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DS3 E-Tense (2020-)

Available new
Compact/Small SUV
Electric

£35,989Typical price

Test score

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DS hopes to take advantage of both the popular compact SUV market and the emerging popularity for electric cars, with its DS 3f E-Tense. With an emphasis on style and sustainability, the five-door hatchback promises to be a desirable, practical and cost-effective family car. But how did it fare in our tough lab and road tests? Read our full review to find out.

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cons

What's included?

What is it?
What is it great at?
What’s it like to drive?
How reliable are DS cars?
How comfortable and spacious is it?
How economical is it to run?
How safe is it?
Is there anything I should look out for?
Should I buy it?
Where can I find out more?

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KEY TEST RESULTS
Comfort and practicality

Jan 2024Last checked by Which?
Mar 2021First reviewed by Which?
Jan 2020Released

The overall Which? test score is made up of the following star ratings, all determined by our rigorous lab tests.

How we test cars

19 Oct 2023

Ease of driving

Overall
Visibility
Smoothness of power delivery
Driving stability
Cabin layout

How we test ease of driving

To find out how easy a car is to drive, we assess cars across a number of areas from visibility and handling to the layout of the cabin and how smoothly the engine delivers its power.

Performance

Overall
In-gear acceleration
Brakes
Electric car range

How we test performance

We test braking distances and whether the effectivess of the brakes fade with repeat use. Performanc is based on in-gear acceleration.

Comfort and practicality

Overall
Entry and exit
Seat comfort
Ride quality
Quietness
Seat space
Boot space (small SUVs and medium cars)

How we test comfort and practicality

Comfort and practicality includes how easy it is, or not, to get in and out of the car and the maximum height of occupants. We also measure road, wind and engine noise and assess how well the car deals with bumps from large potholes to jittery surfaces like cobble stones.

Euro NCAP

How we test euro ncap

Any car that receives a rating of three stars or less from Euro NCAP is made a Don't Buy. If a car has been available for more than four years and has not been tested by Euro NCAP, it cannot be a Best Buy.

Which? safety

General
Class	Compact/Small SUV
Luxury	No
Convertible	No
Availability	Available new
New price	£35,989 - £40,565
Fuel type	Electric
Tested fuel efficiency	3.03mi/kWh
Length	4,118mm
Width (excluding wing mirrors)	1,791mm
Width (including wing mirrors)	1,985mm
Height	1,537mm
Driver max height
Second row passenger max height
Boot space with seats up
Boot space with seats down
Number of seats	5
Folding rear seats	Yes
Isofix attachments	Yes
Turning circle	11.2 m
On sale date	01 January 2020
Lowest pence per mile cost	£8.09

Latest tested engine
Engine name	E-Tense
Fuel type	Electric
Battery capacity
Energy required for full charge
Charging losses
Transmission	Single-speed automatic
Driven wheels	Front-wheel-drive (FWD)
Tested fuel efficiency (mi/kWh)
Cost per mile	8.09p per mile
Monthly fuel cost
Annual fuel cost
CO2 at tailpipe/tank-to-wheel (TTW) (g/km)	0
Well-to-wheel (WTW) CO2 (g/km)	112
Tested electric range (miles)
Official Euro emission level	Electric - N/A
Engine test date	30 August 2020
Test programme	2017

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DS3 E-Tense (2020-)

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