Aston Martin is going in. All in with an SUV. The DBX prototype it showed only weeks ago confirmed the company's intention to build high-end luxury SUVs, now plastered with Aston Martin design cues, sophisticated overall looks, and technology to compete with novel entries such as the Lambo Urus and any of the Porsche Cayennes. The DBX prototype may not be fully revealed yet, but I have enough to go on to compare it with the DBX Concept that appeared in 2015. The SUV that will eventually reach the market in 2020 takes the conventional shape of a modern SUV but with a few curious touches that will make it somewhat special among a number of competitors. Interestingly enough, it did forgo all the cool touches we have seen on the DBX concept. It is a completely different beast.

Exterior

Front End

Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, upon unveiling the DBX Concept three years ago, noted that the Aston Martin SUV won’t be like the DB11 or the Vantage. It won’t look like them. Back then, he even courageously called out VW Group cars as a whole.

“It’s our platform , therefore it’s our proportion. So it’s not an Audi Q7 with a Bentley face, it’s not a Volkswagen with a Porsche face – I know it came out as a Porsche but it started as a VW” Reichman said.

However, now when the dawn is setting on the DBX, I wonder if he was telling the truth. See, the DBX Prototype we see here does have a couple of clear styling cues from the latest Vantage. Heck, it has its front lights and that cool Aston Martin front grille. I am still not sure if this grille fits an SUV, but it is a striking piece for sure.

This is important if I am to compare it with the DBX Concept from three years ago. Instead of the silhouette and front end reminiscent of the two-door luxury Aston Martin cars, as on the DBX Concept, the DBX Prototype takes a far more conventional approach to SUV design. If I had to say what it looks like, I’d say that it has a somewhat similar approach to design as the Stelvio or the Levante. It radiates such character throughout.

Sides

The biggest difference compared with the DBX Concept can be seen on the sides. The new car is far from the unconventional approach one can see on the DBX Concept. The prototype that stretched its legs at the rally stage in Wales actually has four doors, a conventional SUV silhouette that basically looks like a puffed up hot hatch, and a few cool novel touches like the rear decklid spoiler and a spoiler above the rear windshield. Sure, the rear decklid spoiler is expected as the DB11 has much the same solution for its smart aeroblade aerodynamic. I am certain that Aston Martin is looking to adapt the technology for its first SUV as well.

The DBX Concept we saw some time ago actually looked much like the jacked up DB11. It even had only two doors. Bear in mind that this is only a prototype. An early one at that. I expect Aston Martin to integrate gills on the body behind the front wheels, intakes on the sides for its aeroblade aero tech, and, I believe, four swan doors. All in all, a lot of work is in front of Aston Martin designers if they are to create a unique and exceptional SUV. One, I believe, based around the Mercedes-AMG technology.

Rear End

The rear end does reveal a thing or two about the new DBX SUV. First of all, one cannot but admire the boldness of the designers who integrated that decklid spoiler. It is most certainly one of the most controversial elements on the Aston Martin SUV. I am not exactly sure if it will remain as pronounced as on the prototype, but it will definitely be there. It is not as massive as it looks from the sides. Partially similar to what we can see on the DB11, and consequently on the DBX Concept, actually. The rear decklid spoiler is only as wide as the rear windshield. Again, a trait is taken from the DBX Prototype. Unfortunately, that is all we have to go on when it comes to the rear end. The lights are still in the development stage, but I suspect that Aston Martin will include that rear light ridge one can see on the DBX Concept. After all, many modern super SUVs have that continuous rear LED bar that links tail lights.

Interior

We do not have any photos of the interior of the DBX prototype for the time being. However, one can safely assume it will be really similar to what can be seen in the latest DB11 and the Vantage. That one was a futuristic interpretation and a cool four-seat layout with everything covered in leather. And when I say everything, I mean it. Even the pedals and footwells.

Final Thoughts

It is a bit underwhelming to see that it follows the main principles set forth by the likes of the Cayenne, the Audi Q7, and even the Levante. I am hoping to see some more experimentation in the design department since Aston Martin does have a knack for creating sexy cars. It will enter the SUV segment only now, but the company had a go at it even ten years ago with the Aston Martin Lagonda SUV. That one wasn’t sexy. At all. It was a bit ghoulish if you will. But it did have a strange rear end.

Further Reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Aston Martin DBX.

Read our full review on the 2015 Aston Martin DBX Concept.