Aston Martin DBX vs BYD Atto 1

What's the difference?

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.

The BYD Atto 1 has already earned its place in history as the cheapest new EV ever sold in Australia. And the good news is that, on the strength of bigger-battery Premium version, it rarely puts a foot wrong as a city car, exceeding performance, efficiency, refinement and comfort expectations. The Atto 1 really delivers around town.

But the baby BYD’s price is too close to larger EVs with better range, while extended exposure reveals issues with seat comfort, touchscreen access/distraction, ADAS interference and nervous steering feel at speed. Australian road tuning is required to rectify these.

Still, as a cheap urban EV runabout, the Atto 1 Premium still (just) stands alone. A glimpse into the future, someday, all city cars will likely follow in the bold BYD’s footsteps.

I'm not one to name drop but I was having a chin wag with Marek, that's Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, the fellow who has designed every Aston from the past 15 years, that Marek. Anyway, before the DBX came out he told me any SUV he designed would be unmistakably an Aston Martin.

I think he nailed it. The gaping Aston Martin grille is unmistakably the same as the DB11's and the tailgate, which although is the back hatch to a large SUV, is absolutely the same as the rear end of the Vantage.

Everything in between has all the family hallmarks. There are those oval headlights and the huge beak of a bonnet, the chiselled side panels with wheel arches that push up towards the sky and those rear haunches.

Not a fan of minimalist design? Then you'll love the DBX's cabin and its dashboard cluttered with dials, buttons, and switches.

It's like the cockpit of a plane and it's a very Aston Martin thing – just look at the layout of the DB5 from the 1960s, it's a mess, a beautiful mess though. The same goes for current models such as the DB11, DBS and Vantage.

Seriously, if there was one area where Marek may have decided not to make the DBX unmistakably Aston Martin, I wish it had been the interior.

Still, I think the DBX has the best cabin design of any current Aston, with its large media screen built into the centre console and more modern styling.

But regardless of what it looks like the feel of the materials is outstanding. There's a thick leather coating on just about every surface, apart from those which are solid, cold metal, like the paddle shifters and door handles.

It's a plush, sporty place, like Batman's suit only it smells a lot nicer.

The DBX is a large SUV at 5039mm long, 2220mm wide with the mirrors unfurled and 1680mm tall. Yep, this thing fills up an entire space in a car park.

The DBX comes in a choice of 53 colours. Yes, fifty three.  There's the 'Onyx Black' my test car wore, but also 'Royal Indigo', 'Supernova Red' and 'Kermit Green.'

Fun fact. Designer Wolfgang Egger was responsible for the gorgeous Alfa Romeo 156 of 1997 among others, as well as some Audis and Lamborghinis later on. You can definitely see the latter’s influence in the Atto 1’s angular face.

Based on the Dolphin architecture and badged the Dolphin Surf elsewhere (as well as Seagull but that name wouldn’t fly here), the BYD’s boxy proportions are pure supermini and is about the size of the previous-generation Honda Jazz.

However, the designers have added some crossover cues to the styling, including plastic cladding around the wheel arches, to give it a pseudo SUV look.

Inside, though, the Atto 1 is unashamedly hatchback in layout and appearance, with a contemporary, minimalist dash, big central touchscreen with precious few buttons and loads of storage.

In other words, a typical modern small car from China.

Until the DBX came along the most practical Aston Martin was the five-door, four-seater Rapide which had a huge rear hatch and a boot big enough to swallow an entire matching five-piece luggage set – I saw it with my very own eyes.

Now there's the DBX which seats five (well, four comfortably, because nobody wants to be in the middle) and has a boot with a luggage capacity of 491 litres under the leather cargo cover.

As you can see it fit our three-piece CarsGuide luggage set, and I also used it to pick up some compost – very likely the first time anybody has done this to a DBX ever in Australia, and probably the last.

Cabin storage is impressive. The floating centre console is suspended like a hammock and under it is a huge bunk for a phone, wallet, and small bags. The split-opening armrest houses a large box, too.

The door pockets are on the small side but there are two cupholders up front and another two in the fold-down armrest in the second row.

Talking of rows, there's no third row. The DBX comes as a two-row, five-seater only.

