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.
Four years is a long time in the Australian automotive sector. Back in 2022, the Kia EV6 made a big splash as a cool, edgy EV with a focus on driver engagement.
It won a bunch of awards and was praised for its dynamism and design. Kia’s first dedicated EV was a winner! But in the years since it’s been overshadowed by a gaggle of newer and cheaper electric cars, largely from China.
More than a year after it made its global debut, Kia Australia has finally launched the facelifted EV6 in Australia. It brings with it a number of changes, most notably a new front end design, as well as a multimedia and software upgrade, chassis refinements, local ride and handling tuning tweaks and bigger batteries for more driving range.
But is it too little, too late for the Kia EV6? Have buyers moved on from this once ground-breaking EV to more affordable Chinese options? Read on to find out why this EV shouldn’t be so easily forgotten.
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.
It’s fair to say the Kia EV6 is not the most affordable mid-to-large electric SUV money can buy. Especially in the era of cheaper Chinese models.
It also lacks some of the practicalities of a few rivals. If that’s your focus and you’re dead set on buying a Kia, then the EV5 is the clear choice.
But that’s not the sole purpose of this car.
It doubles as family transport and a car for driving enthusiasts. It’s the sort of EV that can convert EV non-believers.
After a week with the EV6, it’s not a car I’ll forget easily. And I urge buyers looking in the EV space not to overlook this pioneering model. It’s a brilliant car to drive and the GT-Line RWD is the value pick of the whole line-up.