2025 Aston Martin DBX707 First Drive: If You Fix It, They Will Come

• The DBX707 gets a refresh that includes a revamped interior with much-needed technology upgrades.
• The powertrain is unchanged, but that's OK, since it still makes 697 horsepower.
• Numerous enhancements to the suspension and steering improve this SUV's handling.

It's amazing what new software can do

Aston Martin's new infotainment system lives in a standard 10.3-inch touchscreen display perched high atop the dashboard. The old system was plagued by laggy inputs, zero smartphone connectivity outside of Bluetooth, and a rearview camera that was so pixelated it felt like an homage to cathode-ray tube televisions. Those sins have all been washed away.

As a whole, the new system feels significantly more responsive and the menu structure more intuitive. There's wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, and Aston Martin says its hardware is already set up to handle the next generation of Apple CarPlay, whenever that arrives. Aston also added a new surround-view camera system with a 3D view of the vehicle that makes parking and low-speed maneuvers much simpler. No more 8-bit low-res views here.

What else is new? Customers complained about the placement of the gear selector, so it's been moved from its previously awkward location above the screen to a more logical spot in the center console. There are also physical controls for many of the climate and vehicle functions, so kudos to Aston for resisting the urge to fold those into the multimedia system.

The DBX707 is large enough to serve as a family vehicle, with ample backseat room for adult passengers or car seats. There's also 22.5 cubic feet of cargo room — a bit less than most compact SUVs offer, but still plenty of space for luggage. Plus, there's an underfloor storage bin to hide items you want to keep out of sight.

697 is close enough

Aston Martin has discontinued the base DBX, so moving forward, it's 707 or nothing. Power comes from a Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that produces 697 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque. Because of differences in how we measure horsepower here in the States, that figure is 707 in other markets, hence the SUV's name.

There are some changes to the nine-speed automatic transmission; Aston Martin says the final drive ratio has been shortened so it gets through the gears more quickly. Power delivery is immediate and punchy, with Aston Martin citng a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.1 seconds.

Aston Martin says the DBX707 got a "significant increase in traditional V8 cross-plane exhaust sound character," and indeed, this thing snarls. The SUV also sounds much better at low speeds. Flip the exhaust into its most aggressive setting to open up the valves and you get a pleasing rumble all through the rev range. It sounds like a proper Aston should.

Three cheers for the suspension upgrades

It's funny, Aston Martin spent nearly three pages of its press release detailing the interior updates and new colors offered on the DBX707, and it only gave a single, solitary paragraph to the steering and suspension updates. That shortchanges the amount of work that went into refining the DBX707's driving experience. The list of changes might seem modest: an update to the suspension controller (the computer systems that control the active parts of the suspension) and updated bushings that change from elastomer to hydro. But those have a big impact.

The goal was to improve the suspension's responsiveness and better control body movements, eliminating undulations that can unbalance the vehicle. This works in tandem with the DBX707's electronic active anti-roll system to make the SUV corner with a flatness that verges on feeling eerie. The neutrality with which the DBX707 takes a corner is astounding. 

What's happening in real time is that the suspension is stiffening up front as the SUV enters a corner and then softening midcorner as those lateral loads start to lift. Then the rear stiffens on exit to keep the back end controlled as you apply the power. The DBX707 isn't the only vehicle to feature this kind of reactive damping, but the anti-roll system gives the SUV a unique feel, and it results in a 4,940-pound SUV offering a greater handling threshold than you'd reasonably expect.

This flatness can be unnerving at first, but you notice that as you push the DBX707 harder into corners it maintains its balance. The canyon roads around Napa did their best to provide a stern test for the Aston, but its talents can really only be explored safely on a track.

Carbon-ceramic brakes are standard on the DBX707, offering fade-free stopping power. They slow things down in a hurry but we'd like a little more initial bite. As for the steering, it feels like you have to turn the wheel more than you'd think to get the nose of the DBX707 into a corner, and when you're trying to really get it to turn in hard, it takes real effort. Both the braking and steering could likely be fine-tuned a little more to match the DBX's newfound agility. 

Sharpness aside, though, the DBX707 is a superlative tourer. Even with huge 23-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli performance tires, the ride quality is fantastic, and in its softer setting, the suspension absorbs road imperfections ably, giving it the ride of an ultra-luxury vehicle. Then, at the flip of a switch (or turn of a dial, actually), it can change its nature to provide performance-car stiffness. The engine might make its presence most loudly known, but the self-leveling three-chamber air suspension is the DBX707's most intriguing feature.

Fast company

The proliferation of these so-called "super-SUVs" means that the DBX707 has plenty of competition, with like the Bentley Bentayga, Ferrari Purosangue, Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT vying for attention. 

The Aston Martin now holds its own in this illustrious company, largely thanks to those interior upgrades. There are singular attributes about the others that we prefer: the Cayenne Turbo GT's steering and the Urus' brakes, for example. But the DBX707's stylish well-roundedness and its handling acumen (thanks to the active suspension and anti-roll systems) make it stand out. As does the litany of bright colors you can option both inside and out.

All of this performance and luxury doesn't come cheap, as you might assume. This lime green test vehicle has a starting price of $253,000 (including a $4,000 destination charge) but adds on nearly six figures' worth of options, bringing the final as-tested price to $350,500. It's hard to say that any vehicle is worth that princely sum, but at least in the Aston, you won't feel shortchanged.