It’s a roomy second row, with more than enough space for me at 191cm (6'3") tall to sit behind my driving position and headroom is excellent, too.

The BYD’s boxiness sure pays dividends accessing the Atto 1's interior, aided by tall doors, a high roof and lofty seating.

Initial impressions are very positive.

Lots of space, a decent driving position (in the Premium at least; the Essential has rake-only steering adjustment), grippy little wheel and a solid look and feel impart a sense of quality. This does not seem built down to a price.

The elevated centre console/fixed armrest provides ample storage below and easy reach of USB ports, sturdy cupholders above and a raised smartphone rest that doubles as a charger (again, only on Premium), allowing for quick downward glances without having to touch the device. Helpful.

Further points are won due to the very clean and minimalist dash presentation, with an electronic instrument display ahead of the driver (not a given nowadays thanks to Tesla’s minimalism-gone-mad influence), offering all the information you need in a concise and notably colourful manner.

That 10.1-inch central touchscreen, meanwhile, is probably one of the better examples from China, possessing superficially logical operation, clear markings and a row of fast-access icons for climate, audio, vehicle function, home screen and other controls.

However, the more time you spend in the Atto 1, the more the cabin doesn’t stand up that well under scrutiny.

The shapely tombstone-style front seats, which look a million dollars, are comfortable on short journeys but disappoint during longer drives, revealing a lack of sufficient back and thigh support.

There are no regenerative braking paddle shifters for single-pedal driving, just an on/off tile requiring a distracting and time-consuming touchscreen-menu deep-dive.

In fact, most functions demand at least one or two eyes-off-the-road-ahead prods of the screen, which is annoying and potentially hazardous.

Using the climate control is a good (bad) example.

Infernally fiddly screen slide controllers that are hard to pin-point with a hovering finger while the car is moving, let alone modulate, leads to temperature-selection fury. And those vinyl seats are clammy regardless of humidity levels and their perforations don’t help. Setting the desired climate environment is an utter faff.

And why must BYD’s synthetic leather smell so pungent? The off-gas odour can be nauseating for some on warmer days.

Worse still, even a glance towards the touchscreen sets off the distraction nannies. Frustrating. So is the intrusive lane-keep assist tech, unless you keep the car perfectly centred, with its constant nudging of the wheel while it nags away. More like Aggro 1.

Inevitably, turning these and other ADAS warnings off requires several menu deep-dives, leading to more driver-distraction paranoia. It’s a circle of stupidity for tech that’s meant to protect. And every new drive defaults to ‘on’. It's an infuriating mess.

Meanwhile, the Atto 1’s (two-person-only, remember) rear seat area also starts off promisingly, with easy entry/egress, adequate space (even for long legs and big feet) and a backrest and cushion combo offering sufficient comfort and support.

Amenities include useful door storage, overhead grab handles and map pockets, while the back of the centre console provides a cubby area just wide enough hold a bottle or larger keep-cup. That’s necessary because there is no folding armrest or subsequent cupholders back there, nor reading lights or USB ports.

And while the upward sweep of the window line means the rear can seem dark, the shape of the front seats allows some vision around and even through them for rear occupants.

Further back, the boot area is larger than the BYD’s diminutive size suggests, at 308 litres with backrests erect and 1037L with them folded forward.

The deep floor hides an even deeper cavity that’s large enough for charger cables, laptops and other paraphernalia that should be out of sight. That almost negates the need for the AWOL luggage cover.

But there's also a tyre repair kit instead of a spare wheel in there, and regular readers will know how incorrect that is. Every vehicle sold in Australia should come with one. Even city cars.

Loading/unloading is easy and there are hooks to secure things to, but clearing the high lip may be an effort for some.

And, though an EV, the is no extra storage to be found under the bonnet. The Atto 1 has no front boot, or froot.

And… what a perfect time to release Australia's cheapest new EV!

Sat alongside the base Essential from $23,990 (all prices are before on-road costs unless otherwise stated) is the Premium as tested here, starting from $27,990 and representing a $4000 difference.

But oh, what a difference.

