
Bored of mainstream SUVs? DS might have the solution
The newcomer will be called the DS Automobiles No7 in the same style as the No8 and No4, and promises to bring the brand's quirky styling and luxurious interior to the mid-size SUV class, just as its predecessor did. Due to be revealed later this year, it'll join the range with EV powertrains, and cost from around £45,000.
The new DS No7 will be twinned with a range of other SUV models in the Stellantis group which are also based on the STLA-M architecture. Other cars on this platform include the new Citroen C5 Aircross, Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland, but a key difference with the DS car is that it'll exclusively adopt a battery electric powertrain, without any hybrid or plug-in hybrid options. Advertisement - Article continues below
If you can't wait for a DS No7 and want one of its range-mates, check out Auto Express's online marketplace for all the latest deals
Two battery sizes will likely be available, based on the 73kWh and 98kWh variants currently seen on other Stellantis models, and there will be the option of a single, front-mounted motor or dual motors on an all-wheel-drive flagship. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
The DS No7 will also diverge from other models on this platform with its design and interior, taking the DS No8 as direct inspiration. As such, we expect to see a similar combination of super-slim LED headlights and aggressive daytime running lights paired with an illuminated 'grille' which houses the DS logo.
The body of this prototype is mostly covered by camouflage, but expect the same clean lines and contrasting lower body sections in gloss to offset large wheels and a tall glasshouse. We can also see it'll feature a flush front and hidden rear door handles, giving it an even cleaner look.
Inside, it'll take much of its inspiration from the No8. That's likely to mean a luxurious combination of materials such as Alcantara and leather, plus metal-like trim elements and lots of ambient LED lighting. It's not yet known if it'll adopt the X-shaped steering wheel, but the 16-inch touchscreen display will be shared, as will its internal software.
Sitting between premium and mainstream offerings means that the new DS No7 will compete with an array of cars in terms of price and prestige. Traditional premium electric SUVs such as the Audi Q4 and BMW iX1 will likely share a similar price point, but will be smaller and won't feel quite as high end.
On the other hand, the new generation of BMW and Mercedes SUVs from the class above, such as the iX3 and GLC EV, will be much further ahead in terms of tech, and come with higher prices. But, while the No7 might not have many direct competitors, it could sit in a sweet spot for many.
Tell us which new car you're interested in and get the very best offers from our network of over 5,500 UK dealers to compare. Let's go…
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With a Government grant looking unlikely, BYD has announced a new warranty and maintenance scheme to tempt buyers Car Deal of the Day: MGS5 EV for under £200 a month is a true bargain
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Fiat offers sizable discounts as it awaits confirmation that its EVs are eligible for the new Government grant

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BBC News
19 minutes ago
- BBC News
Work to repair Salisbury's 'killer kerb' to begin
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Sky News
31 minutes ago
- Sky News
What does the data tell us about road traffic accidents?
Under "tougher" plans to tackle road deaths and injuries in England and Wales, the government has announced measures to make over-70s take compulsory eye tests every three years or lose their licence. But are they really needed? Drivers over the age of 70 already self-report their medical fitness to drive every three years, and British roads are safer now than they've ever been. In 2023, the latest year for which the Department for Transport has published data, the casualty rate on British roads fell to 398 per billion vehicle miles. It's the first time that figure has been under 400, and has halved since just 2006. In 1960, the casualty rate was 10 times higher than it is now. The total number of people killed on the UK's roads also reached a record low in 2023, other than the COVID-affected years of 2020 and 2021. There were 1,624 people killed in total, just under half of which were in cars. This figure has plateaued somewhat since 2010, however, after rapid improvements between 2006 and 2010. There was a similar plateau between 1994 and 2006 before the last significant piece of road safety legislation was introduced. The 2006 Road Safety Act introduced higher fines and more points for the most severe speeding offences, as well as greatly expanding the use of speed awareness courses. It was also the first year people could get points on their licence for using their phone. In the four years that followed, there was a 40% decrease in deaths among road users. In the 13 years since then, it's fallen just 12%. There had been a slight rise in deaths among older drivers for a few years between 2014 and 2019, but that has started to fall again now. There are now fewer deaths among over-70s compared with either the under-30s, people aged 30-49, or those between 50 and 69. In 2019, there were a similar number of deaths among people of each of these age cohorts. Academic studies have previously found that older people are also more likely to develop symptoms of depression, be admitted to care facilities, and even have a higher mortality rate, once they stop driving. The academics found that those links remained even after adjusting for other factors like baseline health and cognitive ability. