When you listen the name Aston Martin, your intellect likely bounced straight to James Bond. You think of a smooth, low-slung car stopped exterior a Monte Carlo casino. You do not think of a huge, two-and-a-half-ton SUV. But the world changed, and Aston Martin had to alter with it.
They required a car to keep the lights on so they seem keep building those wonderful V12 sports cars. That car was the DBX. And presently, for 2026, they have turned the volume all the way up. This is the DBX S.
I as of late went through a full week with the modern 2026 aston martin dbx s review. It was painted in a profound, venomous green called "Glowing Emerald." It looked like a British criminal in a custom-made suit. It is wide, it is moo for an SUV, and it has a nose that looks like it needs to chomp the car in front of it. But looking great is as it were half the story. The genuine enchantment happens when you press the begin button.
First Look: The Aggressive Face of the DBX S 2026
You can spot the DBX S 2026 from a mile away because it looks angry. The standard DBX is handsome. The S model is a bully. Aston Martin gave it a new front grille. It is bigger and the mesh is wider. It looks like the mouth of a catfish on steroids. But in a good way.
Let me walk you around the car.
- The Hood: It has sharp lines and two big vents near the windshield. These vents are not fake. They pull hot air out from the engine bay.
- The Splitter: Down low, there is a carbon fiber splitter. It sticks out like a chisel. It scrapes on steep driveways. You have been warned.
- The Side Profile: The wheels are massive. You get 23-inch alloys as standard on the S. The brakes are huge. They are carbon ceramics, painted bright yellow behind the black spokes.
- The Rear: Look at the roof. There is a twin-wing spoiler. Then look at the bottom. There is a serious diffuser and four giant exhaust pipes. They are the size of soup cans.
The overall shape is still that classic Aston Martin "GT" look. The roof slopes down at the back. It is a crossover coupe shape, but it does not look as awkward as a BMW X6. It looks athletic. It looks expensive. It looks like it wants to hurt a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT’s feelings.
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Under the Hood: Aston Martin DBX S Horsepower and the Twin Turbo V8
Let us talk about the heart The engine and this is where the 2026 Aston Martin DBX S review gets fun. Under that long hood sits a 4.0-liter twin turbo V8. Yes, this engine comes from Mercedes-AMG. But do not hold that against it. Aston Martin took the German engine and gave it a British attitude.
The standard DBX has 542 horsepower. That is plenty. But the DBX S is for people who think "plenty" is boring. The engineers turned up the boost on the twin turbos. They changed the engine mapping. They made the exhaust louder.
Here is the exact stat you came for. The Aston Martin DBX S horsepower figure is 697 horsepower. Let me write that again. 697. That is nearly 700 horses pulling a family SUV. The torque figure is 663 pound-feet. That torque comes on very low in the rev range. You feel it the second you touch the gas.
This is the DBX S twin turbo V8 performance in simple numbers:
| Spec | 2026 Aston Martin DBX S |
|---|---|
| Engine | 4.0L Twin Turbo V8 |
| Horsepower | 697 hp |
| Torque | 663 lb-ft |
| 0 to 60 mph | 3.1 seconds |
| Top Speed | 193 mph |
| Transmission | 9-Speed Automatic |
Zero to sixty in 3.1 seconds. Think about that. A two-row luxury SUV that weighs over 5,000 pounds is faster to sixty than a Ferrari 458 Italia. That is insane. That is wonderful. That is the DBX S 2026 review headline right there.
The Drive: DBX S Twin Turbo V8 Performance on the Road
I took this car on the highway first. In the softest driving mode (they call it "GT"), the car is quiet. The air suspension soaks up bumps. The twin turbos stay asleep. You could drive your mother to the airport in this thing and she would compliment the leather. She would have no idea that 697 horsepower is sleeping under her feet.
Then I found a back road. I twisted the drive mode dial to "Sport+." The car dropped an inch lower on its suspension. The exhaust flaps opened. The noise came out. It was not a scream. It was a growl. A deep, V8 rumble that pops and crackles when you lift off the gas.
The DBX S twin turbo V8 performance is violent in the best way. You stomp the gas pedal. For a split second, nothing happens. The turbos are taking a breath. Then, BAM. You get punched in the back. The front end lifts up. The nine-speed transmission slams into the next gear. Then the next gear. The world outside the window turns into a blur.
But the straight line speed is only half the story. The real trick is the cornering. An SUV should not turn like this. There is a 48-volt active anti-roll system. It pushes the outside wheels down in a corner. The car stays flat. You feel no body roll. It feels like a much smaller car. It feels like a hot hatchback that ate too much protein powder.
Inside the Cabin: Aston Martin DBX S Interior Review
Okay. You have seen the outside. You have felt the speed. But you live inside the car. So, the Aston Martin DBX S interior needs to be special. And it is. Mostly. Let me paint you a picture. You open the heavy door. You smell real leather. Not that fake, chemical smell from cheaper cars. This is Bridge of Weir leather. It is Scottish. It is soft. It covers almost every surface.
The DBX S 2026 specs and review must mention the details. Look at the glass switches on the center console. They are crystal. They feel cold and expensive in your hand. The gear selector buttons are on the dashboard, high up near the windshield. It is weird at first. But after a day, you love it. You do not have to look down.
