Buy This Forgotten French Luxo-Barge For Hyundai i10 Money

Frankly, the DS 9 never stood a chance in the UK. Even when saloons were go-to family and company cars, the big, French ones always struggled to make a noticeable impact. 

So to introduce one in the 2020s, when crossovers dominate, and from a brand that’s struggled to find a real identity since being spun off Citroen, with an ambitious price point that puts it right up there with the German exec saloons? It’s no wonder that the DS 9 – a car that usually led you to a Star Trek series if you tried to Google it – has quietly disappeared from its manufacturer’s UK website.

The thing is, big French saloons have always had an undeniable appeal to certain types of people, and the 9 was no different. It may not have been as outright weird as some of the big Citroens that preceded it, but it still looked handsome, had a wonderfully serene ride, and a mad-looking but beautifully crafted interior featuring the option of some of the best massaging seats we’ve ever experienced. We’re sure the seven people in Britain who bought them have rather enjoyed them.

Of course, apart from comfort and strangeness, the other word that springs to mind when talking about French luxo-barges is depreciation, and the D word means that the DS 9 now looks like something of a used bargain.

Take this one we’ve found for sale. A 2022 example, it’s in Performance Line trim, which mostly means it has some DS Performance badges and lots of black Alcantara inside – not necessarily our first choice of spec for what is, at heart, a big comfy cruiser, but it seems to be the trim most people went for the 9 in.

It’s a pure petrol version, meaning it gets a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder sending 222bhp to the front wheels – enough for 62mph in 8.1 seconds and a 146mph top speed, if such things matter to you in a car like this. They really shouldn’t, though – as we discovered last year, the 9 is a car best enjoyed at five tenths, wafting along and revelling in its comfort and the slightly bizarre surroundings of the interior.

When new in 2022, all this waftiness would have cost somewhere in the mid-forties (that’s if it was actually bought privately, and not a fleet sale, as most DS 9s likely were). Three years on, with a not-too-scary 37,308 miles on the clock, it’ll run the next buyer £17,720, or a little more than an absolute base model Hyundai i10.

If you’re the kind of person who appreciates something a little offbeat, this makes the 9 look rather tempting. You’re certainly not going to see many others around, but on the rare days when you do, you’ll be able to give your fellow owner a knowing glance, one that says: ‘Yes, you too are a bit strange, but that’s okay’.