FIRST DRIVES
24 APRIL 2 019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 33
FIRST DRIVES
Can the PSA brand depose Mini for those in search of quirky?
DS 3 CROSSBACK
MERCEDES-BENZ CLA 220 D
AMG LINE PREMIUM
TESTED 16.4.19, LONDON ON SALE APRIL
A
l l t he PR pu f f i n t he w orld
won’t get your new brand off
the ground; only the cold,
hard reality of sheet metal can
make it a reality. The DS 7 Crossback
was the first fresh step for Citroëns
premium-slash-luxury spin-off but,
with a new model launch planned
for every year until 2021, the next
step is the DS 3 Crossback.
Fixed firmly upon the Audi Q2
and Mini Countryman, the DS 3
Crossback calls shotgun on the PSA
Group’s CMP platform that will
provide foundations for thousands of
Eu r op e a n c a r s ov e r t he ne x t de c a de –
chief among them the Vauxhall Corsa
and Peugeot 208 – and crucially is
future-proofed for pure EV operation.
Those details are swept away by
the visual impact of the 3 Crossback,
however, regardless of your point
of view. More radical than its larger
sibling, the 3 Crossback takes the
family nose and flares outwards,
with bulging arches and curvaceous
hips that would see a classic Coke
bottle reaching for fillers. Carry that
optimism inside and it is a partial
success. There is clearly more fresh
t h i n k i n g at w ork w it h a n e d ge -he av y de si g n t h at ow e s ple nt y t o t he
Louvre, but the posher materials are
offset by the regulation-issue plastics
lower down. Space is competitive and
the equipment levels are strong with
a 7in touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and
A nd r oid A ut o plu s 17 i n a l loy w he e l s
as standard, but the overall quality is
a little behind the key players.
For now, the 1.5-litre four-cylinder
d ie s e l i s t he mo s t f r u ga l of fe r i n g,
with its focus firmly fixed on saving
fuel. Work the six-speed manual and
you can achieve 0-62mph in 11.4sec,
and its vocal efforts are mostly
disguised from the cabin occupants,
but w it h t h i s e n g i ne at le a s t it i s
best enjoyed at a more leisurely
pace. The same memo may not
have reached the suspension team,
however, as a firmer-than-average
ride sees the 3 Crossback picking
out imperfections with apparent
enthusiasm, without translating
that into a rewarding drivingexperience. Capable, competent
and trustworthy it definitely is,
but t he C ou nt r y m a n i s mor e f u n
to steer by a significant margin.
W h at r e a l l y hu r t s t he D S 3
Crossback, however, is the price list,
which puts it within a few hundred
pounds of both the Mini and the Q2.
T h at m ay a l l c h a n ge i n S e p t e mb e r,
when the E-Tense EV version arrives
with fast charging, a 200-mile range
and a competitive price.
MATT JOY
SUCH I S DI E SEL’s f a l l f r om g r a c e
that, at present at least, Mercedes-
Benz is restricting its presence in
the new CLA to a single engine.
The new 2.0-litre motor offers
187bhp, enough thanks to its
class-leading aerodynamics
t o pu sh it pa s t 1 5 0 mph.
It ’s a s t r on g e n g i ne i n a de c e nt c a r
and, but for the ongoing attempted
ostracisation of diesel, would be the
natural choice for the model thanks
to its torque, range and miserly
fuel consumption.
Even so, it still plays a supporting
role to the chassis, which feels so far
advanced from the narrow-track,
beam-axle suspension used in
mo s t A- C l a s s e s a s t o app e a r
barely related. AF
Price £27,105
Engine 4 cyls, 1499cc,
turbocharged, diesel
Power 101bhp at 3500rpm
Torque 1 8 5 l b f t a t 1 7 5 0 r p m
Gearbox 6-spd manual
Kerb weight 1205kg
0-62mph 11.4sec
Top speed 112mph
Economy 54.4-62.7mpg
CO 2 , tax band 97-102g/km, 23-24%
RIVALS Audi Q2, Mini Countryman
Price £36,500 (est) On sale Summer
What’s new? Diesel power for the new CLA still
makes a compelling case for high-mileage usersDS 3 CROSSBACK PRESTIGE
BLUEHDi 100
The driving experience doesn’t
deliver on the visual promise. But theE-Tense version may change all that
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DACIA SANDERO
STEPWAY TECHROAD
DACIA HAS FOUND that budget-
minded buyers are increasingly
willing to spend on extras, so this
new range-topping Techroad version
of its high-riding supermini variant
is effectively what happens when you
tick all of the option boxes.
The mechanicals are unchanged,
with power coming from a 89bhpthree-cylinder turbo, which offers
modest performance befitting the
c a r ’s r e l at i v e l y mo de s t pr ic e. T he
handling and ride are decent too.
The Techroad is revamped inside
and out, including a reversing
camera and 7in touchscreen. That
said, cheaper trims offer arguably
better value for money, if you can live
without the extra style f lourishes. JA
Price £11,660 On sale Now
What’s new? Trim, upholstery and extra kit for
range-topping version of jacked-up supermini
AAABC
Avant-garde design might distract you from the cheaper materials down below