Here is a bullet list of what you touch and feel inside:
- The Seats: They are heavily bolted. They hold you tight when you turn hard. They are also heated, cooled, and have a massage function. Your back will thank you.
- The Steering Wheel: It is thick. It has a metal shift paddle on the back. The paddle feels like a gun trigger. Click. Click. It is satisfying.
- The Screens: There is a 10.25-inch screen for the radio and maps. It is not a giant Tesla screen. That is a good thing. It is built into the dash like a piece of art.
- The Space: The back seats have room for adults. I am six feet tall. I sat behind my own driving position. My knees did not touch the seat. My head did not hit the roof.
But let me be honest. The Aston Martin DBX S interior has one problem. The infotainment system. It is the old Mercedes COMAND system. You control it with a little touchpad on the center console. It is annoying. It is laggy sometimes. Apple CarPlay works, but only with a wire. For a car that costs this much, that is a shame. You forgive it because the rest of the cabin is so beautiful. But you notice it every time you try to type an address.
Is It Practical? Can You Live With It Daily?
This is the part of the 2026 Aston Martin DBX S review where we talk about real life. You might love the 697 horsepower. But can you take it to Costco? Yes. The trunk holds 22 cubic feet. That is enough for a full grocery run and two golf bags. The back seats fold down flat. You could fit a small bookshelf back there if you wanted to.
But there is a catch. The gas mileage. I averaged 14 miles per gallon. And I was not driving it hard all the time. On the highway, you might see 17 or 18. The gas tank is small for such a thirsty engine. You will visit the gas station often. The people at the gas station will stare at you. They will ask, "Is that the new Aston?" You will say yes. You will feel like a movie star.
The ride quality is firm. Even in the softest GT mode, you feel the bumps. The 23-inch wheels look cool, but they hurt your back on a bad road. If you live in a city with potholes, you might want the smaller 22-inch wheels. Trust me on this.
How It Compares to the Rivals
You cannot talk about the DBX S 2026 specs and review without comparing it to the big dogs. The rivals are tough. You have the Lamborghini Urus, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, and the Ferrari Purosangue.
| Car | Horsepower | 0-60 mph | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Martin DBX S | 697 | 3.1 sec | British Class, Hidden Rage |
| Lamborghini Urus | 657 | 3.1 sec | Loud, Flashy, Party Animal |
| Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT | 650 | 3.1 sec | Precise, Clinical, Fast |
| Ferrari Purosangue | 715 | 3.1 sec | V12 Magic, Very Expensive |
The DBX S is not the fastest in a straight line (the Ferrari wins there). It is not the flashiest (the Lamborghini is a spaceship). It is not the sharpest (the Porsche is a scalpel). But the Aston is the most beautiful. It has soul. It makes you feel special when you walk up to it. The Porsche is faster on a racetrack. The Aston is faster to your heart.
Problems and Annoyances
No car is perfect. Even a $250,000 SUV. Let me list the things that annoyed me.
- The Key Fob: It is heavy glass. It looks great. But it is slippery. I dropped it three times.
- The Door Handles: They are flush with the body. They pop out when you unlock the car. They look cool. But in the winter, they freeze shut.
- The Backup Camera: For this price, the camera quality is bad. It looks like a camera from 2015. The picture is grainy at night.
- Wind Noise: At highway speeds (over 80 mph), you hear wind around the side mirrors. It is not loud, but you hear it. You should not hear it in a $250k car.
You have to accept these things. It is a hand-built British car. It has character. Character means small flaws. You learn to love them. Or you learn to ignore them.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy the 2026 Aston Martin DBX S?
I have driven a lot of fast SUVs. The BMW XM. The Mercedes G63. The Audi RS Q8. Most of them feel heavy. They feel like a fast bus. The 2026 Aston Martin DBX S does not feel like a bus. It feels like a true sports car. A tall one. A heavy one. But a sports car in its bones.
The DBX S 2026 specs and review shows a car that wins on emotion. The Aston Martin DBX S horsepower is a headline grabber. 697 is a big number. But the feeling matters more. The way the twin turbos push you into the seat. The way the leather smells. The way people stop and stare.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much horsepower does the 2026 Aston Martin DBX S actually have?
It makes 697 drive from its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. That’s a big jump over the standard DBX, which only puts out 542.
What about the 0 to 60 time?
The DBX S can dispatch this heavy SUV from a halt to 60 mph in fair 3.1 seconds. Best speed is 193 mph—pretty wild for something this size.
So what’s truly different between the standard DBX and the DBX S?
You get way more power—697 vs. 542 hp. Plus, the S model looks more forceful with a greater grille and carbon fiber bits. The exhaust is louder, and the suspension is stiffer for sharper handling.
Can tall adults fit comfortably in the back seat?
Yes, it’s really large. Two six-foot-tall adults can sit in the back without their knees hitting the front seats. Headroom is fine as well, even with that slanting roof.
Are there any common issues said in reviews?
A few. The infotainment framework feels obsolete and laggy. Individuals too complain approximately a dangerous key dandy, a cheap-looking reinforcement camera, and a few wind commotion when you truly thrust the speed.
Is this thing viable for regular driving?
It works affirm for day by day utilize. The trunk is valuable, and you get four genuine seats. But the ride is firm, and fuel economy is rough—around 14 mpg. So you’ll be going by the gas station frequently.
