Renault 5 UK Review: The Small Electric Hatch to Beat
The Renault 5 returns with retro-inspired looks and electric power – but is it more than just a nostalgia trip? Ken Pearson performs an in-depth road test into its performance, practicality, and real-world appeal.
Few cars in recent memory have been as hotly anticipated as the new Renault 5. Its blend of right-sized dimensions, right-price positioning and retro-futuristic styling has captured the attention of buyers and rival brands alike. After driving Renault’s reborn electric supermini, I’m pleased to report that style and substance go hand in hand.
The Renault 5 lineup might seem complex at first glance, but it’s actually quite straightforward. Buyers can choose between two battery and motor options – 40kWh with 118bhp or 52kWh with 148bhp – and three trim levels. The smaller battery delivers a claimed 186-mile range, while the larger extends that to 252 miles. All variants are front-wheel drive.
My test car is a mid-spec Techno model sporting 148bhp. Delivery from the powertrain is progressive in its Comfort and Eco driving modes, and initial acceleration is strong, thanks in part to the near-instantaneous 181lb-ft (245Nm) of torque, but also the relatively low kerb weight of 1,460kg.
Acceleration remains brisk even on half throttle, making it easy to make progress in town or join motorways. Eco mode reduces the power available but is the best-suited setting for urban driving, with the gentlest throttle map available.
Renault 5 Review – Driving Impressions
The 5 quickly becomes second nature to drive, thanks to a combination of good visibility and keen steering, which can be adjusted through three levels of weighting. The windscreen is relatively far ahead and steeply raked – much like one would find in a Mini – and large door mirrors provide a decent view of the surroundings, although rear visibility would be improved if the back headrests could be tilted flat when not required. While the driving position is slightly higher than one would expect for a small hatchback, it doesn’t result in a crossover sense of elevation.
Confidence in the platform emerges after just a few miles. The place where EVs often come unstuck is when decelerating, as many manufacturers still struggle to perfectly blend friction and regenerative braking. In the new Renault, however, the two systems work harmoniously. Pushing the Mercedes-Benz-esque column gear selector down engages drive with a gentle regen profile – similar to natural engine braking in a piston-engined car. A second press of the column activates ‘B’ mode, amplifying the regenerative braking effect, which is best used for urban driving or when turning up the pace on a twisty road.
While the Renault 5 is not designed with outright performance in mind, it joins the new Mini Cooper in a class of two city cars featuring independent rear suspension – rather than a torsion beam. The multi-link setup is taken from the Dacia Duster 4×4, and it brings the car to life once the city limits have been breached.
Activating Sport mode results in a more binary throttle response and defaults the steering to its heaviest setting. The 5 proves more than just capable on country lanes – it’s enjoyable, joining the long list of small French hatchbacks that are a joy to hustle along back roads.
Sharp turn-in is balanced by progressive damping, allowing for a natural amount of body movement and lean as the car gently finds its limits. The 5 corners confidently at pace, with the efficiency-minded 195-section Continental EcoContact 6Q tyres offering plenty of grip in reserve.
The 5 is happy to turn gently or sharply, maintaining excellent stability through bends with no need for mid-corner corrections. Its punchy powertrain brings 62mph in 8.0 seconds from a standstill, with only the faintest hint of torque steer detectable up to around 30mph under full throttle. For B-road driving, Sport mode is ideal but not essential – the 5 remains composed and engaging even in Comfort and Eco settings on the undulating roads of Buckinghamshire.
The car is enjoyable to drive briskly – and silently – and it’s clear that the chassis could easily handle more performance. If the basic 5 is this well set up, the omens for the hot variant from Alpine – the A290 – are very positive indeed.
As fun as it is to dart this small hatchback through forests, I know that’s not where it’s meant to spend most of its time. The car was designed with the city in mind, and the same suspension that makes it fun out of town also works well on rutted urban streets, delivering good ride quality across the variety of surfaces I encountered.
The 55mm sidewalls add a layer of insulation between cracked tarmac and the 18-inch wheels fitted to all models, and no bump unsettled me during my time at the wheel. Refinement levels are excellent at town speeds, while wind noise at motorway speeds can be overcome by turning up the volume on the six-speaker audio system.
Renault 5 Review – Cabin and tech
Arguably as important as powertrain response and driving dynamics in a mass-market car is the tech, and the 5 uses a Google-based infotainment system, with its central touchscreen display angled towards the driver. The high-resolution display is clear and intuitive to use, with just five menu options along the right-hand side: home, audio, telephone, applications and car settings.