The cheaper Essential comes with a 30kWh battery, providing a WLTP range of just 220km. Usefully, the Premium’s battery is 44 per cent larger at 43.2kWh, boosting range to a more-comfortable 310km, while power jumps by 77 per cent.

Every Atto 1 includes synthetic leather-trimmed seats, a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, rear camera with sensors, adaptive cruise control as part of some Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) tech (more on safety later on), wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and even Vehicle to Load (V2L) functionality, so you can use your hairdryer on the fly. Handy!

However, the Premium ups the ante with a surround-view monitor, powered and heated front seats, reach as well as rake adjustment for the steering wheel, a wireless charger, LEDs rather than halogen headlights and 16-inch alloy wheels instead of 15-inch steelies with hubcaps.

But… both are four-seaters only. And neither offers an exterior temperature gauge, remote keyless entry from the passenger side (you’ll always need to press a fob), a luggage cover or a spare wheel – just the totally-unsatisfactory tyre repair kit.

Plus, there’s no heat pump so, in winter, turning the temperature up will drag range down noticeably, while a lack of liquid cooling for the battery will do the same during a hot Aussie summer, since the AC has to work overtime doing that job instead.

And we’re not convinced the Atto 1 represents such great value.

Yes, that small-battery Essential undercuts every hybrid bar Suzuki’s (mild-hybrid) Swift, including the MG3 Hybrid+ and Toyota Yaris HEV, and even the ageing Mazda 2 petrol costs more, but its limited range means it’s better as an inner-urban, small-distance-only commuter proposition. Best as a second or even third car.

Meanwhile, the bigger-battery Premium is priced perilously close to significantly larger EVs with greater range, including BYD’s own Dolphin from $29,990, the MG4 Urban from $31,990 drive-away, GAC Aion UT from $32,990 drive-away and the coming Geely EX2.

And, alongside cheaper-still petrol-powered alternatives such as the Kia Picanto, MG3 and MG5 sedan, there are also smaller SUVs that slip beneath the bijou BYD, like the Chery Tiggo 4, Haval Jolion, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV 3X0 and MG ZS.

What we’re saying is, unless the Atto 1’s sub-four-metre length and narrowness are paramount, it’s behind the eight-ball for value against an array of more-substantial alternatives costing not much more.

Still, we get this is that rare thing today, a truly-new city car and we’re here for that.

When it came to giving the DBX an engine Aston Martin chose the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that's in the Vantage only they made it more powerful – 25kW more at 405kW (542hp). There's 15Nm more torque as well, at 700Nm.

Shifting through a nine-speed automatic transmission the DBX's 0-100km/h time is 4.5 seconds, which is almost a second slower than the Vantage's 3.6 seconds.

That said, the DBX weighs more than 2.2 tonnes, has a maximum ground clearance of 190mm, can wade rivers to a depth of 500mm and has a braked towing capacity of 2700kg. Oh yeah, and it's all-wheel drive.

That engine is one of the world's best V8s. It's light, compact, efficient and can produce enormous grunt. It's also made by Mercedes-Benz. Yup, it's the same (M177) 4.0-litre V8 found in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S and a stack of other AMG-badged beasties.

There's just one thing, the V8 in the DBX doesn't sound as good to me as the one in a Mercedes-AMG. Aston's version has a less guttural and breathy exhaust note.

Sure, it still sounds amazing and when pushed hard it screams like Boudica charging into battle, but how often will you drive like that?

Most of the time we're in traffic in the suburbs and city trundling around at 40km/h. But even with the ‘loud’ exhaust mode set the note is still not as deep and brash as the AMG, which sounds delicious even at a standstill.

You probably already know why Aston Martin uses Mercedes-Benz engines. But just in case, it's because the brand with the star has been a part owner since 2013. Aston saves money and in return gets some of the best engines in the world.

The Atto 1's electric motor is offered in two output choices. Either way, it can be found under the bonnet and driving the front wheels via a single-speed transmission.

The Essential scores a low-power version making 65kW and 175Nm of torque, which is enough for a 0-100km/h sprint time of a still-decent 11.1 seconds, while the Premium’s high-power unit ups those to 115kW and 220Nm respectively, shaving two seconds off in the process. Top speed is said to be 135km/h.

