Italian ECO SUV at €20,400 wants to dethrone the Seat Arona

In recent months, the French market has seen the arrival of many new brands , mainly Chinese. However, DR Automobiles Italia is an exception because although their cars are based on models from Chinese firms such as JAC or Chery , they have established a presence in France to produce their vehicles.

Three years ago, the first DR models went on sale in France, and since then the Italian company has significantly expanded its range of cars. Their latest model is the DR 3.0 , an urban SUV available from 18,900 euros , with a cost of 20,400 euros for the LPG version bearing the ECO label.

Larger trunk than the Seat Arona

In France, there is a wide variety of city SUVs on sale, ranging from high-end models to all-electric options, including many popular generalist models such as the Seat Arona and the Peugeot 2008 . However, there is always room for newcomers, such as the DR 3.0 , which is one of the latest launches from DR Automobiles .

It is a category B SUV measuring 4.17 meters in length and equipped only with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine and four naturally aspirated cylinders. This engine develops a power of 116 horsepower and a maximum torque of 135 Nm, and is always associated with a five-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive.

DR markets a bi-fuel variant of the Italian DR 3.0 SUV that can run on both gasoline and LPG . This version has a 1.5 liter engine developing a power of 114 horsepower and a torque of 131 Nm. It sports the ECO label.

As for the DR 3.0 petrol model , it weighs 1,290 kg, has a trunk with a capacity of 420 liters (compared to 400 liters for the Arona) and has an average consumption of 7.4 liters per 100 km. With a 48 liter gas tank, its theoretical range is about 650 km.

The DR 3.0 petrol and LPG , on the other hand, has a mass of 1,320 kg due to its petrol tank, which translates into less storage space in the boot, reduced to a capacity of 344 liters . The tank, whose effective capacity is 56 liters , is equipped with a 48-liter gasoline tank , which allows to obtain a total autonomy of more than 1,000 km .

The gasoline model is on sale at a price of 18,900 euros , while the LPG option is offered at 20,400 euros with ECO certification. In both cases, only one level of equipment is available, which notably includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, hill start assistant, cruise control, a 9-inch central touch screen and a rear view camera.

The only customization option offered is the choice of body color, with six colors available: red, orange, black, grey, silver and white. All versions have a black roof, while the red and orange versions can also have a white roof.