Car Review: 2022 Aston Martin DBX707 is worthy of luxury sport-ute crown

4/9

So, two months after driving the DBX in Florida, off to idyllic Sardinia, Italy we went in pursuit of the crown, and we found it in the form of the 2022 Aston Martin DBX707, dubbed “The World’s Most Powerful Luxury SUV” by Aston Martin. With 707 PS -“Pfersestarke”- metric horsepower, or 697-horsepower for the U.S. market (900 Nm/663 lb-ft of torque), it now officially wears the crown. The word “Luxury” is in italics, as there are more powerful Sport-Ute offerings from Tesla, Dodge and Jeep in the lower rungs of the SUV ladder. The Tesla model, for example, is considered “near luxury,” while the DBX is luxury.

6/9

The more muscular 707 is still powered by the AMG sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, with larger turbochargers, enhanced engine breathing, a less-restrictive exhaust, and a new wet-clutch nine speed automatic transmission. Zero-to-60 comes up in a blistering 3.1 seconds and top speed is 193 mph. Massive 16.5” carbon ceramic front rotors with six-piston calipers and 15.4” rear rotors are impressively effective at hauling you down from triple-digit speeds. Sardinia was the perfect playground for the DBX707. Sardinia ecosystems include mountains and hills (13.6% of the island is mountainous — 67.9% hilly), woods, plains, large stretches of uninhabited land, streams, rocky coasts and long, sandy beaches. This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited, and I’ve been to 78 countries.
 
 
You can only imagine the stares and general admiration seeing a cadre of high-performance Sport-Utes devouring the excellent main roadway system there. Now locals weren’t the only ones with eyes on our powerful entourage of a dozen 707’s, as the local “Polizia Stradale” kept our speeds honest through laser and radar enforcement.

8/9

But even though we had to behave (mostly!) the DBX707’s full-time All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and thrust on demand made driving throughout the elevations very easy, very well controlled and downright fun. The DBX707 rolls on standard 22” wheels and tires with 23” alloys optional. The 707 is suspended via adaptive triple-chamber air springs and dampers, coupled to the “eARC,” a sophisticated 48-volt electric anti-roll system. The AWD system features an active central differential and an electronic rear limited-slip differential . Torque distribution front-to-rear is handled by a “single piece” carbon-fiber propshaft, and is fully automatic, with the ability to send up to 100% of the torque to the rear axle on demand. Aston Martin engineers successfully calibrated the eDiff, as the DBX707 has the cornering agility and dynamic character of an Aston Martin sports car, fully integrating chassis and powertrain technology to find the optimum combination of traction and agility at all times.
 
An upgraded front-end treatment sees the DBX707 receive a larger satin chrome grille and updated Daytime Running Light design along with new air intakes and brake cooling ducts, and an enhanced front splitter profile.

9/9

The rear-end treatment adds a lip spoiler to the roof wing to reduce lift and increase high speed stability, with an enlarged twin rear diffuser encasing the large diameter quad exhaust system. Finished in satin black to compliment the gloss black treatment of the diffuser, the free-flowing exhaust system has been tuned to deliver a unique sound signature. The luxe handcrafted interior of the DBX707 has been designed to provide equal space and comfort whether sitting in the front or rear rows of this five-seater.
 
Aston Martin’s claim of class-leading headroom, legroom and overall interior room are legit, as I am 6’9” tall and weigh 275 pounds. I was super comfortable over our multi-hour drive across Sardinia. The full-length glass panoramic roof adds even more headroom, and the roof and frameless door glass combine to offer a bright and spacious cabin. Inside, there are thoughtful touches throughout, including a bridged center console with flexible storage below. This feature keeps valuables close to hand, frees up the front passenger seat where handbags often reside and keeps those expensive handbags away from dirt on the car’s floor mats.