There was a time when SUV and Aston Martin would have gone together like Château Lafite and Cheez Whiz. But times change, and even Aston Martin must bend to the cruel geometry of the modern luxury market.

But here's the surprise: the 2026 Aston Martin DBX S is not a betrayal of the brand. It is, in fact, the most Aston Martin thing they’ve done in years. After all, Aston Martin has been producing sportier S variants since the 1953 DB3 S.

That means that the 2026 Aston Martin DBX S is not your wife's yoga-going, Range Rover-driving, Whole-Foods-parking-lot-barge. This is a 717-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V8 sledgehammer in Savile Row tailoring.

It’s Aston’s answer to the question no one asked: What if James Bond had kids? Well, of course he’d drive a 2026 Aston Martin DBX S.

Its heart is AMG’s venerable twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 with 717 horsepower, 664 pound-feet of torque and a 9-speed dual clutch transmission offer the kind of acceleration that was once reserved for Group B rally cars.

It’s fitted with the Aston Martin Valhalla hypercar’s turbocharging setup, while its all-wheel-drive system, the DBX S can send 50% of its torque to the front and up to 100% of its torque to the rear wheels. This allows 0-to-60-mph mph to happen in a brief 3.1 seconds, despite being a 5,000-pound luxury SUV. In addition, the steering has been sharpened, the suspension stiffened, and the body’s been sprinkled with carbon fiber like truffle shavings on a $80 plate of pasta.

The result is a car that turns in with real intent. It’s not dainty; it’s far too big for that. But it’s extraordinarily precise, composed, and weirdly agile. You can actually hustle this thing down a twisting country road without fearing for the local shrubbery.

It’s surprisingly effortless, providing the unstoppable force of a collapsing glacier. Its engine snarls like a bull terrier that’s been kept too long on a short chain. It’s too fast, too loud, too fierce and utterly irresistible, an SUV that lifts weights and doesn’t skip leg day.

But if Mr. Bond wants to achieve that level of performance, he must order some lightweight options that saves 104 pounds compared to a standard DBX, a notable weight advantage, but one that comes at a fairly significant upcharge. On the list is the Lightweight Mesh Front Grille ($1,400), the Dark Chrome / Carbon Interior Pack ($6,400), Twill Carbon Veneer ($5,700), AMR Lime Mag Brake Calipers ($2,000), Upper Gloss 2x2 Twill Carbon Fiber Pack ($11,200), Lower BX S Carbon Fiber Pack ($20,900) and 23-inch Magnesium Wheels ($22,300). These along with some other options, including the magnificent Bowers & Wilkins Audio System, pushed the as tested price from $270,500 to $397,900.

Inside, it’s everything you expect from an Aston: hand-stitched leather so buttery it could qualify as a controlled substance, knurled metal knobs that feel like they were milled in a Swiss watch factory, and a seating position that manages to be commanding without being obnoxious. Just as compelling is the integration of Apple CarPlay into the DBX’s 10.25-inch infotainment and 12.3-inch driver information screens. It’s seamlessly beautiful, carried out with a sophisticated Aston Martin elegance that makes the current Mercedes-Benz infotainment system look like a garish third-world casino remnant.

That said, you might be wondering about its competitors. Well, there’s the Lamborghini Urus, but that’s a rolling nightclub. There’s the Bentley Bentayga, which is brilliant, but utterly humorless. In comparison, the Aston Martin DBX S has soul. It’s loud, slightly impractical, and occasionally silly. But it’s also charming, glamorous and ferociously alive.

The 2026 Aston Martin DBX S is not simply a fast SUV. It’s rarified, a reminder that character still matters, that a badge can still mean something. Even in this age of electrification and algorithmic design, there remains a place for something irrational, theatrical, and unapologetically indulgent. Aston Martin may never again build a car as pure as the DB4 GT Zagato or as beautiful as the original DBS. But with the DBX S, they’ve built something that is honest in its ambition and impressive in its execution. And in a world increasingly obsessed with efficiency, that feels like a small and necessary rebellion.

2026 Aston Martin DBX S

Base price: $270,500

Engine: Twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8

Horsepower/Torque: 717/664 pound-feet

Top speed: 193 mph

0-60 mph: 3.1 seconds

EPA rating (combined city/highway): 16 mpg

Fuel required: Premium

Length/Width/Height: 198/79/66 inches

Ground clearance: 7.5 inches

Cargo capacity: 23 cubic feet

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