DUALITY OF DBX707: Aston Martin’s 700HP Family Car is bonkers
There has been a shift in the motoring world. For years, automotive desirability was primarily placed on supercars; two-seater, rear wheel drive animals with a lot to live up to. But recently, this has all changed. Global manufacturers have turned to larger, more comfortable and less obtrusive products, while still searching for the same levels of potency observed in their foregoing lineups of sportscars and supercars. It has been a divisive shift; one that has strained the ideologies of driving purists, but as time has progressed, the world has come to realise just how far an SUV can be mechanically pushed.
One such example is Aston Martin’s flagship five-seater; the DBX707.
We were lucky enough to be handed the keys for a couple of days, with Aston Martin Adelaide inviting Hillside Auto to experience one of the world’s fastest SUVs in various dynamic conditions. After collecting the stealthily spec’d AMR24 Edition DBX707, our first goal for the day was to traverse the Adelaide CBD’s morning traffic in search of a caffeine hit.
After 5 minutes on the road, we had already realised the true duality of the DBX707. Despite the figures attached to its name and the reputation that precedes it, this is not an unruly, intimidating performance machine when taken through the city’s bustling streets. Instead, it felt really quite composed and surprisingly approachable.
The driving position is commanding without being unconventionally high, and the cabin immediately reminds you that this is, first and foremost, an Aston Martin. Soft leather stretches across nearly every visible surface, the mode selector and paddles carry a satisfying weight to them, and the overall ambience is one of quiet, restrained luxury rather than ostentatious excess. We could only imagine that a long-haul road trip wouldn’t be a struggle, with plenty of room inside for everyday usage.
In slow moving traffic, the DBX707 settled into a gentle rhythm that didn’t once make us feel like we were out of place at all. The 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged V8 remains subdued in these driving conditions, while the nine-speed wet-clutch transmission slips through gears almost imperceptibly. Noticeably, there’s none of the lurch or hesitation that has often been seen to plague high-performance drivetrains at low speeds. Instead, the car feels smooth, cohesive and entirely at home crawling through the city streets.
From the outside, the AMR24 Edition’s darker, more purposeful specification draws attention without having to shout or ask for it. It does have a distinguishing presence, but not the kind that demands constant validation. Parked outside an East End café, it looked less like an exotic weekend toy and more like a daily driver for someone who simply refuses to compromise. And that, perhaps, is the point.
While we had discovered that the DBX707 could handle the light morning coffee run with complete composure, it became rather apparent that it was never designed to live its life between traffic lights. Its name, after all, comes from a number that suggests far greater ambitions.
So, with the caffeine secured and the city beginning to thin out behind us, it was time to point the nose towards the Adelaide Hills, where the DBX707’s true character could finally come to the surface.
As the traffic lights gave way to sweeping bends and open stretches of tarmac, the DBX707 started to make us feel like we weren’t behind the wheel of a luxury SUV, instead piloting something different altogether. A flick of the tactile drive mode selector sharpens the throttle response, the suspension firms subtly beneath us and the subdued V8 finally begins to clear its throat.
The numbers are significant. Under the bonnet sits a hand built, AMG sourced 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 707PS (697HP) and 900Nm of torque, sent to all four wheels through the smooth nine-speed auto. It’s enough to launch the 2.2-tonne SUV from 0-100km/h in just 3.3 seconds, and on to a top speed of 310km/h. These are figures that simply would have embarrassed dedicated supercars not too long ago. It’s unfathomable.
However, these numbers only really tell part of the story.
As we climbed up deep into the hills, the DBX707 revealed an unexpected level of composure. The steering is direct and nicely weighted, giving a genuine sense of connection to the front axle, which is something that has become increasingly hard to find in a world where vague, over-assisted handling is far too common. Instead, the car turns in with confidence, holding a line through long, flowing corners with an assurance that becomes staggering when considering its size.
The V8, now fully awake and roaring, becomes the centrepiece of the experience. Acceleration is immediate and relentless, the wet-clutch transmission delivering shifts that feel crisp and mechanical in a way that feels intentionally performance-focused, not simply powerful.
Nonetheless, even at pace, there’s a layer of refinement that doesn’t seem to ever disappear. Road noise is well suppressed, the ride remains composed over mid-corner bumps, and the cabin still feels like a place that you could spend hours in without fatigue. It really did make us realise that it’s this blend of outright performance and long-distance comfort that defines the character of the DBX707.
Through the tighter sections of the hills, it becomes clear that this isn’t just a fast SUV in a straight line. It’s a genuinely capable driver’s car, and rewards confidence and inputs with a surprising level of agility and precision. It’s hard for us to grasp the fact that a car this big can handle this well.
As we aim ourselves back towards the open roads once again, the DBX707 settles back into it’s calmed, more refined persona without hesitation. One moment it’s a 700-horsepower performance machine, and the next, it’s a quiet, comfortable grand tour with space for five and their luggage.
It’s this breadth of ability that explains why the performance SUV has become such a dominant force in the modern automotive landscape, and why the DBX707 sits at the very top of it.
