2023 Aston Martin DBX 707 vs. 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT
Once it was established that high-performance SUVs were not an oxymoron, there was only one direction to go: up. More speed, quicker acceleration, greater grip, more tenacious braking, and—most of all—higher prices. At Porsche, the progression of high-test versions with more horsepower and compound badge extensions has led to the 2022 Cayenne Turbo GT, a veritable sport-utility weapon capable of amazing things on the track, up to and including the vaunted Nürburgring.
Other high-end carmakers have joined in—even Ferrari with its upcoming Purosangue. Aston Martin entered the fray a couple of years ago with its DBX. We’d surmise, however, that the beastly 2023 DBX 707 was in the model plan from the outset.
These Cayenne and DBX models make an excellent pairing, and not just because our samples were painted focus-group white to prevent color bias from creeping in. Ferocious twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 engines vigorously propel both, with the Porsche’s 3996-cubic-centimeter powerplant generating 631 horsepower and the Aston wringing 697 horsepower from a mere 3982 cubic centimeters. Beyond that, both vehicles have all-wheel drive and ride on air springs augmented with electronically controlled dampers and active anti-roll bars. Both feature high-stance terrain modes of dubious relevance, and they also command sky-high prices. The lightly optioned Porsche in our test goes for $189,090, while the glitzier Aston Martin commands $290,086.
If we determined a champion based on onlookers’ attention, the Aston would take this win, hands down. People stopped us at gas stations, wanting to know what it was and snapping photos. When you view the vehicles side-by-side, this makes sense. The 707 has presence. Its fresh, modern styling is festooned with intriguing details, although the diffuser’s fiddly spoiler is one we could do without.
HIGHS: Undeniably fast, rorty soundtrack, stunning design.
LOWS: Insufferable infotainment, eye-watering price.
VERDICT: If money were no object, we wouldn’t object.
The same is true inside, where the DBX comes across as interesting and layered. The seats and dashboard look as if some design capital was spent on them, and the carbon-fiber center console is far more intricate and deliberate than the perfunctory stuff tacked onto the Porsche’s door panels. But, as on the outside, the design would come off better if it were reeled in about 5 percent.