Submenus are accessed via large, easy-to-read – and touch – tiles, with settings for the audio and driving assistance systems simple to adjust on the move. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as standard, but the integrated Google Maps navigation not only predicts the battery’s state of charge at your destination but also estimates how much charge will remain at the end of a round trip – a handy touch for countering range anxiety.
The driver’s display is inset to prevent glare from sunlight, and its content can be customised to show proximity to cars ahead, energy flow, navigation or simply speed and the current speed limit. Secondary colours change with the selected driving mode, while additional data – such as average energy consumption or live range predictions – can be added to the screen via the steering wheel buttons.
Even the lane-keeping assist is well judged, its inputs decisive yet delicate. On one occasion, it gently but firmly steered me away from the edge of a lane, while the active cruise control feels like it’s been lifted from a car a class or two above – all it’s missing is automatic speed adjustment. Available from mid-spec Techno trim, the system accelerates and decelerates smoothly, reacting to other road users in good time. It can even bring the car to a complete stop if required.
Tech geekery aside, the cabin still has to be a comfortable home for its driver and passengers. The front seats are fantastic – well-bolstered and supportive over long distances – despite lacking lumbar adjustment outside of the top-tier Iconic 5 trim level. The upholstery is made from recycled fabric, and 19.4% of the entire car is built from recycled materials.
The key touchpoints are clad in soft-touch materials, while harder-wearing plastics are reserved for areas unlikely to be handled – a reasonable approach given this is a car that starts from £22,995, not £66,995.
Renault 5 Review – Practicality, charging, and efficiency
In terms of practicality, the rear bench accommodates three passengers, with two pairs of ISOFIX anchor points for child seats and deep seatback pockets to make up for the lack of door storage bins. Hidden in the driver’s seat pocket, a fabric label featuring schematics of Renault 5s through the ages was a great Easter egg to uncover.
The high floor, designed to accommodate the battery, means adult knees sit high in the back of the 5. At 6ft 3in, I can’t fit behind my own driving position, but there’s plenty of room for children – and just enough for my friends who claim to be 5ft 10in on their dating profiles but are actually five inches shorter. With me driving, the 5 effectively becomes a 4+1-seater, and I can’t help but wonder if the rear bench could have been moved back an inch – though that might have compromised the impressive 326 litres of boot space.
With the 60/40 split-folding rear bench lowered, total capacity expands to 1,106 litres. Additional storage space sits beneath the false floor, and while there’s no dedicated area for the charging cable, a 3D-printed box can be purchased to keep it tidy. When not stowed, the cable plugs into the socket by the front left wheel, accepting up to 11kW AC inputs. The 52kWh battery takes just under eight hours to charge from flat to full at home or 30 minutes for a 15–80% top-up using a 100kW DC charger.
I’ve been lucky enough to log plenty of seat time in a variety of electric cars – to the point where I haven’t suffered from range anxiety in years. When I set off, the car showed 208 miles of predicted range from a 97% full battery. Over the next three hours and 91.2 miles, I averaged 3.4 miles per kWh across a route evenly split between motorway, urban and brisk B-road driving. That translates to 176.8 miles of range – not accounting for energy recovered through regenerative braking.
Renault 5 Review – Verdict
So far this century, the BMW Mini and Fiat 500 have used their blend of retro-modern styling, attractive pricing and enjoyable driving dynamics to make their mark on the segment. Now, the reborn Renault 5 applies a similar mix of style and substance to set a new yardstick – but this time with electric power.
Yes, there could be more second-row space, the regenerative braking can feel surprisingly strong at town speeds, and heated seats would be nice on the mid-spec Techno model rather than being reserved for the range-topping Iconic 5. But I’m glad to see that all models come with a heat pump as standard.
Prices start at £22,995, with the model tested coming in at £26,995. Monthly payments begin at £182 PCM, rising to £249 for the top-spec Iconic 5. However, those eye-catching 0% finance figures require a near £7,000 deposit on a 24-month term. I expect more buyers to opt for the intermediate 5.5% PCP, where a fully loaded 5 can be had for £326 per month with a £3,000 deposit.
It’s impossible not to be captivated by the new 5. If you’re in the market for a small hatchback, regardless of fuel type, this car should be on your shortlist. And if you’re after a small electric hatch with great tech, refinement, handling and equipment, then your shortlist just got very short indeed. Put simply, the new Renault 5 is the new benchmark.
