DARING and stylish sums up the latest French take on classy cars as the DS marque arrives as an automotive brand in its own right.

Already established as the attention grabber in the Citroen range, parent company PSA had decided to split out the DS models to become France's premium alternative to the likes of posh Audis, Mercedes and Jaguars.

Built on a reputation of innovation stretching back to the original DS saloon of 1955 - voted by many as the car of the last century - the new approach to auto couture French fashion is being launched with a new-look DS5.

A spirit of avant-garde is one of the marketing buzz phrases DS is using as it starts its new journey which will be built around design with a difference and plenty of technology.

The new DS5 arrives on July 1 and it is dressed to reflect that philosophy. While realistically it is a mid-life makeover of the model which came on to the scene in 2012, gone are the Citroen chevrons replaced by new DS badging on the grille and tailgate.

There's a fresh look to the nose and the front is highlighted with two chrome sabre strips stretching from the tip of the headlamps to beyond the windscreen pillar.

Underneath there are changes to the suspension to improve the ride and a new engine line up to satisfy the latest emission regulations.

At the top of the range comes a 2.0-litre diesel hybrid which sets out the new DS stall in no uncertain terms.

In high grade Prestige trim it is priced from £34,890 and is an executive model with flair inside and out aimed at those who dare to be different.

The engine is mated to an electric motor which drives the rear wheels and together they combine to deliver 200bhp which gives good performance and the potential for huge fuel economy.

Officially the hybrid system is claimed to be good for 72.4mpg with emissions of 103g/km and realistically it is going to average close on 50 to the gallon in everyday use.

A multi-mode drive control provides plenty of scope to get the best from the car which can be switched into complete EV set up in traffic to conserve fuel.

Citroen and Peugeot were pioneers of diesel hybrid technology and the system has been refined since its debut and is now much more refined.

Move the DS5 into either sport or four-wheel-drive mode and it becomes very responsive.

Top speed is a claimed 131mph with a 0 to 60 time of 9.3 seconds and on the road it is much more composed than before with changes to the suspension making the ride nicely compliant. That said it still does not feel as planted on the road as some of its contemporaries and the relatively large flat bottomed steering wheel can feel cumbersome at slower speeds.

The interior is a work of art and the closest you will get to that of a jet cockpit, especially with the optional head up display fitted. There are controls in the roof for the triple light sunroof, a sun glass holder in the overhead console and all the instrumentation is clear and legible.

The new model has less clutter on the dash with a seven-inch touchscreen now providing access to most of the car's systems including the sat nav and Bluetooth connections which are backed up with a Mirror Link hook up to a smartphone.

A rectangular clock is a classy feature as is the quality of the leather upholstery now available in three finishes including the DS trademark 'watch strap' pattern which is a delightful design.

So is the delicate look to the gear selector for the six speed electronic gearbox which again has matured and is now smooth shifting either in full auto mode or when used manually via paddle shifters.

It is an interior like no other and very plush although the top of the dash remains a large swathe of plastic, albeit soft-touch. There's leather above the instrument binnacle but that's all and other premium models are now going for full leather finishes which is very upmarket.

However, the DS5 dares to be different and at that it excels - even down to the scrolling LED indicators which blink along the front bumper.

The Hybrid4 we drove had an on the road price of £36,490 which is very competitive in the executive market.

The refreshed range now starts at £25,980 for a 1.6-litre 120bhp diesel which is only a few hundred pounds more than the previous model and still very economical with emissions of 104g/km almost matching that of the hybrid.

To mark its new found independence there is also limited edition model being released in a distinctive blue paint finish and priced from £29,600.

It is badged 1955 to mark the year the first DS arrived and 1,955 of them will be produced, each individually numbered with a special 60 anniversary plaque on the dash, with 65 slated for the UK.

The DS of 60 years ago was one of the most technologically advanced cars ever seen and is now an icon of automotive design - the latest incarnations are equally distinctive and cars of desire for those who crave style that only the French can deliver.