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.
Straight off the bat, let's just acknowledge that there's nothing new about the Toyota Kluger large SUV for 2025 – but that might not be a bad thing.
In a world where there seems to be some new fangdangled piece of car tech out there that works on paper but not in reality - like keyfobs that don't unlock the car properly, or multimedia systems that are just too darn smart for their own good.
There is something quite charming about the familiar specs and on-road comfort of the mid-spec Toyota Kluger GXL seven-seater we're family testing this week. In true Toyota style, it has a healthy mix of the tradition thrown in with workable technology.
It's newer seven-seat SUV rivals might try to tell you that the old Kluger is starting to fall behind, but is it? Or will simplicity win out for tired parents who just want an SUV to do what it says it will?
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 Toyota Kluger GXL Hybrid has been the ultimate SUV this week, as it fits my gear and family in comfort, the on-road handling is excellent and the fuel usage makes owning this long term actually feasible.
This is a great example of a mid-spec seven-seater that is both functional and comfortable. There’s lots to satisfy here and even though it hasn’t been updated, it may be a case of ‘if it aint broke, don’t fix it’.