Aston Martin is the latest luxury marque to drive into the luxury SUV segment, and what a drive. The DBX rides on its own unique all-aluminum platform, powered by its own version of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo gasoline-fed V8 found in the DB11 and Vantage. That tune makes 542 hp and 516 lb ft of torque good for a 4.3-second 0-60 time and a 181-mph top speed. Those are numbers you’d expect in an Aston Martin, but a couple of new specs you might not include a 5,940-pound towing capacity and a ground clearance of 9.25 inches when set to its highest ride height. It represents a splendid contradiction.
And while so many SUVs lumber along with dowdy exteriors, this one might be the nicest of the lot, at least until the Ferrari Purosangue comes along in 2022.
I got to drive a U.S.-spec DBX last week in California on a 76-mile loop that included twisty mountain two-lanes, some bumpity off-road dirt and even a stretch of Interstate. While it did, technically handle the dirt with no trouble, those wide and low 22-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zeros, 285/40 in front and 325/35 rear, were definitely more at home on the pavement. There, it cornered faster than just about any SUV I’ve driven since the Lamborghini Urus. Combined with the hyper-robotic feel of the DBX’s AMG-sourced 48-volt active anti-roll bars keeping the lean angle to no more than one degree, the luxo-ute’s feel from behind the wheel took a little getting used to, like any super-sports car or SUV.
But once you get used to the lack of roll and the steering's immediacy your lap times will drop faster than your credit rating if you’ve overextended yourself to buy one of these. Like most supercar makers, Aston knew it had to make an SUV probably as soon as Porsche saved itself by adding the Cayenne to its lineup around 20 years ago. The program was launched in 2015 under the guidance of then-ceo Andy Palmer. The DBX, like many Aston Martins, benefits from the brand’s increasing association with AMG. It may take the German’s help, along with new-chairman Canadian Lawrence Stroll’s additional money, to make Aston Martin profitable, but it surely takes an SUV to save this and any supercar maker.