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Despite all this heavy-duty engineering, the DBX works hard to suppress the benefits. On the road, you’re so well insulated from the outside world – thanks to double-glazed windows and peeled cow trim – that you wouldn’t believe it could sprint faster than its Aston stablemates. It’s exceptionally composed, gentle even. Only extremely poor country roads that buck and heave upset it – the car will sway from side to side following the road’s contours, no doubt influenced by the massive 285/35R23 front and 325/30R23 rear tyres, supplied by Pirelli. Otherwise, the three-stage air suspension does away with bumps, divots, and cattle grids with ease.
It can feel busy at times, with the odd tremor reaching the cabin – but no worse than any GT car. A big surprise was how its giant footprint shrinks around you – you tower over BMW X3s and Ford Kugas, but it doesn’t feel big or unwieldy. I was more conscientious of my dainty Z4M’s arches against hedgerows than the DBX.
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The gearbox, however, is a huge source of frustration. It’s an AMG 9G unit, and there’s just too many gears. Overtaking is a nightmare, even in Sport or Sport+ modes, because it’s too slow to react. If you use the paddles, it takes longer to click down the ratios than perform the actual pass. You can hold the left paddle down to pre-select the lowest available gear, but I’d rather the gearbox just kicked down properly. The changes themselves are lightning fast, thanks to the wet-clutch setup, but the mapping lags behind. Is the software holding the gearbox back because of the massive torque in order to increase longevity?
In normal circumstances, the 9G transmission is super slick and changes barely register. But when you need it to act with haste, it gets confused or responds too slowly. I suspect this is one of the reasons the new Vantage has a ZF-8 automatic. Another consequence is the throttle feels sluggish because of the gearbox; I felt embattled getting up to speed when it was left in auto. On the flip side, taking control and dropping it into second, you move your foot about half an inch, and the skin on your cheeks peels off as the hot-V turbos spin up.
OUR PRINT MAGAZINE
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When they do, the performance available beggars belief. When the transmission finds a gear, the delivery and persistence of the power band up the rev range could be considered too much for UK roads. Boot it in second, and you’ll triple your speed from 30–90mph in what feels like about two seconds – even the digital speedo readout can’t keep up with the insane pace. It’s blisteringly fast, but you’re very slightly isolated from the brutality of speed. The clever chassis engineering stops the back end squatting and mitigates the huge torque threatening to break traction.
Even in a surprisingly stormy December, it never feels skittish. Launch control keeps wheel slip in check and, provided all four wheels are pointing in the same direction, mashing your foot down in anything in GT or Sport is completely secure – even in the wet. Hard cornering requires a little more care – tight bends under throttle can cause the front tyres to skip slightly, but we must remember the car is on summer tyres, out of their comfort zone. That said, pushing the DBX 707 hard on a road would be insanity, not only because you’ll very quickly lose your licence, but because it’s still a 2+ tonne car; if it bites back, there will be tears – and pulling bits of tree from your mangled body is painful.
Happily, the DBX can be enjoyed without really tempting fate, as the body control is stunning. You don’t get a lot of communication from the tyres through the steering wheel about the amount of available grip, but you can sense what the chassis is doing – the active dampers stop the car leaning, and you can feel it stiffen through the steering wheel. As the corner tightens, the weight in the steering increases, and you can feel the entire car respond to the change instantly. It’s not a GT car; it’s not a sports car. But you’d be fooled into thinking it was the latter by the way it flows through corners with such poise.
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The brakes are a real treat to use. Again, there’s not much pedal feel, but the power in them, whether cold or hot, is a huge accolade for the DBX. They’re not grabby or plagued by pre-loaded “bite”. They’re very intuitive and progressive, requiring only small pressure changes on the pedal to maximise cornering this titan. With braking dealt with so easily, it allows you to work the transmission more effectively. On twisting, winding B-roads, you’ll need to use the paddles to get the most out of the gearbox.
The paddle tactility isn’t great – at times, I missed a downchange or upshift because it felt like they’d “clicked”, but it was just taking up the slack noisily. That’s something you’d get used to with time, but however minor, these details matter at this price point.
The DBX is in its element on longer drives too. The sports seats are firm but comfortable, with plenty of adjustability. The comfort-option seats are pretty much the same but not quite as visually appealing. I don’t have a fragile psyche, so the “commanding” driving position does nothing for me. Relative to its height, the seating position is very good and mounted quite low – lower even than a few recent hot hatches.
