DS is poised to introduce two crucial new models in the UK – the N°3 supermini and N°7 crossover – as it begins a fightback after sales slumped to a record low.

The French premium brand sold just 112 cars in the UK during the first half of this year. That's an 88.19% decline from the 948 cars it registered here during the first six months of 2025.

The sharp fall was primarily due to the changeover in generations of the DS 7 SUV, which has long been its best-seller. Production of the left-field BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC rival wound down throughout the course of the year before finally concluding earlier this month. The 7 accounted for almost half of DS's sales in the UK last year, which totalled just over 1000 cars. This year, just two have been registered.

Although the changeover was long planned and the sales slump expected, the 7's replacement, the N°7, has an especially important role to play in sustaining DS's operations as the brand's other models sink down the sales charts.

The new N°8 flagship has been available in the UK since March but DS has registered just 70 examples – including demonstrators.

In addition, sales of the 3 crossover fell from just over 100 during the first half of 2025 to fewer than 20 in the same period this year.

The 4 accrued just under 500 registrations over the first six months of 2025 but it was replaced last September by the facelifted N°4, of which 43 examples have been registered since its launch.

DS parent company Stellantis doesn't disclose financial performance figures for each of its brands individually, so it's unclear what impact DS's low sales volumes have on its bottom line. DS has long contested that, despite being a niche player, it is a profitable contributor to the group.

Should DS fail to recover the momentum it had built with the 4 and 7 in terms of sales, it will face a significant challenge in ensuring its long-term viability.

DS declined to comment.

New arrivals will be vital

Speaking to Autocar last year, DS CEO Xavier Peugeot referred to 2024 and 2025 – which both brought sales declines for the brand in the UK – as "transition years".

He said the brand would be in a position to "recapitalise" following the launches of the N°8, N°4 and N°7 and that he felt "trust in the future for DS in the UK".

He added that DS should not be judged solely on its sales volumes, it being a profitable contributor to Stellantis on a global level.

However, the UK "needs to provide some volumes" to ensure the profitability of its dealer network, he said. "The coming launches will be key to ensuring the success of DS in the UK."

Stronger sales for the N°7 and N°4 will prove vital if the brand is to guarantee its future in the British market.

Notably, DS is undergoing a significant strategic pivot. Stellantis announced in May that DS will be moved back under the stewardship of Citroën, from which it was originally spun off to become a stand-alone marque.

It will now be considered a "specialty" brand (alongside Lancia, which is being rolled back into Fiat), but it remains to be seen what that means for its global sales network.

N°3: Small car, big hopes

Citroën's influence will manifest in the replacement for the DS 3, named the N°3. This is tipped to return to a more traditional supermini body. It will draw on the Mk1 Citroën DS3, the chic spin-off of the Citroën C3 that was successful enough to justify launching DS as a brand in its own right.

The Mk1 car was retired in 2018 and replaced by the current-generation crossover a year later. The brand's sales immediately plummeted and they have yet to recover.

Some 3000 examples of the DS 3 supermini were sold in the UK in 2018, compared with just over 2000 examples of the higher-riding 3 Crossback in 2019. That year was the crossover's best result for sales, which have fallen every year since, with just 133 registered in 2025.

DS's decision to return to the traditional supermini market could be the first step towards claiming some meaningful volume in the UK and mainland Europe.

Speaking to Autocar last year, DS design director Thierry Métroz said it would take inspiration from the Mk1 car "because it was so successful on the market".

He added: "We sold 500,000 DS 3 gen-ones. It was a success story. It had many, many customers in France, but also in the UK."

CEO Peugeot said he believed DS is "now in a position to recapitalise on this success story, based on the launch of these new products", referring to the N°4, N°7 and N°8. But he added that the brand's previous best annual result of around 55,000 sales has to become the baseline.

The success of the Renault 5 and Peugeot 208 gives reassurance of the N°3's potential, but it could still be a year from showrooms, so DS's larger models must work hard to sustain its UK operations in the meantime.

How DS sales have fallen in the UK