Used 2021 Aston Martin DBX

The philosophy from the Aston folks in England, where their cars are manufactured, is that a utility car doesn’t have to be boring. With high-end fit and finishes on the interior and a menacing-looking visage, the DBX fits seamlessly into the rest of the Aston Martin lineup.

Competitors for the DBX include other lux sport-utes including the Bentley Bentayga, Land Rover Range Rover, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Lamborghini Urus, and Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Some of these offer more horsepower than the DBX.

But for your hard-earned money, Aston provides the DBX driver with a tried and tested 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, handling equal to the brand’s reputation, and stand-out-in-a-crowd styling.

Before you even push the start button, sitting behind the wheel of the DBX feels special. The sport-inspired bucket seats are swathed in hand-stitched leather. The positioning of the digital gauge cluster and the driver’s infotainment screen feel intuitive and well-placed.

Turning the engine on is an auditory explosion. The exhaust sound echoes and chortles even in the regular drive mode. Throw it into Sport and you get an amplified version that delights.

The Mercedes-AMG sourced V8 under that sexy hood is tuned perfectly and delivers 542 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. The DBX comes as an all-wheel-drive (AWD) crossover only and has off-road modes that grip on dirt nicely; just be aware of your limited ground clearance. Aston Martin claims a higher-powered AMR version is around the corner.

While the DBX doesn’t have as much horsepower as some competitors — the Bentayga Speed tops out at 626, for example –the DBX never feels wanting for excited driving. Dynamically, it feels as spirited as Aston’s other performance V8 models, including the Vantage and DB11.

The DBX displays little or no body roll around tight turns. The balance of this luxury SUV feels grounded and substantial. As a driver, you feel as though there is not much you can’t get away with.

As much fun as it is to flog around mountain roads, the DBX feels equally comfortable on the highway. The ride quality when commuting is comfortable and compliant. It doesn’t possess sports car rigidity, but still feels taught and ready for action.

A limited-slip differential, adaptive dampers, and height-adjustable air springs all come standard on the DBX and work in concert to provide drivers an exciting and playful yet measured ride that can leave you on the edge of your Bridge of Weir leather-clad seat if you choose to push it.

As you would expect, the interior of the DBX feels extraordinary. The design language is decidedly Aston Martin with materials such as carbon fiber, natural wood, chrome finishes and leather, leather, leather everywhere.

This 5-passenger SUV doesn’t skimp for room in the second row, either. Your passengers will be as comfortable, and feel just as pampered, as you do up front.

With myriad USB ports and heated seat options, inside the DBX feels more like a lounge than a car.

One disappointment is the infotainment system. The one employed by Aston Martin is an aging one from Mercedes and operates by a dial in the center console and not touch. This is German and should be far more advanced at this stage in the game. The user interface is the most layered, complicated, and non-intuitive one still on the market today. Thankfully, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard fare.

There is also a striking lack of driver safety features such as lane-centering or lane-changing assist functions that you find on other luxury SUVs. Given that Aston Martin is primarily a sports car manufacturer, and this is the first model year for the DBX, I’ll give them a pass, but they should incorporate these items pronto to keep up.

Aston Martin is famous for smooth lines and understated elegance with a generous dose of muscularity when it comes to their design language. It’s masculine but not overtly so. The DBX follows in the footsteps of the flagship DBS when it comes to a streamlined front end and haunches that look ready to pounce its prey in the rear.

ADAPTIVE AIR SUSPENSION
If getting off-road is high on your James Bond agenda, then the DBX will adjust its normal ride height from 7.5 inches of ground clearance to an impressive 9.3 inches. It can wade into 19.7 inches of water. And when you want to get away from the bad guys, you can lower its height to an asphalt-kissing 6.3 inches while stiffening the suspension.

INTERIOR
Save for the dated infotainment system, there is little to complain about inside the DBX. This is not your standard SUV, even in the realm of other luxury SUVs. Comfort and class ooze out of this thing.

For your almost $200,000 you get a lot of standard stuff. The high-performance suspension with height-adjustable air at all four corners, and six drive modes both for on- and off-road fun come standard.

Some safety features including lane-keeping assist and blind-spot warnings will tell you when you’re getting into trouble. You also get a 10.2-inch infotainment screen, which sadly is not touch-operated.

The 12.3-inch gauge cluster is all digital and customizable. Three-zone climate controls, heated front and rear seats, and ambient lighting are all included in the base price.

This is where the DBX and Aston Martin excel. Making a custom car to the buyer’s specifications is something Aston’s been doing well for decades. A customer can bring in a purple sneaker and Aston will paint your DBX that color. Anything you can imagine when it comes to styling, they will do for a price.

You can upgrade to a sport exhaust, red brake calipers, and 22- or 23-inch wheels that are either gloss or satin finish. Bespoke paint, heated steering wheel, and ventilated front seats are also options. The only thing you probably can’t get on this car is the ejection seat from the Goldfinger DB5.

The DBX comes standard with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that remains one of the most formidable of the lot. It’s mated to a sophisticated and smooth-as-glass 9-speed automatic transmission. The combination works together flawlessly. Producing 542 horsepower, the DBX isn’t the most powerful of high-performance SUVs, but what it does with what it’s got is a triumph.

With the approaching electrification of all things, it would be great to see a hybrid or performance variant here before too long.

4.0-liter twin-turbo V8
542 Horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
516 lb-ft torque @ 2,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/18 mpg