autoevolution
 

DS5 Hybrid Discontinued in UK Due to Poor Sales

Toyota might be selling more hybrid cars than ever, even in Europe, but not everybody is having the same luck. For example, Citroen's spinoff luxury brand has had to discontinue the DS5 Hybrid from the UK lineup due to poor sales.
2015 DS5 16 photos
Photo: DS Automotive
2015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 52015 DS 5
It's hardly surprising if you look at the numbers. Not only is the car expensive, but it delivers economy numbers that aren't that great. As a result, just 3% of total DS5 are hybrid.

We think that's abysmal, especially when you consider that some of those units might still be in dealers' hands while DS5 total sales are ridiculously low anyway.

Every year, we talk about models that need to be... pruned from the range. How did they even come to be? The answer is always ambition, whether it's being the biggest or standing out.

And when the DS5 came out, it really stood out. Citroen (at the time, it was a Citroen) thought MPVs were its core, so it decided to make a luxury version that costs about the same as a BMW 3 Series. European automakers weren't making any hybrids at that time, so adding the electric motor was believed to be another trump card.

The DS5 Hybrid was still available after the mid-life updates and cost £33,680, which is the main reason it didn't sell. That many of Her Majesty's pounds can just about get you behind the wheel of a Volvo V90, and that's like a flagship model from the Swedes.

As for the fuel economy, the gasoline-hybrid mix's best number is 72.4 mpg UK or about 3.9 liters per 100 kilometers. That's about average for a 2.0 TDI-engined Audi or a BMW 320d. What's more, the 103 grams per kilometer of CO2 makes this an impossible pick as a company car due to taxes.

As you can see from the configurator, the DS5 is left with two versions of the 1.6-liter turbo, the 120 PS 1.6 diesel and 2.0-liter diesels that produce 150 or 180 PS. Their cheapest model would be £26,950, which is barely acceptable.

Like the BMW ActiveHybrid 5, the DS5 Hybrid won't die off completely. DS will be the first of all the PSA brands to get a plug-in hybrid model. Yo can thank China for that one, if it arrives as scheduled. But that doesn't necessarily mean it will be offered in Britain, given that UK buyers would much rather stick to a simple diesel or go to Toyota for their green needs.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories