When Aston Martin launched its first SUV in 2020, the DBX was beautiful, nice to drive and stuffed with promise, however it felt half-baked. The DBX’s relative lack of efficiency in comparison with its friends was rectified in 2022 with the DBX707, a brand new variant that elevated engine output to just about 700 horsepower and overhauled the SUV’s dynamics. When it got here to efficiency, the DBX might actually compete with the Lamborghini Uruses and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GTs of the world.
Besides, the DBX707 was nonetheless saddled with an inside that regarded lovely however was infuriating to stay with, primarily because of its touchscreen-less infotainment system, unusual buttons and poor ergonomics. If the traditional DBX was Charmander, the DBX707 was Charmeleon — stronger and extra aggressive, however nonetheless not totally shaped. Now, for 2025, the DBX707 has lastly advanced into Charizard due to a complete inside overhaul and quite a few different enhancements.
Full disclosure: Aston Martin flew me as much as Northern California to drive the DBX707 round Napa. I used to be put up in a pleasant resort for an evening and was fed nice meals. I’ve been obsessive about Coop’s Assortment on TikTok, thus the Pokémon reference that was additionally spurred by the orange and purple DBX707s that had been on the launch.
The DBX707 is now the one approach to get a DBX, as Aston dropped the usual trim. Whereas that’s a disgrace, as I favor the less-aggressive styling of the bottom DBX, I perceive the choice. It was pointless of Aston to try to compete with SUVs within the $150,000-ish vary the place the DBX initially landed; there’s much less competitors when you attain the 2025 DBX707’s $253,000 beginning worth (together with vacation spot) and better energy degree. And in contrast to final 12 months’s mannequin, the up to date DBX707 feels genuinely price that pricetag when you step inside.
However earlier than you get in, you’ll expertise one of many DBX707’s most welcome updates. Other than a reworked rear spoiler and much more coloration and wheel choices, the outside design is precisely the identical as earlier than. That’s tremendous, because it stays top-of-the-line trying SUVs on the market. It’s the door handles which are the large improve. Whereas they appear the identical because the previous ones, the flush door handles at the moment are powered, coming out when the automotive is unlocked otherwise you stroll as much as it. It is a welcome change from the earlier mannequin years the place you needed to bodily press on the stick-like deal with after which preserve grip on it to have the ability to pull the door open, which was particularly annoying in case you had been carrying a bunch of stuff.
A lot of the DBX’s up to date cabin elements are shared with the DB12, the great facelift to the DB11, however the DBX’s dashboard, heart console and door card designs are all its personal, and completely redesigned in comparison with final 12 months’s mannequin. Centered within the dashboard is a brand new 10.3-inch infotainment display screen that’s lastly touch-operated, ditching the previous Mercedes Comand–derived system with a rotary knob and button array. Its completely new software program is an in-house Aston growth that’s manner higher than the generations-old Benz stuff, with cool graphics and pretty simple menus.
Positive, a few of the settings are complicated, a few of the buttons and toggles are too small, and generally every part is tough to learn, however plenty of the system’s points might be simply fastened with future software program updates. You additionally get wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which had been particularly annoying to make use of earlier than the display screen might be touched, and there are a bunch of USB-C ports all through the inside. The 12.3-inch gauge cluster is bigger than those within the DB12 and Vantage, and it has new graphics too. Aston severely improved the 360-degree digicam high quality, the automotive is offered with extra superior driver-assist options, and you will get a brand new 23-speaker Bowers & Wilkins encompass sound system that’s fairly superior (and prices $12,300).
You now not shift gears by urgent buttons set at a far attain above the display screen; as an alternative, the up to date DBX has a chunky metallic toggle shifter within the heart console, set proper behind a brand new begin/cease button that doubles because the drive mode selector. There are 4 barrel-shaped knobs for the quantity, temperature and fan pace, plus a row of buttons for stuff just like the windshield heater and recirculation, although a lot of the local weather controls are achieved by way of an infotainment web page that’s simple to convey up. Additional again on the console are a bunch extra onerous buttons for efficiency options just like the exhaust and suspension. The entire new controls really feel good to make use of, particularly the hefty drive mode dial.
Aston’s designers did a greater job using the shocking quantity of cabin house, with bigger storage cubbies, a repositioned wi-fi charging pad and higher cupholders, plus a brand new open space beneath the middle console. The seats are tremendous supportive, and even with the sloping roofline there’s loads of head- and legroom within the again seat. The brand new inside has a extra liberal use of beauty trim items made out of aluminum or carbon fiber or wooden, lovely distinction stitching and piping patterns, and color-matched leather-based on extra surfaces (in case you pay up for it). Additionally new are the air vents, door deal with pulls, speaker grilles and different particulars. Total high quality feels improved, each by way of supplies and the way it’s all put collectively.
