2018 DS DS7 Crossback revealed

Citroen's premium sister brand DS has ripped the covers off its first SUV, the DS7 Crossback, ahead of next week's Geneva motor show.

The stylish high-riding wagon will go head-to-head with the likes of the BMW X3, Land Rover's Discovery Sport, Lexus NX, and Mercedes-Benz GLC, and the incoming new-generation Audi Q5 in the busy premium mid-size SUV market.

The French SUV will be offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and feature the latest semi-autonomous and connectivity technology.

the DS7 Crossback will feature the 'Connected Pilot' semi-autonomous driving system that includes lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

An Australian launch is yet to be announced, but local distributor Sime Darby Motors Group has confirmed the model is under consideration for this market.

Under the sculpted bonnet is a 150kW petrol engine matched with two 80kW electric motors for a combined output of 224kW for the plug-in hybrid powertrain.

While one electric motor is paired with the petrol engine drive the front wheels, the second motor drives the rear for four-wheel drive traction, via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

A 13kWh and 90kW lithium-ion battery is housed under the back seats and helps ensure a 60km electric-only driving range.

The DS7 Crossback can be charged in four and a half hours in the 'standard' mode and two and a half hours in 'fast' mode, with regenerative braking assisting battery life.

Eventually the range will be expanded to include three petrol and two diesel-powered variants.

The DS7 Crossback can even detect your mood and fatigue levels thanks to an inward-facing infrared camera.

As parent company PSA Group pushes towards autonomous driving, the DS7 Crossback will feature the 'Connected Pilot' semi-autonomous driving system that includes lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

The DS7 Crossback can even detect your mood and fatigue levels thanks to an inward-facing infrared camera that monitors the frequency of blinking, facial and head movements for signs of distraction and steering deviation.

Styling cues from both the Divine DS and E-Tense are evident on the DS7 Crossback, specifically the LED headlight cluster that has six different lighting modes for varying road conditions.

The front end also features the de rigueur gaping grille with a diamond effect pattern and a split lower grille.

The sharply styled rounded tail end features modern slim-line LED tail-lights made up of what the brand describes as "illuminated scales."

Its dimensions of 4570mm long, 1620mm high and 1890mm wide place its somewhere between the Audi Q3 and Q5, but it will likely compete more closely with the latter.

Inside the DS7 features a pair of hi-tech 12.0-inch screens, one that dominates the centre stack and a second for the instrument cluster.

The now familiar flat-bottomed DS steering wheel is also present.

DS will offer four trim line options, comprising Bastille, Rivoli, Opera and Performance Line. The cabin can be customised with wood, leather and Alcantara with pearl-shaped stitching on the dashboard, door panels and console.

Can the DS7 Crossback help the French brand crack the tough premium segment? Tell us what you think in the comments below.