What's all this about?

Aston Martin has made huge steps lately with the quality of its interiors and now it's time for the mighty DBX707 to benefit. The ultra-performance SUV is gaining Aston's in-house developed infotainment system, which means a redesign of most of its interior to suit.

That's nice. And does this apply to the 550hp DBX as well?

Umm, no. Because the 'regular' (for want of a much better word) DBX has been canned, as take-up of the DBX707 has been so overwhelming since it launched in 2022. Anyone buying Aston Martin's long-awaited SUV in the interim has gone for the 707hp/900Nm bad boy, you see.

OK, so shall we go back to the DBX707's interior?

We shall. Taking its inspiration from both the DB12 and the revised Vantage, the 2025MY DBX707 - it won't be in production until almost halfway through this year and first customer deliveries should be in Q3 - employs the 10.25-inch central touchscreen infotainment, alongside a 12.3-inch digital driver's cluster that's 1.5 inches larger than those found in the DB12 and Vantage.

This system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while Aston has also upped the USB-C ports as well as increased the online connectivity of the software. But the British company is keen to point out that it has retained a lot of physical controls, for items such as the gear selection, drive modes, heating and ventilation, suspension, electronic stability control, sports exhaust, lane keep assist and the park distance control, so that the most-used functions of the vehicle remain easily to hand.

Otherwise, the design of the dash and centre console has been reworked, including strong linear themes that serve to visually reduce the height of the interior. There's a different steering wheel in the updated DBX707, D-pull door-release handles have been fitted, the air vents have become vertical, and there's a whole new array of luxury material finishes and veneers to choose from, all of which serve to elevate the interior ambience. Audiophiles will also be pleased to know that the 800-watt, 14-speaker Aston Martin Premium Audio system with QuantumLogic surround sound is standard fit on the rapid SUV going forward, although buyers can uprate this to an astonishing 1,600-watt, 23-speaker Bowers & Wilkins set-up if preferred.

Very grand. But are we saying there are no exterior or drivetrain hardware changes?

Not quite. Five all-new paint colours join the DBX707 line-up, which are Epsilon Black, Helios Yellow, Sprint Green, Malachite Green and Aura Green, while Podium Green - exclusively available on the DBX707 AMR23 Edition prior to this point - is now offered for the 707 too. There are also two new alloy wheel choices, which are Satin Black on the 23-inch Fortis items and Copper Bronze on the 23-inch Forged design.

Further, Aston has fitted 'presenting' door handles, which power outwards when the DBX707 is unlocked, while the door mirrors are flush-glass, swivel-head affairs with better cameras to help assist with the onboard safety functions. Meanwhile, the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 and nine-speed 'wet clutch' automatic transmission are both retained, allowing the Aston SUV to run 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 193mph. It has to be fitted with 22-inch wheels as standard, in order to fit over the 420mm front, 390mm rear carbon-ceramic brakes.

There is one suggestion of a change to the way the DBX707 drives, as Aston's engineers are said to have 'further honed' the calibration of the electronic dampers and their attendant air springs. This is said to improve the transient body control of the SUV, further sharpening its handling abilities.

And what do the people behind this update say?

Over to Marco Mattiacci, global chief brand and commercial officer of Aston Martin, who said of the new DBX707: "With its best-in-class performance and dynamics, world-class design and the highest levels of luxury, the DBX707 immediately established a new ultra-luxury SUV benchmark. Now upgraded with state-of-the-art technology and a completely new interior, the DBX707 moves the game on once more, further elevating the standard by which all competitors are judged."