Aston Martin DBX S assessment: but extra energy… and CarPlay Ultra Opinions 2025

Another Aston Martin DBX?

Well, sure. There are energy video games occurring within the uppermost echelons of the SUV world. We’re unsure how a lot it actually issues, however in changing into the DBX S, Aston Martin’s, erm, off-roader will get a hike from 697 to 717bhp. That’s sufficient to eclipse the Ferrari Purosangue – by 2bhp – though each the Lamborghini Urus SE and Porsche Cayenne Turbo e-Hybrid are extra highly effective nonetheless (789bhp and 729bhp respectively). But they’re electrified and the Aston is merely turbocharged.

Old faculty vibes.

There isn’t any hybrid possibility right here. If you need your SUV to do an completed impression of a reasonably critical sports activities automotive, look no additional. Plus, it makes use of a bespoke bonded aluminium platform, which has given the engineering workforce a latitude denied to the Audi Q8, Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, or Porsche Cayenne (all depend on the identical VW group elements matrix). Aston shifts round 3,000 DBXs per 12 months, so this refresh is essential to the underside line. Prices begin at £210,000, a 5 grand uplift on the 707.

More energy is nice. But the DBX 707 wasn’t truly a shrinking violet, was it?

Indeed not. The S – and we love the old-school simplicity of the badge, first deployed by Aston Martin on the Vanquish in 2004 – can be notably lighter. That mentioned, you truly need to pay extra for among the weight-saving stuff, principally the carbon fibre roof (an extra £5k) which additionally bins off the roof rails. It’s a powerful expanse, and at virtually three metres sq. is the most important carbon ingredient ever fitted to an Aston.

Remind me of the good thing about that…

It saves 18kg, and since it’s on the prime of the automotive, it helps scale back the general centre of gravity. Also on the menu are 23in magnesium wheels, which save 19kg in unsprung mass in comparison with the common aluminium ones. Those of a metallurgical bent would possibly prefer to know that magnesium is 75 per cent lighter than metal, and half the burden of titanium. A DBX S shod thusly isn’t a automotive during which to play quick and free with kerbs. These dangerous boys price £15k. With all of the light-weight choices fitted, Aston says the DBX S now weighs 2,198kg. Which, on this period of elephantine EVs, is definitely fairly good.

Any visible modifications?

The automotive’s mighty maw now includes a black vaned grille, though the choices record tempts potential house owners once more with a light-weight polycarbonate grille. Its honeycomb design mirrors that used on the Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate. May in addition to purchase a type of as nicely, eh?

There’s additionally a brand new entrance splitter and diffuser, new sills with air splitters, and pink ‘S’ badges on the wings. The greatest visible change is on the rear, the place the quad exhaust shops now sit vertically fairly than horizontally, and are available gloss or matt finishes. The rear bumper and diffuser have additionally been redesigned, and configurator junkies can go wild including carbon fibre everywhere in the store. There’s a decrease physique go-faster stripe, too; select between pink, silver or inexperienced. The DBX has all the time been a robust piece of labor with some intelligent graphic prospers, and the S secures its place as a fascinating and prestigious client good. Although that upswept rear duck tail/arse stays divisive.

Hit me up with some driving impressions.

The DBX S builds out on the modifications made on the 707. Which is to say that is an SUV dragster of palpable character and bandwidth. We famous once we drove the 707 that the chassis might deal with extra energy, so the extra 20bhp is welcome if not precisely transformative (torque stays unchanged at 664lb ft). The extra complicated engines turn out to be, the extra its Mercedes-sourced 4.0-litre biturbo ‘hot V’ V8 appears like an outlier. It’s a fabulously woofly sounding factor below load, impressively restrained the remainder of the time.

We know that EVs could be massively rampant, however the DBX S is a reminder of how addictive thumping mid-range torque could be. Aston’s engineers have taken studying from the Valhalla and tweaked the turbos (the compressors’ wheels are greater), the impact of which is definitely higher felt on the prime finish of the rev vary. The present automotive’s barely intrusive mushy limiter has additionally been eliminated. Top pace and 0 to 62mph stay unchanged (193mph and three.3 seconds), however the S shaves 0.3s off the 707’s 0-124mph time. All of which is basically tutorial in the true world, however provides you some thought of how urgently this massive beast can transfer. It’s additionally terrific at motorway speeds, quiet and composed even on the 23in wheels, with solely modest wind noise.