This car is the 2023 model, so it has the old interior and Mercedes-Benz infotainment. Still, the material quality is excellent, with leather, carbon fibre, and piano-black detailing throughout. At the time, many bemoaned the interior styling; the new one has a better layout and more visual appeal, but I quite like the vulva-inspired centre console. If it were sober and sensible like a Porsche, it wouldn’t feel as special.
As you’d expect, the car has every feature imaginable, with electric/automatic everything and radar cruise control that works surprisingly well. There’s a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled seats in the front, heated rear seats (cooling is optional), with front/rear climate control and plenty of charging points to keep driver and passengers happy. Mercifully, inane functions like lane-keep assist are off by default – anyone who needs these to get from A to B should be fed to North Korean conscripts.
The infotainment system is woeful, as are most screen-based setups. A simple, giant “Apple CarPlay” button would suffice, allowing me to connect my phone and move on. I dislike the climate control setup on the screen, but happily, many features still use toggle switches beneath it. Once you’re set up and have your Bluetooth dialled in, you can enjoy the exquisite sound system. The sound quality, even without touching the settings, is exceptional – if you listen carefully enough, you can hear podcasters blinking.
“It boasts carbon ceramic brakes, a carbon fibre propshaft, 48v electronic anti-roll bars and bespoke Bilstein air-suspension…stuff that can make any supercar enthusiast salivate”
N
The speakers also emanate a lot of augmented engine noise when you’re approaching Mach II, mitigating the liberal use of cabin insulation. Outside, the exhaust note with the valves open is satisfyingly brutal, with plenty of crackling and popping – a result of Aston altering the firing order from AMG’s to make it distinctive. Hold down the right paddle when starting for a proper Aston Martin welcome. Meandering around town without wind noise, you can hear the grumble from the V8, and heads do turn – valves open or closed.
Another big reason the DBX is so popular, aside from the noise, is that it’s a proper five-seat SUV. There’s lots of space up front. I like to sit quite far back – normally with my seat resting on the bulkhead in sports cars. In the DBX, rear seat passengers had about a foot of space between the rear seat and the front. The DBX is a bespoke platform, not shared like many German SUVs, so Aston could build it with features like the flat floor and doors that conceal the sills. Getting in and out is easy, and you don’t get dirty trousers.
With the leather-clad parcel shelf removed, the boot is huge. It’s not class-leading, but relative to the Purosangue or a Cayenne, it’s cavernous – these cars have tapered rooflines, so headroom in the back seats and upper boot space is lacking. The DBX is surprisingly generous in this respect – a dog won’t be decapitated by closing the boot.
We could argue until we’re blue in the face about the validity of the super-SUV, but the fact is, like it or not, they’re here to stay. When the 707 was announced, we all crowed that the 542bhp and 516lb-ft of torque of the regular DBX was more than sufficient. Customers didn’t agree, and over 90 per cent of DBXs rolling down the production line were 707s. When it came time to facelift the car, Aston quietly dropped the original from sale.
Overall, the DBX707 isn’t perfect, but as a one-car solution combining SUV practicality and sports car performance, it’s as good as you’ll get. I expected to be blown away by its box-ticking ability, my preconceptions about SUVs obliterated.
They’re not. I’d still much rather have a rapid estate car. However, the super-estate is in a state of flux. The RS6 has just been discontinued – unlikely to return – and the new hybrid M5 isn’t receiving the most favourable of reviews. It actually weighs more than the DBX and has lost that subtle, menacing style that defined it.
Which leaves the DBX and similar super-SUVs as the weapon of choice for wealthy families who still want a proper driving experience. As an anti-SUV parrot, I think I’d choose the DBX too.
