Should you buy a DS 3 Crossback E-Tense?

As a stylish, comfortable everyday electric car the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is distinctive inside and out, and is a serious alternative to the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona Electric.

You will get better range from said rivals, however. If that puts you off considering the E-Tense then we’d urge you to check your typical routes; if most of your trips are short, urban drives and you can charge at home, you may be trading the DS 3 Crossback’s impressive style and comfort for a feature you never use.

Equally, if you plan to stretch the legs of your EV, then it may be worth considering something along the lines of a Tesla Model 3; the extra cost making the difference between stopping for an inconvenient top-up at a motorway services, or powering straight to the comfort of your own home.

As for value, with the £3,000 UK government electric car grant included, the E-Tense comes in at a surprisingly reasonable price given it’s ‘premium’ branding, significantly undercutting the Kona. That said, standard equipment isn’t quite as generous (although don’t forget you can use your smartphone as an integrated in-car sat-nav) with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

We’d also recommend speccing up the Premium Safety Pack and reversing camera, adding active blindspot detection and extra rear visibility respectively.

Meanwhile, when judged on aspects outside of its prowess as an electric car, the DS 3 Crossback performs adequately, yet struggles to overcome the fact that, for us, the Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro are fundamentally better cars. The increased practicality from the Niro and the Kona’s superior drive will be enough to persuade a large portion of buyers, yet we’d still commend the DS 3 Crossback for its multi-faceted CMP platform, not to mention bold exterior and interior styling that stands out among more mundane competitors.