2020 DS 9 attempts to pelt France back into the luxury sedan segment

The Peugeot-owned DS brand will travel to the 2020 Geneva Motor Show to introduce the 9, its flagship sedan. France’s long-overdue answer to the Audi A4 picks up where the Citroën C6 left off in 2012, but it lands in a lower segment.

The 9 stretches 194 inches long and 73 inches wide, dimensions that give it almost exactly the same footprint as the C6 and the current-generation Audi A6. And yet, it’s positioned as an alternative to the smaller A4 and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, among others. DS hopes space will help its entry stand out in a crowded room.

Visually, the 9 blends styling cues from the design language that characterizes the newest additions to the DS range with a handful of retro-inspired touches. The rear turn signal repeaters integrated into the C-pillars are notably a tribute to the Citroën DS introduced in 1955 and sold in the United States in small numbers; it’s the model the entire brand is named after. Stylists drew proportions that remind us of the C5 sedan axed in 2017, and they sprinkled chrome trim over the body in a bid to give the 9 a suitably upmarket appearance.

DS refers to the 9’s interior as a lounge, a claim it backs up by pointing out the long wheelbase clears up a generous amount of space for the rear-seat passengers. The dashboard is dominated by a touchscreen for the infotainment system, and there’s a second, driver-configurable screen behind the steering wheel. Level two driver-assistance technology, night vision, and active LED headlights appear on the list of available features, while a camera faces tracks the driver’s every minute move to detect signs of fatigue, like excessive blinking.

The palette of available powertrains will ultimately grow to include three plug-in hybrid systems ranging from 225 to 360 horsepower, and a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine turbocharged to 225 horsepower without any kind of electrification. Every drivetrain spins the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, but all-wheel drive is available at the upper echelons of the trim hierarchy. DS will not offer a turbodiesel option, which may prove short-sighted considering the technology remains popular in this segment of the European market.

All told, the DS 9 indisputably tilts towards the comfort side of the scale. Don’t expect the French firm to turn it into a coupe, a station wagon, a convertible, or a hot-rodded answer to Audi’s mighty RS4 and Mercedes-AMG’s fire-breathing C63. It’s a cushy, well-equipped sedan that offers A6 levels of space and tech in an A4-sized package. Time will tell if that’s enough to make motorists take DS seriously, or if the 9 will become an expensive swing and a miss for parent company PSA.

Made in China, which is highly unusual for a French flagship sedan, the DS 9 will go on sale in select European and Asian markets by the end of 2020 with a base price pegged in the vicinity of €30,000, a sum that converts to about $32,500. There’s no evidence the firm plans to sell the model in the United States; besides, PSA’s American comeback is on ice following its ongoing merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

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