DS 3 Crossback E-TENSE boot space & seating

Depending on how you look at it, the DS 3 Crossback E-TENSE is either a more practical alternative to style-focused cars such as the Honda e and MINI Electric, or a compromised competitor of more sensible models like the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona Electric.

Many buyers looking at the MINI will find the DS 3’s rear doors particularly useful, even if the space inside isn’t as good as it could be. Still, that additional access point will make fitting child seats infinitely simpler – especially thanks to the easily accessible ISOFIX child-seat attachment points. The Kia has even more space inside, and the rear feels far less cramped.

The DS is a compact car, though, and that works wonders in town, where it’s easy to thread through traffic. Parking could be made easier by better visibility, but at least some versions get a reversing camera.

DS 3 Crossback E-TENSE interior space, storage & comfort

Space inside the DS 3 Crossback E-TENSE, especially in the back, is at a premium. The room for rear-seat passengers isn’t that generous – taller adults will struggle with the sloping roofline, feeling hemmed in by the over-designed rear-window trim. For storage, there's a pair of small but perfectly positioned door bins, as well as a handy cubbyhole between the front seats. The glovebox on right-hand-drive cars is compromised due to the position of the fuse box; a frustration on myriad Peugeot and Citroen models for years.

Boot space

The E-TENSE’s boot is identically sized to the one you’ll find in the petrol and diesel DS 3 Crossback, and at 350 litres is on par with most family hatchbacks. It’s much bigger than the MINI Electric's, but smaller than the 451-litre boot in the Kia e-Niro. There’s little in the way of underfloor storage, which means you need to store the car’s charging cables at home or loose in the boot. There’s no added practicality in the form of a front storage space, either, due to the amount of mechanical components under the bonnet.