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: "It is certainly good for our eye health as we age to have a regular eye test - every two years the NHS advises - but this doesn't automatically mean that a compulsory eye test at age 70 is appropriate. People can develop eye problems at any age so why confine such an approach only to those aged 70 and not to younger drivers too? "From the data we have seen, there is no reason to suppose that eye problems lie behind a significant proportion of accidents. While there may be a case for introducing a regular mandatory eye test for drivers of all ages, it is not clear that this would have a big impact on the numbers of serious accidents involving older drivers." Are younger drivers a danger to themselves? Edmund King, president of the Automobile Association, said that the government's strategy is "much overdue", while pointing to the figures showing that the number of road deaths have plateaued since 2010. He said that making vision checks compulsory for older drivers was a "practical step that can make a real difference", but added that failing to introduce a six-month limit on new drivers transporting passengers of a similar age is "a major oversight". A limit like this has been active in parts of Australia since 2007. Research by road safety charity Brake says that, in the UK, around one in five drivers crash within a year of passing their test. 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The government's new proposals would reduce the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to the same level as in Scotland - 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, instead of the current level of 80mg of alcohol. For an average-sized man, that means they would be over the limit after one pint of beer, instead of after two. In diverging from the other nations in the UK, the new standards in Scotland aligned with most of Europe. It seems to have had some impact. The number of collisions involving drink drivers has fallen by more than 40% in Scotland since it was introduced, compared with 20% in England over the same time period, and 38% in Wales. The improvement is less pronounced when it comes to the most serious drink-driving road accidents, though. They are down just 7% since 2014. Where are the safest, and most dangerous, places to drive? The Isle of Wight has the highest current fatality rate, after accounting for how much driving people do. There were 18 deaths per billion vehicle miles on the island in 2023. Next was Blackpool, with 16. The central London boroughs of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Lambeth were the only other local authorities with a rate higher than 10. At the other end of the scale, Stockport (Greater Manchester), Thurrock (Essex) and Nottingham each had fewer than one death per billion vehicle miles. When it comes to accidents that included not just deaths but also serious injuries, London has the worst record. Drivers in Westminster were most likely to end up in a serious collision, but the nine most dangerous local authorities in Great Britain were all London boroughs. Bradford completed the bottom 10. Bath and North East Somerset was the safest area, although three Welsh areas - Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Cardiff - joined South Gloucestershire in the top five. Scottish drivers were among the most likely to avoid being in crashes altogether. Eight of the 10 local authorities with the lowest overall collision rate were north of the border, although Rutland in the East Midlands had the lowest overall rate. The top 20 areas with the most collisions per mile driven were all in London. How does driving in the UK compare with other countries? The UK is one of the safest places to drive in Europe. Only Norway and Sweden had a lower rate of road deaths per head of population in 2023 than the UK's 25 deaths per million people. The figures in places like Italy, Greece and Portugal were more than twice as high. There aren't any directly comparable figures for 2023 for the US, but in 2022 their death rate from driving was five times as high as the UK, and 50% higher than the worst performing European country - Bulgaria. The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.


Times
an hour ago
- Times
Scammers offering fake compensation for car loans
A planned compensation scheme for millions of people who were mis-sold car loans has been leapt upon by fraudsters, the City regulator has warned. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said scammers were calling people and offering 'fake compensation in exchange for personal details such as their name, address, date of birth and bank information'. Millions of consumers who bought cars with motor finance could be entitled to payouts of almost £950 after the regulator said this month that it would consult on creating a redress scheme that could cost lenders between £9 billion and £18 billion, a figure substantially lower than had been feared by the motor finance industry, but which would still represent one of the largest UK compensation exercises. The regulator noted that the redress scheme was not yet in place and that lenders were not contacting customers yet. It said that people receiving calls about compensation should hang up. In 2021 the FCA banned car dealers from adjusting the rate of interest they offered to buyers in return for higher commission from car finance firms. It had wanted to start a compensation scheme but put this on hold while cases brought by individuals went through the courts. Eventually the Court of Appeal backed consumers, prompting speculation that the industry was facing a bill of up to £40 billion. The Supreme Court overturned central elements of the earlier judgment, however, in a victory for the motor finance industry. The authority is consulting on a compensation scheme in the context of the Supreme Court judgment. The regulator's guidance that payouts are likely to be less than £950 per car finance loan and that they do not need to use a claims management company has been a blow to the claims industry, which had told people that claims could be in the order of £4,000. • The obscure firms behind frenzy in car loan claims Members of the House of Lords have urged the FCA to further reduce the scope of compensation by rethinking its plan for the redress scheme to cover loans written as far back as 2007. The House of Lords financial regulation committee has said that a 'more appropriate' timeframe for the scheme could align with a six-year deadline for claims to be brought before a civil court. Nisha Arora, director of special projects at the FCA, said: 'We're aware of scammers calling people and posing as car finance lenders, offering fake compensation and asking for personal details. There is no compensation scheme in place yet. If anyone receives a call like this, hang up immediately and do not share any information.'