Aston Martin DBX Review 2024

Aston Martin DBX At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
Of all the large, luxurious SUVs, the Aston Martin DBX is the best to drive and arguably the best-looking. Its plush and practical interior is very appealing, too.

+Fantastic to drive. Deeply luxurious. Family-friendly practicality. It can tow a caravan.

-Outdated infotainment tech. High running costs. Expensive options.

New prices start from £168,420
Insurance Group 50

It’s always controversial when a sports car maker turns its hand to building SUVs, and so it was when Aston Martin launched the DBX. The company knew it had to be good to win over buyers and silence the doubters, so it threw everything at it. The DBX is a clean-sheet design, made in a purpose-built factory in Wales – and Aston Martin got it right first-time.

Let’s start with the styling, which blends the aesthetic of Aston Martin’s sports cars with the big, five-door body of an SUV. We reckon it’s rather handsome, although from some angles it takes a bit of getting used to. It’s certainly less controversial than rivals such as the Lamborghini Urus, BMW XM and Bentley Bentayga.

There are many different colours, wheels and trim packages available off-the-shelf to customise the car to your taste. Speak to Q, Aston Martin’s bespoke customisation department, and the options are basically limitless.

It’s a similar story inside the Aston Martin DBX. The interior looks great, it’s sumptuously luxurious, quiet and relaxing. The glass sunroof lets in lots of light, there’s a good view out, and the leather seats are hugely comfortable. This is a fantastic car to travel in. Again, there are dozens of personalisation options.

You’ll find space for five adults, but headroom is a bit limited if you’re really tall. Kids will have loads of room in the back, though, and the boot is big enough for most people’s needs. Fold the back seats down if you need to carry more stuff, or hook up a trailer. The Aston Martin DBX can tow 2.7 tonnes.

There are two models to choose from: the ‘standard’ Aston Martin DBX and the Aston Martin DBX707. Both cars have the same features, including sat-nav, three-zone climate control, electrically adjustable front seats, an electric steering column, heated seats front and rear, an opening sunroof and lots more besides.

There are many driver-assistance features, too, including adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera system, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist and rear cross-traffic alert.

The Aston Martin DBX is let down somewhat by its infotainment system, a hand-me-down from Mercedes-Benz. The 10.25-inch screen is a bit small, it uses a rotary controller and it’s not compatible with Android Auto. However, it does have sat-nav, DAB radio, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Both the Aston Martin DBX and Aston Martin DBX707 use the same powertrain, sourced from Mercedes-AMG. It’s a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive.

The difference is in their power outputs: 550PS in the DBX and a mighty 707PS in the Aston Martin DBX707. The Aston Martin DBX is extremely fast, the 707 ballistically so.

They are fabulous cars to drive as well. It’s hard to believe that such a big, heavy machine can be so quick on a winding country road. It genuinely feels like a sports saloon. The 707 feels more precise, but the standard Aston Martin DBX is still enormous fun.

When you’re just going about your business, the Aston Martin DBX is smooth, quiet and comfortable. It does feel its size in town, but it’s a great motorway cruiser.

The official figures show average fuel economy of around 19mpg. You should get more than that on the motorway – and significantly less when driving enthusiastically. It’s in the top band for vehicle excise duty (VED, or road tax) and benefit-in-kind (BiK) tax rates are steep. But that’s to be expected with this kind of car.

At the time of writing, the standard Aston Martin DBX costs £176,000, while the Aston Martin DBX707 is £194,000.

That’s right in the middle of the large luxury SUV spectrum, between the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus. We reckon it’s pretty reasonable value at that. The cost rises quickly if you pick a lot of options, though.

The Aston Martin brand and the DBX’s styling alone may be enough to swing your decision in its favour. Compared to its luxury SUV rivals, it’s arguably the most stylish and the best to drive, plus it has the luxury (if not quite the tech) you expect, along with the practicality you need.  

What does a Aston Martin DBX cost?