DBX is Aston Martin’s first SUV. It’s an attempt to crack into the tall-car-centric markets where Aston is currently struggling as a business while also trying to make something that’s genuinely useable and practical.
While there’s still a long way to go for the DBX, it’s already on its way to becoming one of the essential models in Aston Martin’s history. Hopefully, it will help the brand recover its fortunes while paying back the significant investment in creating the vehicle.
Features
As you might expect from a car made by Aston Martin, the DBX boasts a cabin that is richly awash in fine leather and genuine wood trim. You’ll also find bright design details like raised and pinched leather in storage bins on the doors and air vents.
Inside, you’ll find a remarkably spacious cabin that seats up to four adults. There’s also a ton of room for luggage, thanks to a long wheelbase and a graceful tail end.
The interior is a surprisingly cohesive melding of Aston Martin’s classic luxury strength with modern refinement and convenience. The leather, for example, is supple, and it smells a lot better than it does on many Mercedes vehicles.
The DBX’s powertrain, in particular, is an inspired blend of driver input and engine performance that gives this SUV a sense of visceral thrill that you don’t usually find in a crossover. The V-8 delivers a healthy 697 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque, which should propel the SUV to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds.
Performance
The DBX is a super-fast SUV that delivers the performance you’d expect from an Aston Martin. Its 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 from Mercedes-AMG puts gobs of low-end torque on tap, making it easy to get off the line.
But the DBX’s real strength is its driving and handling. It’s fast and responsive but not brazenly flashy or aggressive. It can handle curves and bends without breaking a sweat, and it feels like an estate car when you’re in the driver’s seat.
A nine-speed automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels. Aston claims it’ll spool up to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and top out at 181 mph. Those figures aren’t the class-leading ones you’ll find in rivals such as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Lamborghini Urus, but they’re certainly good enough to keep you on your toes.
Safety
The Aston Martin DBX is the brand’s first SUV, and it’s been developed with a clear focus on bridging the gap between performance and luxury. Its safety features are among the best in the industry, ensuring that you and your loved ones can drive safely at all times.
The DBX also includes several advanced features to keep you safe, from a comprehensive suite of driver assistance systems to an impressive list of active safety technologies. These include forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot detection, lane-keeping assist, and more.
The DBX also features a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system and a powerful V-8 engine. Combined with a 3.27:1 final-drive ratio and aggressive rear-biased AWD, the DBX delivers strong acceleration and excellent handling. It also boasts a fully-integrated autonomous launch control system, which can provide a head-bobbing racing start and enable clean, powerful acceleration.
Value
The Aston Martin DBX has an eye-catching exterior design, but the real draw is the interior. It’s a gorgeous place to spend time, with Alcantara, premium leather, and soft-touch surfaces throughout. Featuring a 12.3-inch digital gauge display, three-zone climate control, and configurable ambient lighting, the DBX also comes standard with heated front and rear seats.
The DBX also includes Apple CarPlay compatibility and keyless entry, as well as a variety of options to personalize the cabin. These include ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a range of fancier cabin materials.
Power comes from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 sourced from Mercedes-AMG, producing 697 horsepower (in metric terms, 707 PS) and 663 pound-feet of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission sends the power to all four wheels, allowing it to go from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds to a top speed of 291 mph.