Note that, while the latter grade’s 43.2kWh battery adds 96kg overall compared to the smaller 30kWh model, it still enjoys a way-superior power-to-weight ratio of 82.7kW/tonne versus just 50.2kW/tonne.

In my fuel test of the DBX I took in open roads and city streets and measured 20.4L/100km at the pump.

On the same test loop the Urus I drove used 15.7L/100km and the Bentley Bentayga consumed 21.1L/100km.

It's not surprising these super SUVs are thirsty, but if you're spending all your time on city roads you can expect the consumption to be even higher.

What is surprising is Aston Martin thinking anyone could really get 12.2L/100km, but then all carmakers tend to claim overly ambitious fuel economy figures.

Just think, your next car after this will probably be electric, so enjoy the petrol while it lasts.

The official consumption average for the Essential is 15.5kWh/100km and its 30kWh 'Blade' LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery offers a WLTP range of 220km.

The 43.2kW Premium bumps the energy use figure up to 16kWh/100km but offers 310km WLTP.

We came close to latter claim, with 263km of mixed driving and still showing about 10 per cent of range left, while the car’s consumption readout averaged 13.7kWh/100km overall. That rose to 16.5kWh/100km during a stint of harder, highway-heavy driving.

Charging times vary. With an 11kW AC capability on both grades, the Essential needs up to 16 hours and the Premium 22 hours plugged into a regular socket, and five and seven hours respectively using an optional 7.0kW Wallbox.

Meanwhile, switching to DC fast charging, the Essential’s 65kW capability means a 10-80 per cent top-up can be achieved in under 40 minutes, against the 85kW Premium’s 30 to 50-minute requirement.

The DBX is a circa 550 horsepower giant that can reach out and almost touch 300km/h. But testing it on Sydney's roads is like having a champion racehorse in your backyard and your neighbour asking you what it's like to ride.

A racetrack wasn't handy at the time and I'd signed a form saying I'd not put any more than 400km on the clock during its stay with me, which meant having to choose my test loop carefully.

Fortunately, this was before Sydney was plunged into the current COVID lockdown, which makes that 400km now seem vast.

First, the DBX is an SUV anybody could drive, every day. Visibility is great and the ride is fine considering it rolls on 22-inch wheels and wears rubber as wide as some doorways and as thin as my socks (285/40 front and 325/35 rear Pirelli Scorpion Zero). Power delivery is smooth and predictable.

I did drive it every day, doing the shopping, school pick ups, a trip to the garden centre to fill it with plants and (ahem) compost, and it performed exactly as a large SUV should.

A source of frustration was the location of the shifting buttons high on the dashboard. Have a look at the images. Even with my chimpanzee-like long arms I had to stretch to change from Drive to Reverse. And with a not so small turning circle of 12.4m, three-point turns were a bit of an arm workout.

But the bigger frustration was the driver-car connection which didn't feel quite right. A good car-driver connection is essential for any great performance car.

Yes, there wasn't a race circuit where I could get to know the DBX quickly. But a good road, driven often with test cars, reveals a lot, too.

And the DBX didn't feel as good as the Lamborghini Urus, which is not only more comfortable but feels more dynamic and offers a superb connection between the driver and the machine.

The DBX is fast, it's powerful, the huge brakes pull it up quickly (almost violently so, if required) and handling is incredibly good.

It's just that I didn't really feel a part of it much at all. You know, the whole driver and car becoming one, thing. I felt like the third wheel on a date.

That connected feeling has been mastered by Porsche with its SUVs, but I feel the DBX needs more work. It felt unfinished.

I was told at the start that the DBX I was testing was a pre-production vehicle, but I'm sure that doesn't cover the shortcomings in the way it drove.

It's disappointing. I was hoping for better, but I think further development will see that come later.

Sadly, we cannot comment on how the 65kW/175Nm Essential drives, but with 77 per cent more power and 25 per cent more torque, the 115kW/220Nm Premium’s performance is one of its calling cards.

Lively off the mark, even in Eco, it thrives in inner urban environments, with instant throttle response for effortlessly zippy and smooth acceleration, as you’d expect of an EV.

