DR 5 in the driving report: Home cooking with charm

SYou literally can't see the forest for the trees, so the view of Chinese electronics newcomers could be obscured from a long-term aspirant to enter the German market. According to rumors, the Italian brand DR is once again planning to cross the border. How seriously should this be taken? For purposes of assessment, it may be interesting to know that this happened in 2013. And 2019. Nothing came of it.

Meanwhile, DR is undauntedly making its rounds in Italy. And on Mallorca, where we got a DR 5 as a rental car upgrade instead of the Fiat 500 we had booked. All we know about the brand is that it was founded in 2006, has already had to deal with bankruptcy, is in Italian hands and uses basic Chinese designs with its neatly designed range of products. There are seven models, we sat in the medium SUV, which is probably the bestseller.

Solid home cooking is on offer, the charm of which you've almost forgotten because of all the hyperscreens. Getting in is easy, loading the trunk is easy, and driving is also practical. The power is provided by a not exactly lively four-cylinder with a displacement of 1.5 liters, which reluctantly accepts gas when cold, but then trots along reliably. 116 hp and 136 Nm are available, drive at the front, sorted via a choppy five-speed gearbox, the steering reveals precision as a foreign word. The ensemble feels a bit 70s, but somehow honest.

After a few days of leisurely gliding across the island, affection grows between man and machine. If second gear only engages on the third attempt and then only with a grinding noise, understanding arises in the driver, he engages the lever even more delicately and lifts the accelerator pedal. 7.1 liters of gasoline went through every 100 gentle kilometers, well. But, attention now, the price tag shows 21,900 euros. 2024 in Germany? We are excited.