The junior model of the French premium brand DS in the first two generations did not become a bestseller, but Stellantis Corporation intends to make a new attempt: The third generation DS 3 will hit the market in 2026 and will continue to be produced in France.
The first generation DS 3 debuted in 2009 as a youth three-door hatchback; it was even officially sold in Russia. In the second generation, which has been produced since 2018, the DS 3 turned into a five-door subcompact crossover, but the change in form factor and the restyling that happened in 2022 did not lead the younger DS model to success. We don’t yet have sales statistics for Europe for the full last year, but we do have them for the first ten months: according to JATO Dynamics, DS 3 sales from January to October 2023 in Europe amounted to only 8,343 units. (-24% compared to last year), while the brand’s bestseller for the same period was the compact crossover DS 7 with 17,266 units sold (+13% compared to last year).
Current DS 3 1/2 
Current DS 3 2/2
The current DS 3 has an original, slightly eccentric design and is available with both “hydrocarbon” and all-electric powertrains, but compared to its competitors it is expensive (in Germany — from 26,640 euros) and sells poorly, many potential customers still perceive The premium status of the DS brand is far-fetched. In China, the DS brand failed altogether, despite models exclusive to this market and generous injections into marketing and advertising.
Current DS 3
Stellantis Corporation has not yet officially announced the new DS 3, but French Industry Minister Roland Lescure did so recently, as quoted by the L’argus newspaper. The newspaper reports that the new DS 3 will be put into production in 2026 at a plant in the French city of Poissy (the second-generation crossover and the Opel Mokka platform are also made here) and that it will be larger than its predecessor (overall length will increase from 4.1 to 4.3 m). The interior will become more spacious and practical, while the design will be sportier than that of the second generation crossover. There will be no “hydrocarbon” versions in the third generation, only electric ones.
Current DS 3
Remember that in 2021 the Stellantis corporation united the Alfa Romeo, DS and Lancia brands into a premium pool; the development of their new products is carried out separately from the new products of the mass brands Citroen, Fiat, Jeep, Opel and Peugeot, although on common platforms with them. This circumstance partly explains the fact that other new DS models will receive Italian registration, but the new DS 3 will continue to be assembled in France. The design of the new DS models will be even more sophisticated than now, but it is not yet clear whether this will lead the stalled French brand to success.