Aston Martin DBX707 Stats & Performance
Chassis & suspension
Suspension
Front: Wide spaced double wishbone, split lower link
Rear: Multi-link
Adaptive triple chamber air suspension
Variable ride height (raised by up to 45mm or lowered by 30mm)
Electronic active anti-roll control system (48-volt eARC)
Steering
Rack & pinion steering system (EPAS)
Speed-dependent steering with 14.4:1 ratio
2.6 turns lock-to-lock
Brakes
Carbon ceramic discs
420mm front and 390mm rear
6 piston callipers
Wheels and tyres
22in standard (23in optional)
OEM brand – Pirelli P Zero
Transmission
Permanent all-wheel-drive
9-speed automatic gearbox with multi-plate wet clutch
e-LSD, automatic torque distribution (up to 100% rear)
Engine & output
4.0-litre V8 Twin Turbo
Engine capacity: 3,982cm³
Bore: 83mm / Stroke: 92mm
Compression ratio 8.6:1
All-alloy construction
32-valve, quad overhead camshaft
Output
Engine power: 707PS (697bhp / 520kW) @ 6000rpm
Engine torque: 900Nm (663 lb ft) @ 4500rpm
Specific output: 138PS/litre (136bhp/litre)
UK Combined (mpg): 19.9mpg
Power-to-weight
Weight: 2,245kg (4,940lb) kerb weight (DIN)
Weight Distribution: 52%/48% (front/rear)
Power-to-weight ratio – 310bhp/ton
Torque-to-weight ratio – 295lb-ft/ton
Acceleration & top speed
0-60mph in 3.1 seconds
0-62mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds
0-160kmh – 7.4 seconds
Maximum Speed: 193mph / 310km/h
What to pay
Used – from £145,000
UK list price – £208,500
Rush Radar – Aston Martin DBX707
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More Rush Reviews
There is a strong argument that the era of the GT we know and love is dead, consumed by the super-SUV. Purists may baulk, but if SUVs are the new-age Grand Tourers, then surely the old guard has the right to venture into the sector with guns blazing. Kotto Williams investigates from behind the wheel of a DBX707.
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o car can spark a Rush boardroom fist fight faster than a super-SUV – and for good reason. An SUV of any kind is anathema to the petrolhead who wants their bottom on the floor, legs stretched out, grinning and exhilarated. Personally, I don’t like SUVs; anything they can do, a proper estate car can do better. But I get why someone would buy cars along the lines of a Porsche Cayenne Turbo or Alfa Stelvio Quadrifoglio – sometimes a petrolhead has a family and no space for a second car.
And we tumble into the same pitfall. An Audi RS6 will be easier to live with and offer better driving dynamics, yet SUV sales continue to go from strength to strength. So, is there an SUV that can be a proper family car and a proper performance car? Speaking of Audis, Craig once mentioned the RS4 was the best way to laminate your dog onto the rear windscreen; the Aston Martin DBX707 will liquify it.
It’s little wonder the dealer-fit dog boot kit costs a small fortune. Nevertheless, this is a proper SUV. It’s comfortable and composed, with plenty of space for five and the poor dog. Its 2,245kg mass is made moot by its colossal 697bhp and 663lb-ft (899Nm) of torque. 0–60mph comes up in 3.1 seconds, and the top speed is a faintly ridiculous 193mph.
We may scoff and bicker about SUVs, but the reality is this thing can humiliate a good many supercars in a drag race – and a good many sportscars on track. It boasts carbon ceramic brakes, a carbon fibre propshaft, an AMG engine fettled and tuned in-house specially for the DBX, 48v electronic anti-roll bars, and bespoke Bilstein air suspension – stuff that can make any supercar enthusiast salivate.
N
The brakes are a real treat to use. Again, there’s not much pedal feel, but the power in them, whether cold or hot, is a huge accolade for the DBX. They’re not grabby or plagued by pre-loaded “bite”. They’re very intuitive and progressive, requiring only small pressure changes on the pedal to maximise cornering this titan. With braking dealt with so easily, it allows you to work the transmission more effectively. On twisting, winding B-roads, you’ll need to use the paddles to get the most out of the gearbox.
The paddle tactility isn’t great – at times, I missed a downchange or upshift because it felt like they’d “clicked”, but it was just taking up the slack noisily. That’s something you’d get used to with time, but however minor, these details matter at this price point.
The DBX is in its element on longer drives too. The sports seats are firm but comfortable, with plenty of adjustability. The comfort-option seats are pretty much the same but not quite as visually appealing. I don’t have a fragile psyche, so the “commanding” driving position does nothing for me. Relative to its height, the seating position is very good and mounted quite low – lower even than a few recent hot hatches.
This car is the 2023 model, so it has the old interior and Mercedes-Benz infotainment. Still, the material quality is excellent, with leather, carbon fibre, and piano-black detailing throughout. At the time, many bemoaned the interior styling; the new one has a better layout and more visual appeal, but I quite like the vulva-inspired centre console. If it were sober and sensible like a Porsche, it wouldn’t feel as special.
As you’d expect, the car has every feature imaginable, with electric/automatic everything and radar cruise control that works surprisingly well. There’s a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled seats in the front, heated rear seats (cooling is optional), with front/rear climate control and plenty of charging points to keep driver and passengers happy. Mercifully, inane functions like lane-keep assist are off by default – anyone who needs these to get from A to B should be fed to North Korean conscripts.
