If you’ve ever read anything on the Aston Martin DBX707, then you’ll understand why they invited us to a racetrack – more specifically, the Fuji Speedway Circuit in Japan – to test out an SUV. After all, what’s better to utilise one of the longest straights on a circuit, than one of the most powerful SUVs in production?
But as luck would have it, the sky had other plans that day. The Shizuoka area experienced some of the heaviest snowfall it’s seen the entire winter… on a random Friday in February, mind you. The suits at Aston Martin judged that the six-inch snow is too dangerous for us motoring hacks to drive around in a multi-million dollar car, and to be fair, we wouldn’t have experienced much anyway – the cars were all kitted with sticky street-going tyres.
In an attempt to salvage a little something out of the trip, we were treated to some ice donuts in a taxi ride alongside AM’s winter driving expert. But as much fun as that was, we can’t help but feel a little (read: incredibly) disappointed for not having the chance to experience the DBX707 by ourselves, on one of Japan’s most storied racetracks.
So when Aston Martin rang us up for another chance to drive the Aston Martin DBX707, this time in sunny Kuala Lumpur, there’s no way I’m letting this opportunity pass me by again.
While we didn’t have the long straight of the Fuji Speedway to unleash all of the 707 ponies from its uprated 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 mill, the DBX707 still wasted no time in getting up to the national speed limit here on the Malaysian highways, even in GT mode (Aston Martin’s version of “Normal”).
Flick it into Sports mode via the new mode dial on the centre console, and the entire powertrain instantly comes alive. Squeeze down on the throttle, and as soon as the snails spool up, you’ll watch the speeds multiply on the speedo. Aston Martin says that 0-100 km/h on this thing is done in just 3.3 seconds. I believe it.
While you’re busy flicking through the gears on the new wet clutch nine-speed transmission (which Aston Martin says is 30% quicker than the DBX’s auto), the magnificent V8 noise pierces through the cabin, assaulting your every sense with aural ecstasy.
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You’d be surprised, then, to hear that the best way to experience the 707 isn’t on the straights, but rather in the corners. It’s hard to explain what Aston Martin engineers did here aside from pure black magic, because the DBX707 truly has no business being as agile as it is.
Despite weighing over 2.2 tonnes, the front end of the Aston Martin DBX707 still grips on to the tarmac and turns in with razor-sharp precision. Its body stays virtually flat through quick direction changes, while on longer sweeping corners, the torque vectoring system and suspension wizardries translates to a mind-boggling amount of mechanical grip – although as we saw with the ice donuts, the DBX707 can still hang its tail out when you want it to.
Aston Martin credits most of the DBX707’s athleticism to the reworked 48-volt active anti-roll system, which helps maintain its body roll to within 0.7 of a degree. That is then coupled to the retuned damper and spring rates, alongside a rebalanced 52/48 weight distribution, to give the big SUV truly sportscar-rivalling handling chops.
Yet, even with its newfound aggression, the Aston Martin DBX707 can still behave itself on public roads. Aston Martin says that as a result of the suspension changes, comfort and ride quality in the DBX707 has also improved over the regular DBX. Key of which, the rear springs have actually been softened to let the rear axle work harder during corners, while still ensuring your kids stay asleep during your balik kampung journeys.
You’d want to keep the car in GT mode when you’re doing SUV things, where the air suspension softens and powertrain relaxed; the nine-speed transmission smoothly meshing the gears from ratio to ratio unperturbed. But even in the roided-out Sport+ mode, the DBX707 never actually feels uncomfortable, so you could be that guy if you really want to.
And you’d be doing it in a cabin filled with the usual Aston Martin luxuries. Satin chrome jewellery and leather cover almost every surface of the interior, while the hinged swan doors and “handshake” handles make entering the cabin a fanfare, every single time.
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With a name like the DBX707, where its horsepower figure is now firmly part of its identity, you’d be tempted to chalk this off as just a brute in a suit. Heck, even Aston Martin themselves are guilty of this, too: take a quick glance at the DBX707’s webpage, and you’ll quickly find copy like “Power Redefined”, or “Exhilarating Power”.
But the 707 is more than just a numbers job, because behind that big grille and incredible numbers is an engineering feat that makes it a far better car than its lesser counterpart – more athletic, more exciting, and in some cases, more normal… in a good way. Most importantly, it’s made me realise one thing – I don’t hate SUVs, just boring ones.
2023 Aston Martin DBX707 specifications, as tested:
| Engine | 3,982 cc; “hot-V” twin-turbocharged V8, petrol |
| Transmission | 9-speed wet-clutch automatic |
| Max horsepower | 707 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
| Max torque | 900 Nm @ 2,750 – 4,500 rpm |
| 0-100 km/h; Top speed | 3.3 seconds; 310 km/h |
| Price | from RM1,098,000 before taxes, duties, and options |
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