SOMETIMES settling into a car for the first time can be quite bewildering. The DS 5, with "its spirit of the avant garde", is a case in point.

There are buttons and switches everywhere you look or touch. It takes me ten minutes to get a decent grasp of the available comfort, safety and performance features.

As my hand slides down the right-hand side of the electrically-operated seat to adjust the height and distance settings, I find my back suddenly being massaged. This is not what I expected. Then my seat starts to warm up, and I am still fumbling for the height adjuster. I decide to defer to the handbook before making any more rash guesses.

It is at this point that I look upwards to see a rack of buttons running centrally along the ceiling and splitting the two individual roof window openings. In fact there is a further, larger roof window in the back. I cannot think that this is really necessary. Surely one big window would suffice, and that would let in more light.

In its quest to revive the tradition of French premium vehicles, you are left with the impression that the brand - the DS5 is officially no longer a Citroen product - is almost trying too hard to impress.

On the plus side, there are many things to admire about the DS5 in its top-of-the-range Prestige trim.

The smart LED headlights, a new seven-inch touchscreen, the cockpit driving position and the quality of the leather upholstery all get a big tick.

The styling remains avant-garde - that's the DS way - and that makes it instantly recognisable. From the side, the key styling feature is the slender, chrome sabre running from the tip of the headlamp to the front window. The wide track, striking rear light signature and twin tailpipes integrated within the rear bumper are key features at the rear.

The mix of refinement and technology mean the DS5 cabin is part gentleman's club and part spaceship. The main controls are grouped on two centrally positioned consoles, one at a low level near the gear selector and one overhead. Both incorporate specially designed buttons, dials and toggle switches that were inspired by the aerospace industry.

I was surprised to read that the interior layout has been simplified and there are in fact12 fewer buttons on the dashboard and fascia. Where on earth did they find space for another dozen buttons?

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of very useful stuff in the DS5's armoury. A blind spot monitoring system is new to the brand and joins a range of existing equipment including a lane departure warning function, automatic high beam control, turning headlights that work with the static cornering lighting to optimise illumination, hill-start assist, stability control, intelligent traction control, a reversing camera and a head-up display.

There are now ten safety systems in total and in addition to those massaging electric front seats you will find for your comfort keyless entry and start, heated door mirrors, an electrochrome interior mirror, ambient lighting, dual-zone automatic air conditioning and a Denon hi-fi system.

Customers can choose between five Euro 6 engine and gearbox combinations, with torque of between 240 and 400Nm. The range will be extended at the end of the year with a new petrol engine.

I tried out BlueHDi 180 EAT6 auto mated with a six-speed automatic gearbox, which successfully combines dynamism with a relaxed drive through its improved suspension and better damping qualities.

This new engine delivers CO2 emissions and fuel consumption that are, as a minimum, on par with the best in this class (114g/km of CO2 and up to 64.2mpg on a combined cycle).

But in finest French luxury tradition the DS 5 is built primarily for style and tactility of materials, with practicality taking a back seat.

The large steering wheel with a broad, flat bottom will not be everyone's cup of tea, but the introduction of that high-resolution screen is a winner.

Visibility through the twin-spar A-pillar is actually not too bad, despite being initially disconcerting.

The DS5, which is available in Elegance and Prestige trim levels, has got bags of style but in one or two areas is over-fussy. At £32,040 for the Prestige trim it will also find it tough to tempt buyers from the more established executive brands.