Move Over, Escalade-V, the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Is the 700-HP SUV We <em>Really</em> Want

• New DBX707 version with almost 700 horsepower
• Carbon-ceramic brakes and retuned air suspension are among the many upgrades
• Part of the first DBX generation introduced for 2021

The new DBX707 should make up for the standard model's shortcomings. The DBX707 starts with an upgraded version of the V8, this time tuned to make 697 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque. The transmission has also been revised to provide even quicker shifts. Aston says the significantly more potent engine should help the 707 accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. If proven true, that would make the DBX707 quicker than the above SUVs and place it among the world's quickest SUVs, up there with the Cayenne Turbo GT, Lamborghini Urus and Tesla Model X.

Added performance rarely only means added power, and the DBX707 incorporates a set of hardware upgrades meant to rein in speed and enhance the big SUV's cornering abilities. Behind the standard 22-inch wheels is a set of carbon-ceramic brakes, which should allow the DBX707 to slow consistently, even after a punishing day carving along mountain roads. Handling should be improved by DBX707-specific calibrations for the air suspension and anti-roll system. Aston Martin also said it revised the stability control system, though it didn't detail what exactly got changed. We hope it has looser reins as the standard model's restrictive ESC prevented it from being a superstar at our track.

But in general the 707 sounds exciting to us. Though the regular DBX lacks outright speed compared to its rivals, it's still a blast from behind the wheel. The steering is precise and handling is quite good for an SUV of this size.

How's the DBX's interior?

Leather, chrome and imitation suede blanket nearly every surface of the DBX's interior — exactly what you'd expect of a vehicle that starts at around $180,000. The DBX707's sticker is about $50,000 higher than that, and you get a few interior upgrades to drive home its performance theme. Sport front seats come standard, as does upholstery that is a mix of Alcantara faux suede and leather. The base DBX's comfort-oriented seats are available as a no cost-option, and the Alcantara can be exchanged for a full-leather option. As expected, buyers have a wealth of upholstery color, stitching color, veneer type, switchgear surrounds and more available to them should they want to customize the DBX707's interior environment to their liking.

The DBX is a five-seat midsize SUV that offers ample headroom and legroom in both rows. Despite the DBX's swept roofline, 6-footers will have no problem sitting in the rear comfortably — a good thing because the DBX's second-row seatbacks bizarrely do not recline. The standard DBX's exterior noise is reasonably quelled, which makes for a pleasant passenger experience. We can't say the same just yet for the DBX707, which comes with four exhaust pipes and a (presumably) throatier engine note.

Edmunds says

The new Aston Martin DBX707 turns a quick, comfortable cruiser into one of the fastest SUVs on the market. Our only disappointment is the seemingly interminable wait to get behind the wheel.