Aston Martin heads off road with the all-new DBX

“Aston Martin is entering uncharted waters with its latest automotive offering,” says The Sunday Times. The British carmaker has unveiled its first ever attempt at a luxury SUV: the all-new DBX. The company claims it will feature “cornering and braking performance on a par with its sports car and grand tourer models”, and is sure it will be the “most exciting SUV on the market” when it launches in spring of this year.

It’s certainly well poised to be a strong contender. The DBX will feature a powerful V8 engine, producing 542bhp – a 39bhp increase over the Vantage, the company’s long-standing sports car. The DBX blends the “sporting performance and unrivalled style” that Aston is known for with “new levels of space, practicality and refinement”, says Matt Allan in the i newspaper. Despite its heft, it will reach 60mph from rest in a lightning 4.5 seconds and go on to a top speed of 181mph.

And its off-road credentials are impressive too, says Andrei Nedelea in Auto Evolution. “It just begs… to be dragged off-road, whereas its other super SUV rivals are still mainly intended to be used on tarmac.” The car can be raised by up to 45mm, making off-road driving easy and smooth and it has a “decent wading depth of 50cm”. In its sportiest mode, the DBX hunkers down by 15mm and sends all of the engine’s power to the rear wheels, which makes it “remarkably lively and willing to oversteer on track”.

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The chassis brings “sculpture and sleekness to a sector perhaps not normally known for elegance”, says Allan. “The trademark DB grille instantly identifies this as an Aston Martin” and the small ducktail at the back gives a nod to the Vantage. The interior – designed with help of external sources and Aston’s female advisory board to “make sure it’s usable for the full range of drivers and customers” – is spacious and luxurious. The DBX offers “class-leading” amounts of space for passengers and a full-length panoramic sunroof.

The interior can also be tailored to customers’ taste, with a selection of materials to choose from. “Trim options will include a pet pack for dog owners including a mini shower unit, as well as an event pack for spectators including a tailgate seat, picnic hamper and blankets,” says Andrew English in The Daily Telegraph. Aston Martin’s first venture into the world of luxury SUVs looks set to be a big seller.

Price: £158,000. 0-60mph: 4.5 seconds. Engine: four-litre, twin-turbo, V8. Top speed: 181mph. Power: 542bhp. Torque: 516lb ft.