And it just keeps on keeping on at speed, giving the Premium a terrific breadth of performance flexibility. We’re now very curious to see how the Essential goes.

Armed with light and alert steering, the Atto 1 can weave in and out of traffic gaps with confidence and precision, and is backed up by a super-tight turning circle to boot, so parking manoeuvres around town is a doddle.

BYD’s decision to set up the chassis for a soft, long-travel suspension is appreciated, since the Premium takes most bumps and humps in its stride, making this one of the comfier city cars around.

Road and tyre noises are omnipresent, but aren’t not too bad overall by supermini standards, while the Hankook 185/55R16 tyres deliver sufficient grip, even over some rain-soaked roads we endured.

Most of these Atto 1 attributes also translate well at freeway speeds, with the Premium offering ample muscle for overtaking, slick steering responses and a planted chassis feel.

But, once you hit some faster corners, the BYD’s reactive steering, lofty seating and cushy suspension conspire to create considerable body movement, especially through tighter bends, scrubbing the front wheels as it turns wide (understeer).

Yet, press on a bit harder, the Atto 1 can instantly change its attitude to oversteer, feeling darty as weight shifts from the rear, making the steering suddenly too sharp and the car too nervous, Even experienced drivers might hesitate to carry on. And this happened on dry roads.

Of course, the BYD is a city car so not designed for sports-car handling, but it does lack the confidence and control of a hard-driven Mazda 2 or Suzuki Swift. Strangely, it seems more SUV-like than supermini, dynamically.

Most owners won't care, but they will have to live with the infuriating ADAS tune, with inexplicably sudden braking when the adaptive cruise control is on, and lane-support systems that all-too-often tug and bleat endlessly like an agitated goat, becoming too distracting, and requiring far-too-fiddly touchscreen menu diving to silence, especially as they default back on with every restart.

The driver-attention warning is also in a semi-permanent state of nerves, squawking all-too-regularly unless the driver is sat perfectly still, and will easily escalate the danger level to “take-a-break” should you dare move about in your seat. Which would be regularly, due to the latter’s lack of enduring support. A literal and metaphorical pain.

Clearly, then, the Atto 1 can really do with some Australian road tuning and on a number of fronts at that. Until this happens, these are the dark clouds blighting the blue skies that this car’s otherwise sunny disposition delivers with every urban drive on a daily basis.

Or, in other words, stick to the urban jungle.

The Atto 1 debuted in China back in 2023, but this is a facelifted, international-market version evolved mainly for European consumers, so crash-tested by Euro NCAP only last year, and scoring a maximum five-star ANCAP rating.

Note, though, that while the baby BYD includes Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with forward collision warning, lane-departure assist and adaptive cruise control as standard, there is no blind-spot monitor or rear cross-traffic alert. Odd for a city slicker.

Six airbags are fitted, including curtain protection for all outboard occupants, while there are two rear-seat sited ISOFIX anchorage points and child-seat tether points behind each backrest.

The DBX is covered by Aston Martin's three-year-unlimited kilometre warranty. Also included is roadside assistance.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 16,000km.

Aston Martin doesn't have have capped price servicing for the DBX nor can owners purchase a maintenance plan for the SUV.

We asked Aston Martin for an estimate of how much owners can expect to pay for servicing over the life of the warranty, but a spokesperson told us, "We are unable to provide an estimate on the cost of servicing over three years."

With Aston Martin unable or unwilling to give us any guidance on servicing costs, maybe there are recent model Aston owners out there who can. Let us know in the comments section below.

Here’s where the BYD slips up a bit.

Yes, it comes with a better-than-industry-standard six-year warranty, but many rivals offer between seven and 10-year coverages, while the Atto 1’s mileage warranty is capped at 150,000km when most others include unlimited mileage. And roadside assistance is only for one year, as well.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km. Capped-price servicing is available, but no precise figures were available at the time of publishing.

Estimates are from under $200 for the first and third annual services, and from $500 and $650 for the second and fourth yearly visits, respectively. Please check with BYD for updated figures.

Currently there are about 105 BYD service outlets throughout Australia, with 30 more expected by the middle of 2026. This should address one of this brand's biggest concerns – sufficient after-sales care.