No.8 but there is a distance cap of 160,000km.
Irish Pricing & Rivals of the 2025 DS No.8
• Prices not confirmed as yet
• Likely to have Pallas and Etoile trims
• Multitude of premium rivals to overcome
DS hasn't revealed Irish prices or specifications yet, but as a good yardstick the company itself has said that on the continent, it wants to position the No.8 as an alternative to the Audi Q6 e-tron Sportback but price it more in line with the German firm's smaller Q4 e-tron Sportback (from €66,335 in Ireland) - which would place it favourably alongside the BMW i4 (from €63,105).
The very mention of two Audi SUVs and one BMW car shows how confused the positioning of the No.8 is, however, and opens it up to a wealth of alternatives as a result. So not only should you consider it instead of the Q4/Q6 Sportback pair, and also the similar Polestar 4, Tesla Model Y and even combustion rivals like the Mercedes GLC Coupe, it can also go up against the Polestar 2, Tesla Model 3 and other more car-shaped EVs such as the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Trims are not confirmed yet, but we're expecting the No.8 to follow the pattern set by its predecessor, the DS 9, as well as the pre-existing DS 7, which would mean the base specification is Pallas and then the higher grade is Etoile.
A Pallas should come with items like the 20-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry and go, a powered tailgate, LED exterior lighting, the 16-inch DS Iris infotainment, the DS extended head-up display, a 12.25-inch digital cluster, a wireless smartphone charging pad, an eight-speaker sound system, parking sensors all round with a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, and a heat pump, among much more.
The Etoile will load in further luxuries from there, including Alcantara trim, a 360-degree camera system, Active Scan suspension and the 14-speaker, 690-watt Focal 3D audio set-up, as just a few of its highlights.
Verdict - Should You Buy the 2025 DS No.8
Well, you certainly shouldn't discount it from your premium-car shopping list. The DS No.8 is good to look at on the outside, blessed with a superb interior and drives in a smooth, calm, unflustered fashion when you're being gentle with it. We prefer the extra punch of the dual-motor AWD, sure, but you can't argue with a quoted 750km range from the FWD LR. If you fancy something a little different from the usual Germanic norm in this sector, you could do a lot worse than the elegant, stylish and likeable DS No.8.
FAQs About the DS No.8
How do you pronounce DS No.8?
You always write it like the perfume from Chanel (No.5), but you just say 'number eight' when you're talking about it. We're convinced people will lapse into referring to it as the verbal shorthand 'DS 8' before long.
Will other models get the 'No.' prefix like the DS No.8?
Yes, the next car in the manufacturer's portfolio to be updated is the existing DS 4 hatchback, which'll get a substantial facelift later this year and become the DS No.4 in the process.
Will we get the 'Jules Verne' variant of the DS No.8?
We're not sure. The Jules Verne Collection was announced for all DS cars prior to the No.8's launch so it's available, but not necessarily in Ireland. We did sample an AWD in full Jules Verne specification, and it was lovely - replete with even plusher interior finishing, complete with handsome planet logos cut out of the Alcantara on the door linings.
Want to know more about the DS No.8?
Is there anything else you'd like to know about the DS No.8? Or anything you feel we haven't covered here? Then just head over to our Ask Us Anything section and, well, ask us anything.