The infotainment system is woeful, as are most screen-based setups. A simple, giant “Apple CarPlay” button would suffice, allowing me to connect my phone and move on. I dislike the climate control setup on the screen, but happily, many features still use toggle switches beneath it. Once you’re set up and have your Bluetooth dialled in, you can enjoy the exquisite sound system. The sound quality, even without touching the settings, is exceptional – if you listen carefully enough, you can hear podcasters blinking.
“It boasts carbon ceramic brakes, a carbon fibre propshaft, 48v electronic anti-roll bars and bespoke Bilstein air-suspension…stuff that can make any supercar enthusiast salivate”
N
The speakers also emanate a lot of augmented engine noise when you’re approaching Mach II, mitigating the liberal use of cabin insulation. Outside, the exhaust note with the valves open is satisfyingly brutal, with plenty of crackling and popping – a result of Aston altering the firing order from AMG’s to make it distinctive. Hold down the right paddle when starting for a proper Aston Martin welcome. Meandering around town without wind noise, you can hear the grumble from the V8, and heads do turn – valves open or closed.
Another big reason the DBX is so popular, aside from the noise, is that it’s a proper five-seat SUV. There’s lots of space up front. I like to sit quite far back – normally with my seat resting on the bulkhead in sports cars. In the DBX, rear seat passengers had about a foot of space between the rear seat and the front. The DBX is a bespoke platform, not shared like many German SUVs, so Aston could build it with features like the flat floor and doors that conceal the sills. Getting in and out is easy, and you don’t get dirty trousers.
With the leather-clad parcel shelf removed, the boot is huge. It’s not class-leading, but relative to the Purosangue or a Cayenne, it’s cavernous – these cars have tapered rooflines, so headroom in the back seats and upper boot space is lacking. The DBX is surprisingly generous in this respect – a dog won’t be decapitated by closing the boot.
We could argue until we’re blue in the face about the validity of the super-SUV, but the fact is, like it or not, they’re here to stay. When the 707 was announced, we all crowed that the 542bhp and 516lb-ft of torque of the regular DBX was more than sufficient. Customers didn’t agree, and over 90 per cent of DBXs rolling down the production line were 707s. When it came time to facelift the car, Aston quietly dropped the original from sale.
Overall, the DBX707 isn’t perfect, but as a one-car solution combining SUV practicality and sports car performance, it’s as good as you’ll get. I expected to be blown away by its box-ticking ability, my preconceptions about SUVs obliterated.
They’re not. I’d still much rather have a rapid estate car. However, the super-estate is in a state of flux. The RS6 has just been discontinued – unlikely to return – and the new hybrid M5 isn’t receiving the most favourable of reviews. It actually weighs more than the DBX and has lost that subtle, menacing style that defined it.
Which leaves the DBX and similar super-SUVs as the weapon of choice for wealthy families who still want a proper driving experience. As an anti-SUV parrot, I think I’d choose the DBX too.
Aston Martin DBX707 Stats & Performance
Chassis & suspension
Suspension
Front: Wide spaced double wishbone, split lower link
Rear: Multi-link
Adaptive triple chamber air suspension
Variable ride height (raised by up to 45mm or lowered by 30mm)
Electronic active anti-roll control system (48-volt eARC)
Steering
Rack & pinion steering system (EPAS)
Speed-dependent steering with 14.4:1 ratio
2.6 turns lock-to-lock
Brakes
Carbon ceramic discs
420mm front and 390mm rear
6 piston callipers
Wheels and tyres
22in standard (23in optional)
OEM brand – Pirelli P Zero
Transmission
Permanent all-wheel-drive
9-speed automatic gearbox with multi-plate wet clutch
e-LSD, automatic torque distribution (up to 100% rear)
Engine & output
4.0-litre V8 Twin Turbo
Engine capacity: 3,982cm³
Bore: 83mm / Stroke: 92mm
Compression ratio 8.6:1
All-alloy construction
32-valve, quad overhead camshaft
Output
Engine power: 707PS (697bhp / 520kW) @ 6000rpm
Engine torque: 900Nm (663 lb ft) @ 4500rpm
Specific output: 138PS/litre (136bhp/litre)
UK Combined (mpg): 19.9mpg
Power-to-weight
Weight: 2,245kg (4,940lb) kerb weight (DIN)
Weight Distribution: 52%/48% (front/rear)
Power-to-weight ratio – 310bhp/ton
Torque-to-weight ratio – 295lb-ft/ton
Acceleration & top speed
0-60mph in 3.1 seconds
0-62mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds
0-160kmh – 7.4 seconds
Maximum Speed: 193mph / 310km/h
What to pay
Used – from £145,000
UK list price – £208,500
Rush Radar – Aston Martin DBX707
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9 August 2025
On Track in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
A new partnership between MSV and Hyundai UK allows us to experience the 641bhp Ioniq 5 N around the Bedford Autodrome.