There are nonetheless some annoyances. Aston continues to make use of the identical fiddly, inscrutable seat and mirror controls, and the seat heating and air flow is achieved by way of small touch-capacitive buttons. The steering wheel itself is significantly better than the previous one, and a few of its controls are satisfying, however the thumb pads are even more durable to make use of than within the Mercedes they arrive from, making it annoying to scroll by way of the varied gauge cluster menus. The solar visors additionally suck, as they’re too small and fiddly..
To expertise extra than simply the brand new inside, Aston allow us to unfastened within the DBX707 on a few of the greatest mountain roads that California’s wine nation has to supply, the kind of route that may sometimes be reserved for a high-performance sports activities automotive, not a tall-riding SUV. The DBX707’s AMG-derived twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 places out the identical 697 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque as earlier than, and it nonetheless sounds superior. Its snarling exhaust be aware is distinct from the AMGs, extra bellowing and bass-heavy with pure pops and bangs on overrun and shifts. A 9-speed moist clutch computerized transmission distributes torque to all 4 wheels (with as much as 100% of that torque capable of be despatched to simply the rear axle), and Aston says the DBX707 will hit 60 mph in simply 3.1 seconds. Mid-range acceleration isn’t any joke, irrespective of the gear or drive mode you’re in, and the transmission’s shifts are well-tuned, at all times coming quick and clean. Roll onto the throttle and the DBX delivers an easy surge of energy, and in Sport+ mode there’s an enhanced feeling of urgency from the powertrain.
Curiously, it’s within the center Sport mode the place the DBX707 is quickest round a monitor or your native canyon street, the place Sport+ is extra about driving enjoyment as an alternative of outright “good” dynamics, and plenty of that’s all the way down to the chassis setup. Three-chamber air springs with electronically adaptive dampers and a 48-volt lively anti-roll system are customary, and Aston’s engineers retuned the methods to offer a larger mixture of consolation and efficiency. In Sport+ every part is much less buttoned down; there’s a wider hole between compression and rebound, which supplies the sensation that the automotive is floatier and shifting round extra over bumps and in corners, however not in an uncontrollable manner. That further floatiness helps preserve all 4 tires in touch with the bottom, and because the driver I really feel extra in-tune with how the automotive is shifting dynamically, versus it simply being flat and exact on a regular basis. As I enter a nook the nostril stiffens up whereas the rear finish loosens for simpler rotation, then the rear progressively stiffens up because the entrance softens to offer the feeling of roll-on oversteer. With the extra rear-biased torque setup in Sport+, it’s simple to kick the DBX707’s tail out if you would like. After all, you may individually choose between the three settings for the engine, exhaust and chassis to dial in your favourite setup.
Gigantic carbon-ceramic brakes are customary, they usually do a wonderful job of bringing the 4,940-pound DBX707 to a cease with none fade or squeaking. Pedal really feel is fairly linear, with much less of an aggressive tip-in than most different vehicles with carbon brakes. 22-inch wheels are customary however the DBX I’m driving is supplied with a $7,200 set of 23s carrying Pirelli P Zero summer time tires that present tons of grip however a uneven experience on rougher pavement. The thick-rimmed steering wheel (that’s now not weirdly formed) relays much more suggestions than is typical of an SUV, with a direct and fast rack.
The DBX707 is splendidly playful, quick as hell and a beautiful place to spend time. You’re actually gonna pay up for the privilege, although. Yeah, I do know I mentioned it begins at $253,000, however that’s very a lot a place to begin. All of the DBX707s on the launch had MSRPs of a minimum of $340,000 after choices; the costliest was $352,200. Choices embrace $10,800 for carbon bits on the higher half of the outside and $19,500 for carbon on the decrease half, fancy paint jobs for $13,600, smoked taillights that price $1,500, an inside scheme that begins at $11,900 with $3,100 Alcantara headliner and $6,400 leather-based coloration on high of that… The lists go on.
That worth scale is about what you may anticipate from a Bentley Bentayga or a Lamborghini Urus, although, and the DBX feels extra particular than both. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is cheaper and the higher general efficiency automobile, however it’s not as entertaining because the Aston. And Ferrari’s V12-powered Purosangue doesn’t even begin till $400K. Now that the DBX707 has reached its remaining evolution, it will probably take a deserving stand-out spot within the super-SUV realm.
