Used Aston Martin DBX (Mk1, 2020-date) buyer's guide: luxury SUV looks great and feels special

Verdict

The Aston Martin DBX is a fabulous model in that it’s brilliant to drive, has a gorgeous interior, is ridiculously quick and is decently practical. The car looks and feels special, and it sounds great as well. It has brought in a lot of new customers for Aston Martin, many of whom have been impressed by the ability of such a tiny marque to create something so special. But not everyone is so impressed with Aston’s SUV, and in some cases DBX ownership has turned people against the brand altogether, because dealers haven’t been able to fix inexcusable niggles. So before buying a DBX, analyse every aspect of the car, and make sure that you have a great dealer nearby.

There was a time when manufacturers such as Porsche, Lamborghini and Aston Martin led with low-slung sports cars and GTs. But things changed, and in the pursuit of growth they started to embrace the SUV. Porsche was first with the Cayenne, which became its most popular model; the smaller Macan SUV would later claim that accolade.

Since then most luxury brands have followed suit, and they’ve seen significant sales growth as a result. Slightly late to the party was Aston Martin with the DBX, which would quickly become the British company’s most important model. It’s undeniably a very desirable car, but in a surprisingly busy segment, is it the super-SUV of choice?

History

The DBX was unveiled in November 2019, priced from £150k and with the first examples scheduled to be delivered in spring 2020, just as the Covid 19 pandemic hit. All DBXs came with a 542bhp Mercedes-sourced twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine, but for those who wanted more power there was the 697bhp DBX707 from spring 2022.

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2024 Aston Martin

DBX

5,190 milesAutomaticPetrol4.0L

Cash £132,745

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By April 2024 that was the only powertrain offered in the DBX range. It was at this point that Aston Martin facelifted the DBX, with an all-new infotainment system and a refreshed cabin. The firm turned up the wick even more in April 2025 by unleashing the 717bhp DBX S. This was available alongside the DBX707, but the S brought a carbon-fibre roof, a unique grille and interior trim options that were exclusive to this range-topping model.

Prices

There are plenty of Aston Martin DBXs for sale that have yet to break the 10,000-mile mark, and even some yet to hit 5,000 miles, but you're likely to pay a premium for these. The reality is that the DBX is not a cheap car to buy on the second hand market.

However, if you want the very best deal out there, check out our Buy a Car service, where you can pick up a used Aston Martin DBX for just over £130,000.

Check the price of an Aston Martin DBX with our free car valuation tool...

On the road

The DBX weighs at least 2.2 tonnes, but despite this it feels surprisingly light and nimble, and it’s genuinely fun to drive. Of course, it’s searingly quick; even the entry-level DBX does 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and 181mph, but this is no one-trick pony.

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Air suspension, adaptive dampers and an anti-roll control system mean it handles brilliantly, while being very comfy even on 23-inch wheels. With six driving settings, you can set up the suspension, steering, gearbox and throttle response just how you want them, and within the modes you can tailor things even further.

Which one should I buy?

No DBX is lacking when it comes to performance or luxury, with even the cheapest used examples offering plenty of both. Pre-facelift cars (from before April 2024) have disappointing infotainment systems; later ones are much better in this respect, because they adopted Mercedes’ brilliant touchscreen set-up.

Aston made a lot of small usability and quality improvements soon after the DBX’s introduction, in terms of the interior fitments and the running gear, so buying a slightly newer car is worthwhile. Standard equipment across the range includes leather trim, an Alcantara headlining and panoramic glass roof, 12-way electric adjustment for the front seats, heated seats front and rear, auto-dimming and power-folding door mirrors, three-zone climate control, a powered tailgate and 360-degree cameras.

Options include a heated steering wheel, ventilated seats, a luggage set, a Pet Pack (for animals to have their own space in the boot), a picnic hamper and child seats.

Alternatives to the Aston Martin DBX

The Porsche Cayenne Coupé comes with up to 670bhp and is engaging to drive, while the Bentley Bentayga feels fabulously special inside; only the Range Rover SV Autobiography runs it close. The Lamborghini Urus is astonishingly fast and handles superbly, while the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Ferrari Purosangue are on another level in terms of price (from £200k on the used market).

Other options include the 567bhp BMW X6 M, 563bhp Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 (603bhp in S form) and 592bhp Audi RS Q8. All offer monster performance, just like the 542bhp Jaguar F-Pace SVR, but they don’t offer quite the sense of occasion of the others.

What to look for

Minor niggles

These cars are hand-built and rare, so pinpointing fault patterns is tricky. Owners’ forums have thrown up items such as headlight condensation, air-con failure and the door mirrors refusing the fold in.

Keep in trim

There’s a lot of leather upholstery in the DBX’s cabin and problems seem to be few and far between. But one or two owners have reported issues with premature wear, especially on the driver’s seat.

Charge!

Some owners have found that if they don’t drive their DBX every week, the battery drains, causing problems with the windows, locking and door mirrors. A battery conditioner helps to prevent this.

Big tow

Fancy driving the coolest towcar on the road? Then you’re in luck, because Aston Martin offers a factory-fitted towbar at extra cost, which allows the DBX to pull up to 2,700kg.

Interior

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With a huge range of front-seat adjustment, anyone can get comfortable. There are expensive materials everywhere, and the cabin feels truly special. But oddments space is poor and the busy centre console take some getting used to. However, there’s room for five adults (four in comfort), while boot space is excellent, at 638 litres.

Running costs

The official claimed fuel economy figure is just under 20mpg, and it seems that you can expect to achieve this on a run, although it can be a lot less around town. Insurance costs will be steep because all DBXs are in  highest group 50, and they’re also all liable for the expensive car tax supplement until year six (which means £620 per year for road tax).

Depreciation is stiff, too; we found a 2022 car, with 50,000 miles notched up, for sale at £85k; it cost its first owner just under £200k. Services are due every 12 months or 10,000 miles and the first three are free. After that it gets pricey, with the fourth DBX service pegged at £2,160 (£2,375 for the DBX707). Services five, six and seven cost £2,400, £1,680 and £660 respectively for the DBX, while the equivalent prices for the DBX707 are £760, £3,580 and £560.

Recalls

Since the DBX was unveiled at the end of 2019, Aston Martin has issued six recalls across its range, most affecting multiple models. The first two actions (November 2019 and October 2020) were because of airbag glitches, but they didn’t affect the DBX.

The next campaign was aimed specifically at the DBX and was issued in April 2024. It covered some cars made between May 2022 and September 2023 with incorrectly assembled fuseboxes.

Five months later, the DBX707, DB12 and Vantage were all recalled, because some cars built between September 2022 and July 2024 were delivered with sub-standard oil cooler hoses. These could split without warning, starving the engine of oil and in a worst-case scenario the motor could seize up.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

Aston Martin has a market share in the UK of just 0.05 per cent, so no Aston has appeared in Driver Power, nor has the firm been in our Brands survey. But anecdotal owner feedback online seems to be largely positive.

Forums highlight that the DBX is special in terms of the driving experience, fit and finish, and all aspects of performance. Of course, running costs are steep, but the biggest disappointment seems to be inconsistent dealer service if things do go wrong.

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