Over 50,000 words covering the greatest modern classics and iconic new performance cars. Printed on premium 115 gsm paper and delivered direct to your door.
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Subaru Impreza P1 on the West Pennine Moors
Ford Racing Puma, Holme Moss Summit
Group test – Finding the best second-hand hot hatch for £5,000
Megane R26.R takes on the Snake Pass
Brock Yates & the Cannonball Run
Monaro VXR 6.0, Forest of Bowland
Porsche 968 Club Sport Buying Guide
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Despite all this heavy-duty engineering, the DBX works hard to suppress the benefits. On the road, you’re so well insulated from the outside world – thanks to double-glazed windows and peeled cow trim – that you wouldn’t believe it could sprint faster than its Aston stablemates. It’s exceptionally composed, gentle even. Only extremely poor country roads that buck and heave upset it – the car will sway from side to side following the road’s contours, no doubt influenced by the massive 285/35R23 front and 325/30R23 rear tyres, supplied by Pirelli. Otherwise, the three-stage air suspension does away with bumps, divots, and cattle grids with ease.
It can feel busy at times, with the odd tremor reaching the cabin – but no worse than any GT car. A big surprise was how its giant footprint shrinks around you – you tower over BMW X3s and Ford Kugas, but it doesn’t feel big or unwieldy. I was more conscientious of my dainty Z4M’s arches against hedgerows than the DBX.
The gearbox, however, is a huge source of frustration. It’s an AMG 9G unit, and there’s just too many gears. Overtaking is a nightmare, even in Sport or Sport+ modes, because it’s too slow to react. If you use the paddles, it takes longer to click down the ratios than perform the actual pass. You can hold the left paddle down to pre-select the lowest available gear, but I’d rather the gearbox just kicked down properly. The changes themselves are lightning fast, thanks to the wet-clutch setup, but the mapping lags behind. Is the software holding the gearbox back because of the massive torque in order to increase longevity?
In normal circumstances, the 9G transmission is super slick and changes barely register. But when you need it to act with haste, it gets confused or responds too slowly. I suspect this is one of the reasons the new Vantage has a ZF-8 automatic. Another consequence is the throttle feels sluggish because of the gearbox; I felt embattled getting up to speed when it was left in auto. On the flip side, taking control and dropping it into second, you move your foot about half an inch, and the skin on your cheeks peels off as the hot-V turbos spin up.
OUR PRINT MAGAZINE
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When they do, the performance available beggars belief. When the transmission finds a gear, the delivery and persistence of the power band up the rev range could be considered too much for UK roads. Boot it in second, and you’ll triple your speed from 30–90mph in what feels like about two seconds – even the digital speedo readout can’t keep up with the insane pace. It’s blisteringly fast, but you’re very slightly isolated from the brutality of speed. The clever chassis engineering stops the back end squatting and mitigates the huge torque threatening to break traction.
Even in a surprisingly stormy December, it never feels skittish. Launch control keeps wheel slip in check and, provided all four wheels are pointing in the same direction, mashing your foot down in anything in GT or Sport is completely secure – even in the wet. Hard cornering requires a little more care – tight bends under throttle can cause the front tyres to skip slightly, but we must remember the car is on summer tyres, out of their comfort zone. That said, pushing the DBX 707 hard on a road would be insanity, not only because you’ll very quickly lose your licence, but because it’s still a 2+ tonne car; if it bites back, there will be tears – and pulling bits of tree from your mangled body is painful.
Happily, the DBX can be enjoyed without really tempting fate, as the body control is stunning. You don’t get a lot of communication from the tyres through the steering wheel about the amount of available grip, but you can sense what the chassis is doing – the active dampers stop the car leaning, and you can feel it stiffen through the steering wheel. As the corner tightens, the weight in the steering increases, and you can feel the entire car respond to the change instantly. It’s not a GT car; it’s not a sports car. But you’d be fooled into thinking it was the latter by the way it flows through corners with such poise.