What about within the twiddly bits between the straights?

The DBX has all the time been a dynamic machine. Talk to Formula One’s medical automotive driver Karl Reindler about the way it manages its mass at full tilt on a race-track. The energetic centre switch case varies drive from 47/53 front-to-rear in on a regular basis GT mode, however stick it in Sport+ and it’s 100 per cent rear-driven for if you happen to’re feeling ‘a wee bit slidey’ because the late, nice Colin McRae as soon as noticed – although he wasn’t speaking a couple of two-tonne SUV on the time.

There’s additionally brake actuated torque vectoring and a 48-volt digital anti-roll system. The goal is to maintain issues as taut as attainable on nook entry, then ramp it up on the rear for a brief wheelbase really feel and extra agility, the spring fee adjusting roll stiffness. It handles very adroitly, in a nutshell.

Anything else to notice?

There’s no energetic rear axle. But the DBX S’s steering is 4 per cent sooner, a marginal acquire Aston says improves the automotive’s turning circle by virtually half a metre. There’s little doubt that the DBX’s physique management on twisty roads is spectacular, however we did discover ourselves working the nine-speed moist clutch auto somewhat bit extra vigorously than we have been anticipating. It’s not fairly as entertaining at ten-tenths because the Urus SE however very well-rounded nonetheless.

No challenge with the braking; there are carbon ceramic discs all-round, 420mm on the entrance, 390mm on the rear. It’s additionally helpful off-road, not that we tried it on this event. Bootspace stays as earlier than, at 638 litres, and towing capability is as much as 2,700kg. Boats, horses, jet-skis… that form of factor. In phrases of gasoline consumption, nicely, that’s but to be declared. We’d say 20mpg mixed. On a great day.

Any modifications inside?

This is without doubt one of the areas the place the 707 actually moved issues on. Out went the outdated Merc hand-me-down infotainment system, in got here an Aston-specific 12.3in touchscreen. The S clearly continues that, and superb it’s, too. Although anybody who’s grown accustomed to the mega screens fitted in most EVs as of late could discover the central show in right here a tad small.

The buttons on the steering wheel really feel somewhat plasticky, however the total impact is tactile and costly, and there’s a stable emphasis on bodily switchgear – significantly welcome for the local weather management. The luxurious world has spoken. Bowers & Wilkins provides the audio, the beefiest model of which is a bespoke 23-speaker, 1,600-watt system of impeccable energy and readability. Definitely price optioning.

The S brings with it its personal inside trim, working to Alcantara on the seats, headlining, and decrease a part of the instrument panel. There’s semi-aniline leather-based in excessive put on areas, and a herringbone motif all through. There are Ss embossed within the seats and on the door treadplates.

Is it fitted with Apple’s CarPlay Ultra?

Yep. Aston Martin is the primary carmaker to throw its lot in with Apple on this, whereas some are holding out. Mercedes for one, whose CEO Ola Källenius mentioned: “I fundamentally believe that the holistic customer experience is best done by us. To give up the whole cockpit head unit and everything to somebody else, the answer is no.” 

TopGear.com has already examined it and the principle benefit is that you just’re not flicking out and in of the CarPlay consumer interface when you might want to discover one thing on the automotive’s built-in system. You use wheel-mounted thumb pads to swipe by means of completely different instrument shows – a bit fiddly – and there’s one thing referred to as ‘punch-through UI’ that imports specialist pages into the CarPlay surroundings. Basically, it homogenises the whole lot, making all of it simpler to make use of. Apple converts will adore it. Anyone with points, whether or not moral or out of name antipathy, doesn’t want to make use of it. Android Auto can be obtainable.

Conclusions?

An enormous quick SUV is conspicuously failing to learn the room. But individuals purchase them and Aston Martin’s continued funding in sports activities automobiles relies on its presence on this area. The S doesn’t radically overhaul the DBX but it surely does underline its core attributes: it’s quick and extrovert whenever you need it to be, refined and amiable firm whenever you don’t. And the design and inside high quality have by no means been higher. One from the center fairly than the pinnacle, and we might all use a few of that, proper?