What's the difference?
The world was ready for an Aston Martin SUV. Yes, by the time the Aston Martin DBX debuted Bentley had given birth to the Bentayga, Lamborghini had sired the Urus and even Rolls Royce had realised its Cullinan.
Still, the arrival of another ‘super SUV’ is always a bit exciting. Would it be a true Aston Martin, how would it compare to its rivals and is it even a good SUV?
Well, that's what I wanted to know about Aston Martin's DBX anyway, and I found out, along with everything else you should know: from its performance to practicality in this review.
The updated Audi Q7 is a bit of a game of ‘spot the difference’ - but even though it’s far from a new generation, the update is more than just some shiny new bits.
While the brand’s first SUV is still in its second generation, a bit of modernised design and some tech tweaks are aimed at keeping it in line with rivals, even as it nears a decade on sale.
As well as the new features, there’s also a new variant bound for Aussie showrooms. So, is it still up to the task?
As with all Aston Martins the DBX is a seriously beautiful car with that high-end exotic but restrained exterior styling for which the brand is known. As with all Astons, too, the busy interior design may put some minimalism fans off and those high-placed shifting buttons pose a functionality problem.
As an SUV the DBX is spacious and practical. You could use this daily as a family car. I did and found it easy to adapt to.
The driving experience left me disappointed. I didn’t feel the same close connection with the DBX while driving that I have had with other super SUVs, such as the Lamborghini Urus and more affordable models offered by Porsche and Mercedes-AMG.
But then, you see those other cars everywhere, unlike the DBX which is a rare and beautiful creature, despite the flaws.
Overall, changes to the Q7 aren’t quite revolutionary, but that’s okay because it was already a fantastic large SUV.
The fact Audi has kept the price around the same mark and introduced a cheaper entry-grade should be welcome news for prospective buyers.
But even the existing variants are capable and impressive family haulers… and now they’re just that little bit better.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.