Aston Martin DBX707 test: power and fun, without losing class

Getting the chance to test drive the Aston Martin DBX707 is something special. It’s not every day you get behind the wheel of a car billed as ‘the world’s most powerful luxury SUV’. For this reason, we have traveled to Sardinia to see if it really is as surprising a model as it promises.

For this creation, Aston Martin has taken its SUV, which has been with us since 2020, and has taken it further. The result is a car with 707 hp and 900 Nm of torque, and that’s big words. Just to put you in perspective, a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT produces 640 hp and a Lamborghini Urus has 650 hp.

But reducing everything to these figures would be simplistic, since there is a lot of work behind this new SUV. The British firm has made all kinds of changes to the base model, such as reinforcing the chassis and increasing stiffness when cornering with the new eARC control system.

Of course, this is not the only thing. The suspension is now 55% stiffer and an electronic limited-slip differential has been fitted that can handle more torque without affecting durability. It all adds up, even more so when you’re trying to create a particularly high-performance luxury SUV.

In any case, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are new things all over the car and that’s something I’ve noticed since I first looked at it. In the design of the Aston Martin DBX707 many details stand out, but the main one is the grill. It is 27% larger than the normal model to improve engine cooling and this gives the front end a distinctive look.

There are also other points to mention here. For example, there are new air intakes on the sides designed to cool the 420mm carbon-ceramic brakes at the front and 390mm at the rear. Also, I see a carbon fiber splitter placed to improve the aerodynamics of this SUV.

According to the firm, they have tried to compensate for the loss caused by elements such as the oversized grill. For this reason, there are also aerodynamic additions on the skirts and on the spoiler, as an extension placed on the original. In this area, in addition, the lower part catches my attention, where a new diffuser has been placed.

Also in this part a redesigned bumper has been located in which two air outlets can be seen on the sides. Its main function? Releasing some of the heat from the differential and from the new stainless steel exhaust system, which features four outlets on the DBX707.

Undoubtedly, these details bring a new touch to the exterior of this SUV and differentiate it from the conventional version. Of course, the same does not happen in the cabin, where there are hardly any changes. Only sports-style upholstery and a center console that now includes a selector with a touch surface to manage various configurations and driving modes stand out.

In any case, the interior of the Aston Martin DBX707 does not need changes and this is a car focused on performance, which is why almost all the work has been focused in that direction. Now, have they achieved the goal? There is only one way to check it.

I start the engine and hit the roads of Sardinia, which are especially empty at this time of year. In summer, it is a place full of tourists, but now it is calm and it is possible to enjoy the different roads aboard a car like this. There is a lot to check, but I prefer to start easy.

The Aston Martin DBX707 has the driving modes ‘GT’, ‘Terrain’ -for land areas-, ‘Sport’ and ‘Sport +’. I select the first one to start my route and a problem arises a few minutes later, but it has nothing to do with driving: the GPS has erased the route. It might be a one-off crash, so I restart it and start over, but it keeps crashing several more times throughout the day.

Without a doubt, it is an inconvenience, but the only one that I notice. Beyond the operation of the navigation system, I am surprised by the smoothness of the car when driving relaxed. The power is delivered progressively and the touch is not abrupt at all.

In the same way, the direction feels soft and the sensations behind the wheel are very similar to those of an SUV focused on the day to day. The only thing that betrays the greater sportiness of this car is the suspension -remember, it is 55% more rigid- but everything remains in a slight annoyance when going through some bumps.

From softness to character

Of course, as soon as I decide to take the Aston Martin DBX707 test to other limits, things change. I select the Sport + mode and activate the manual mode of the nine-speed automatic transmission to verify the true qualities of this model. Suddenly the sound of the engine gains strength and the response becomes much more immediate.

In just a moment, I understand that this is not a conventional SUV, no matter how much he tried to convince me a few moments ago. The engine is still an AMG 4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, but now it has larger turbos and a new engine map that allows it to achieve the power and torque figures that define this sporty SUV.

The result is a 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 310 km/h. This, in a car that weighs 2,245 kg, is surprising, but it is even more so when you are behind the wheel and you are about to take curves. It is at that moment that I find it hard to believe that he is in a car of this type, since his answer is that of a much lighter model.

Well, essentially, it weighs less. It’s 40.5kg lighter than a regular DBX, in fact. But that is not the cause of that sensation of lightness, but all the work done under the bodywork to achieve a behavior typical of a sports car.

Of course, it is not in the strictest sense of the word, since it is an SUV, but it hides it while driving. It’s only noticeable under braking, when I really feel the weight shifting forward. Even so, the carbon-ceramic brake assembly is able to stop the DBX707 without problems, although its performance varies considerably depending on the temperature.

Be that as it may, the truth is that I cannot help but feel satisfied at the wheel of this SUV. Its direction is precise, the body roll is practically zero and the response of the engine is surprising, especially from 3,500 rpm. In addition, thanks to the new ‘wet clutch’ of the automatic gearbox, gear changes are immediate.

After testing the Aston Martin DBX707, I know that it is not a car with a speed and acceleration that ‘scare’ you, but Aston Martin says that the idea was to explore the limits of the platform, without losing refinement. You can always go further, but the result is a good combination of emotion and practicality. That defines the current king of premium SUVs. Who will take the crown from him?