Alternative-fuel car deliveries may be on the rise globally, but not of them are so successful. Cue the DS 5 Hybrid, which has been quietly retired from the United Kingdom, a decision confirmed by one of the brand’s spokespersons, who recently talked to AutoExpress on the matter.
“Sales of DS 5 Diesel Hybrid versions accounted for just 3 percent of the total DS 5 volume in the UK, September, year-to-date, 2016. In light of this, we decided to review the DS 5 range in order to introduce greater efficiencies.”
One of the key factors that led to the French compact car’s poor sales was its price tag, set at £33,680 ($42,150), as for a similar cost, consumers often went for other cars, which are almost-as-efficient than the DS 5 Hybrid, which offers 72.4 mpg UK (60.3 mpg US / 3.9 lt/100 km) and 103 g/km of CO2 emissions, from a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine, and electric motor.
Retiring the DS 5 Hybrid from the UK market, however, has nothing to do with DS Automobiles’ plans of becoming the first brand in the PSA Group to offer a petrol PHEV by the end of the decade, as it was confirmed by the same spokesperson.