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The brakes are a real treat to use. Again, there’s not much pedal feel, but the power in them, whether cold or hot, is a huge accolade for the DBX. They’re not grabby or plagued by pre-loaded “bite”. They’re very intuitive and progressive, requiring only small pressure changes on the pedal to maximise cornering this titan. With braking dealt with so easily, it allows you to work the transmission more effectively. On twisting, winding B-roads, you’ll need to use the paddles to get the most out of the gearbox.
The paddle tactility isn’t great – at times, I missed a downchange or upshift because it felt like they’d “clicked”, but it was just taking up the slack noisily. That’s something you’d get used to with time, but however minor, these details matter at this price point.
The DBX is in its element on longer drives too. The sports seats are firm but comfortable, with plenty of adjustability. The comfort-option seats are pretty much the same but not quite as visually appealing. I don’t have a fragile psyche, so the “commanding” driving position does nothing for me. Relative to its height, the seating position is very good and mounted quite low – lower even than a few recent hot hatches.
This car is the 2023 model, so it has the old interior and Mercedes-Benz infotainment. Still, the material quality is excellent, with leather, carbon fibre, and piano-black detailing throughout. At the time, many bemoaned the interior styling; the new one has a better layout and more visual appeal, but I quite like the vulva-inspired centre console. If it were sober and sensible like a Porsche, it wouldn’t feel as special.
As you’d expect, the car has every feature imaginable, with electric/automatic everything and radar cruise control that works surprisingly well. There’s a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled seats in the front, heated rear seats (cooling is optional), with front/rear climate control and plenty of charging points to keep driver and passengers happy. Mercifully, inane functions like lane-keep assist are off by default – anyone who needs these to get from A to B should be fed to North Korean conscripts.
The infotainment system is woeful, as are most screen-based setups. A simple, giant “Apple CarPlay” button would suffice, allowing me to connect my phone and move on. I dislike the climate control setup on the screen, but happily, many features still use toggle switches beneath it. Once you’re set up and have your Bluetooth dialled in, you can enjoy the exquisite sound system. The sound quality, even without touching the settings, is exceptional – if you listen carefully enough, you can hear podcasters blinking.
“It boasts carbon ceramic brakes, a carbon fibre propshaft, 48v electronic anti-roll bars and bespoke Bilstein air-suspension…stuff that can make any supercar enthusiast salivate”
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The speakers also emanate a lot of augmented engine noise when you’re approaching Mach II, mitigating the liberal use of cabin insulation. Outside, the exhaust note with the valves open is satisfyingly brutal, with plenty of crackling and popping – a result of Aston altering the firing order from AMG’s to make it distinctive. Hold down the right paddle when starting for a proper Aston Martin welcome. Meandering around town without wind noise, you can hear the grumble from the V8, and heads do turn – valves open or closed.
Another big reason the DBX is so popular, aside from the noise, is that it’s a proper five-seat SUV. There’s lots of space up front. I like to sit quite far back – normally with my seat resting on the bulkhead in sports cars. In the DBX, rear seat passengers had about a foot of space between the rear seat and the front. The DBX is a bespoke platform, not shared like many German SUVs, so Aston could build it with features like the flat floor and doors that conceal the sills. Getting in and out is easy, and you don’t get dirty trousers.
With the leather-clad parcel shelf removed, the boot is huge. It’s not class-leading, but relative to the Purosangue or a Cayenne, it’s cavernous – these cars have tapered rooflines, so headroom in the back seats and upper boot space is lacking. The DBX is surprisingly generous in this respect – a dog won’t be decapitated by closing the boot.
We could argue until we’re blue in the face about the validity of the super-SUV, but the fact is, like it or not, they’re here to stay. When the 707 was announced, we all crowed that the 542bhp and 516lb-ft of torque of the regular DBX was more than sufficient. Customers didn’t agree, and over 90 per cent of DBXs rolling down the production line were 707s. When it came time to facelift the car, Aston quietly dropped the original from sale.
Overall, the DBX707 isn’t perfect, but as a one-car solution combining SUV practicality and sports car performance, it’s as good as you’ll get. I expected to be blown away by its box-ticking ability, my preconceptions about SUVs obliterated.
They’re not. I’d still much rather have a rapid estate car. However, the super-estate is in a state of flux. The RS6 has just been discontinued – unlikely to return – and the new hybrid M5 isn’t receiving the most favourable of reviews. It actually weighs more than the DBX and has lost that subtle, menacing style that defined it.
Which leaves the DBX and similar super-SUVs as the weapon of choice for wealthy families who still want a proper driving experience. As an anti-SUV parrot, I think I’d choose the DBX too.
