Les gants are off: Upcoming Electric DS No3 targets Renault 5 upon arrival
A new generation of DS 3 is set to arrive this year, as the Stellantis-owned French luxury brand continues to heavily revamp its lineup.
Until its No8 flagship debuted at the end of 2025, DS hadn’t launched a new car for four years. On the back of the DS No8, the No4 hatchback has been revised, and a new version of its mid-sized No7 SUV was recently announced.
Given the enormous success of the Renault 5, DS aims to compete with its biggest rival courtesy of a similar-sized posh supermini based on Stellantis’ EV-only STLA Small architecture, which will be shared with the next-generation Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa electric.
The STLA Small platform was previewed in the Peugeot Polygon concept, and can be fitted with a range of batteries sized from 37kWh to 82kWh. The larger of the two is expected to return a superior range to the R5, which maxes out at 249 miles in 52kWh form.
In addition to its impressive range and accessible price point, the R5’s retro-inspired design has been key to winning plaudits.
As such, DS is reported to be using elements from the Mk1 DS3 as a source of visual inspiration for what is expected to be called the DS No3 in alignment with its current naming strategy. The original car (pictured above) debuted as the Citroen DS3 in 2010, and proved to be a commercial success.
Nonetheless, DS insists that the upcoming No3’s design cues will be reinterpreted in a “futuristic way” instead of pursuing a full-on reimagining of the original car, which arrived in 2010. No debut date for the DS No3 has been confirmed, but the Paris Motor Show in October is an expected time and location.
The DS No3 will be the smallest model in the brand’s line-up alongside the DS No4, DS No7, and DS No8. French fashion house Chanel owns the rights to the No5 name for its perfume range, leaving potential room for a DS No6 in the future.
In its current form, DS was founded in 2009 as Citroen’s premium arm. In 2014, it was spun off as an independent brand. Leaning into the history books, DS takes its name and inspiration from Citroen’s iconic DS produced from 1955 to 1975.
