New Aston Martin DBX707 2024 review: updated interior transforms Aston’s super-SUV

Verdict

Interior changes improve on the Aston Martin DBX707’s biggest weakness, and make an incredibly capable car even more appealing. It’s an absolute beast on demand, with the soundtrack to match and a level of agility that something of this height and weight shouldn’t be capable of, but can also lap-up the miles in refined comfort. Just don’t mention the horrific fuel economy.

The best place to start with Aston Martin’s mid-life revision of the DBX SUV is with what isn’t there any more, as two major things have been given the boot. Firstly, the regular 542bhp Aston Martin DBX model has gone, leaving only the beast that is the 697bhp DBX707. Which is fine, because getting on for 90 per cent of buyers wanted that one anyway, so Aston didn’t see the point in carrying on with the regular model. 

The second removal is the only big thing that we criticised on the DBX, an opinion echoed by customers - the off-the-pace infotainment. From launch, Aston deployed previous-gen Mercedes tech that would have let down a car costing a fraction of the DBX’s price tag, which was then £190,000 but has now risen over the £200k mark with the new model. 

So it’s a huge relief that Aston Martin has almost completely left the DBX707 alone dynamically, instead spending its mid-life facelift budget on tearing out the infotainment and central control area - the electrical architecture if you will - and replacing it with its own new system, as used in the new Vantage and DB12. 

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But before getting to that, it would be remiss to not drum home how good the stuff is that Aston hasn’t changed. The DBX707 uses a 697bhp Mercedes-sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 and nine-speed automatic gearbox to plough through the 0-62mph dash in just 3.3 seconds on the way to 193mph. All the while making a wonderfully brutish noise that has been slightly enhanced lower down the rev range with this update. 

But don’t mistake the Aston Martin DBX707 for an oaf of a car only good for going ridiculously fast in straight lines, because it’s way more than that. As impressive as the acceleration is, what this car can do in the corners cements it among the best of the best in the super-fast SUV class. It amazes with its cornering balance, poise and how it’s not at all hamstrung by more than 2.2 tonnes of weight and a high-riding SUV bodystyle. 

But the DBX707’s suite of talents keeps going, and it’s as good, quiet, refined and comfortable on a high-speed cruise as it is adept at going corner-to-corner on a twisty road. To match the likes of the Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne Turbo in the bends, but still feel as accomplished as a Range Rover across continents is remarkable. 

The only weaker point is a slight hesitation in the nine-speed auto gearbox. There are certainly more fluid gearboxes, but it’s nothing too upsetting in what is a great driving experience no matter the road. And the fuel economy is pretty horrible, with low- or maybe mid-20s the best MPG numbers you’re going to see on a long run, dropping significantly if you’re having fun.

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Behind the wheel is where things look quite different from the pre-revision Aston Martin DBX. The start button has moved down into the centre section of the cabin from its previous spot up above the infotainment screen, and it’s joined by a little toggle gear lever that’s more satisfying to tug than the buttons that used to engage park, reverse, neutral and drive. The start button also doubles as the selector between GT, Sport and Sport+ driving modes, with one of the few engineering changes Aston has introduced being added assistance to the steering in GT mode to make long-distance runs less tiring. It still feels sharp, though.

To much relief, the horrible Mercedes-sourced touchpad that controlled the infotainment screen is gone, although the touchscreen that replaces it, while being much better, has icons that are still a bit small and not the easiest to use while on the move. Aston has at least kept a host of controls off the touchscreen, with little scrolling buttons for fan speed and the temperature on each side of the car, as well as demist buttons and those for a host of functions including raising the ride height and the very important one that makes the exhaust noise louder. 

Aston Martin has also taken a step forward in tech by adding wireless Apple CarPlay, although wired Android Auto is still to follow via an over-the-air update. 

The updates aren’t completely perfect, but they give the DBX a boost in the main area it needed a boost, and Aston Martin has sensibly left well alone the bits that make the car quite so great, whether you're taking the motorway or the scenic route.