Premium French brand DS has revealed that its first big SUV will be priced from £28,050 when it arrives in showrooms next year.

It’s called the DS 7 Crossback and is the first completely new model from DS since the company parted company from Citroen in 2014 to form its own identity.

The car, which will be on sale from a growing network of DS bases across the UK, will be available in four trim levels with prices topping out at £43,535. A little further down the line in 2019 a plug-in hybrid will be added to the range and that is likely to cost about £50,000.

DS is confident its vehicle, which is high on technology and features two 12-inch display screens instead of conventional instruments, will challenge the likes of the Audi Q5 and Range Rover Velar.

Other high tech specifications includes swivelling LED headlights, a night vision display and an active suspension system which can detect undulations in the road up to 15 feet ahead and react in advance to soften the ride.

There will be a choice of three powertrains (prior to the hybrid set-up) with the entry level Elegance model powered by a 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel developing 130bhp and said to be capable of delivering a combined 70.6mpg with carbon emissions of 106g/km.

More powerful 180bhp 2.0-litre diesels will be included in the mid-range Performance Line and Prestige models and in the top specification Ultra Prestige versions.

Turbo charged PureTech petrol engines with outputs of 180bhp and 225bhp will also be available with a claimed fuel return of 48.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 134g/km.

All engines apart from the 1.6 diesel will be mated to eight speed automatic gearboxes.

The DS 7 E-Tense plug-in hybrid will have an all-wheel-drive configuration and will be driven by two electric motors plus a 200bhp petrol engine. DS has yet to release full performance data but says the car will be capable of running for up to 35 miles purely on electricity.

There will be a high specification launch edition DS 7 called La Premiere which will be on sale until the end of December priced from £42,650.

When it comes to safety, the DS 7 boasts a raft of technology. All models are equipped with lane departure warning, driver fatigue monitors and parking sensors while the higher specification versions include a semi-autonomous drive mode which DS is calling Connected Pilot.

The DS 7 boasts top quality interior designs with a choice of fabrics, leather and wooden veneers. And in line with the brand’s haute couture image DS has named the interior themes after Parisian landmarks including Rivoli, Opera and Faubourg.

While the DS range remains predominantly based at Citroen dealerships in Britain, the company plans to have 60 bespoke sites operational across the country by the end of 2018 which will include city centre salons similar to the DS store at London’s Westfield shopping centre.

A number of DS stores have already opened including two in the Edinburgh area with others in Glasgow, Manchester, Salford and Chester.