We look at the DFSK Seres 3, the electric SUV that wants to enter through the front door

The DFSK Seres 3 is the new bet from the Chinese automotive giant Dongfeng Motor Corporation, the second-largest car manufacturer in China and the tenth in the world, which is one of the major shareholders of the Stellantis group and exclusive partner of brands such as Peugeot, Citroën, Nissan, Kia and Honda.

The Sokon group, which forms the last two letters of the DFSK name, is in charge of the Seres range. It is the premium range with a more aspirational approach, which aims to become one of the reference brands for value-for-money consumers.

Seres 3: a model to democratise the premium concept

The product range that DFSK had until now consisted of the 580 and the F5 , which we have already met. The Seres 3 is presented as the brand’s first zero-emission model, with which to compete in the SUV segment of mainstream brands with generous equipment at a good price.

Although positioned as a compact SUV, the DFSK Seres 3 is one of the largest in the B-segment, where it rivals cars such as the Peugeot 2008, the Hyundai Kona, the Kia e-Niro or the Skoda Enyaq. Its dimensions are 4.35 metres long, 1.85 metres wide and 1,650 millimetres high. Its boot has a capacity of 310 litres, which rises to 1,247 litres with the rear seats folded down.

The ground clearance is what we find on practically all SUVs today, 180 millimetres, a more than sufficient height to tackle stony tracks without fear of hitting the underside of the car.

The front of the Seres 3 is strongly defined by the large grille characteristic of the brand, with the DFSK emblem presiding over it. Its sharply shaped halogen headlights give it personality and dynamism.

The side profile features several style ridges and a silver-coloured moulding that runs along the lower part of the windows from the A-pillar to the floating C-pillar. These shapes give it an attractive line and, together with its 18-inch alloy wheels, give it a sportier design.

The rear stands out for its full LED rear lights and a small, subtle spoiler. The lower part of the bumper has a thin blue line moulding, which is also found on the side skirt, the grille, in details of the front lights and in the Seres 3 badge, as a sign that it is a 100% electric car.

The colour palette offered by the brand includes metallic red (standard), metallic blue (590 euros), white (590 euros) or black (590 euros), the colour of the unit we tested.

The colour and the option of fitting a Wallbox Pulsar Plus at home or in the office to charge our electric car with a 5-metre cable are the only extra options that are not part of the car’s equipment.

Generous equipment, everything is standard

The interior of the Seres 3 is one of the strong points of the whole package. And it pleasantly surprised us. The front seats come as standard with electric adjustment, are heated and upholstered in synthetic leather. They have good lateral support and are quite comfortable.

Apart from details such as some buttons on the steering wheel, the general finish is of very good quality, with a dashboard in soft-touch materials and blue topstitching like the one found on the exterior, giving an atmosphere of good quality.

Its 10.25-inch infotainment system has good image quality on both the central screen and the instrument cluster, which is the same size as the other screen. Its sound system has six Pioneer speakers that deliver a more than adequate sound quality.

Its infotainment system lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, although it has Mirrorless technology.

In some parts of the interior we find piano black finish mouldings, such as the gear selector area, which rises when we press the start button and disappears when we switch off the car.

In addition to everything we have already said, the Seres 3 includes as standard equipment: an electric panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, a driving mode selector and push-button start, parking sensors and a 360-degree camera.

Complete safety systems

Regarding safety systems, the Seres 3 comes equipped with Stability Control (ESP and ESC), electronic brake force distribution (ABS and EBD), hill start assist, lane departure warning, cruise control, rain sensor, and folding, heated electric mirrors.

The DFSK Seres 3 has an electric motor that produces 160 CV (120 kW) and 300 Nm of torque, allowing it to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.9 seconds. The total battery capacity is 53.61 kWh and it offers a range of up to 329 kilometres on the WLTP cycle and up to 405 kilometres in the city on the NEDC cycle. The battery cells are manufactured by KTM and then assembled into modules at the DFSK factory. The car is homologated at a consumption of 17 kWh per 100 km, a figure not far from the 19 kWh per 100 km we recorded in our test, which included acceleration, national road, motorway and city driving.

With a CCS2 plug (fast charging) we can charge the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. With the Mennekes AC cable (6.6 kW), charging from 0 to 100 per cent takes around 8 hours, and with a conventional domestic socket (3.7 kW) about 17 hours.

Time for first impressions

When we get behind the wheel, the Seres offers 3 driving modes: Eco, Normal and Sport. In Eco mode, we noticed that the electric motor brakes strongly, but as it has no paddles to increase or decrease the levels of regeneration, we cannot drive without using the brake pedal as we can with other rivals in the segment such as the Hyundai Kona. Furthermore, in situations such as entering a roundabout or joining a road, its power is somewhat limited when this mode is active.

Our next test was in Sport mode on a winding road, where we noticed that when accelerating firmly, in the first few metres there was a certain loss of front-end grip, although not an alarming one. The Seres 3 moved with agility and without the understeer typical of a car weighing more than 1,700 kilos (which is what this car weighs), largely thanks to the batteries located in the lower part of the vehicle.

Its suspension absorbed bumps and road imperfections without any problem, making it a comfortable car for facing broken road surfaces, dirt tracks, etc. On the motorway we saw how the Seres 3 handles with ease and overtaking can be done safely thanks to its 300 Nm of torque and 160 CV.

The Normal mode was the most balanced between Sport and Eco, with sufficient power for comfortable driving and enough regeneration to recharge the batteries when braking or releasing the accelerator pedal.

Price and warranty

DFSK offers a warranty on all vehicle components of 8 years or 120,000 kilometres, whichever comes first. The price of the DFSK Seres 3 is 32,495 euros with the brand’s discounts and 25,495 euros with the Plan Moves III incentives, a truly attractive price considering the standard equipment, the interior space and the good ride comfort.