Aston Martin DBX 707 vs Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT: interiors

Behind the wheel

Driving position, visibility, build quality

Both cars have fundamentally sound driving positions, with pedals that line up neatly with the steering wheel, but keen drivers might prefer the fact that you sit a little lower behind the wheel of the Porsche Cayenne. Combine that with a driver's seat that offers slightly more side support than the wider seats in the Aston Martin DBX and the Cayenne feels more like a traditional performance car. 

The Cayenne's interior also looks that bit sportier, with its grab handles between the front seats, copious use of synthetic suede and grey decorative carbonfibre trim. The Cayenne feels rather more sombre than the DBX, though; the more diverse palette of materials the latter has as standard – including multiple shades of leather and a variety of aluminium and carbonfibre inlays – bring the theatre you might expect when you're buying a car for the price of a Mediterranean villa. 

We're also pleased that switches still control the most important features in the DBX. Buttons direct the gearbox (an established Aston feature), there's a dial on the centre console for swapping between driving modes, and buttons near your left leg allow you to adjust the suspension, activate the sports exhaust or cancel the lane-keeping assistance. In the Cayenne (aside from the drive select dial on the steering wheel), these functions are all performed via touch-sensitive controls that are trickier to use on the move. 

In terms of visibility, both cars are blighted by thick rear pillars and narrow side windows, making them tricky to see out of while parking. Mercifully, both get front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, but the DBX offers an extra helping hand courtesy of a 360-degree camera (a £522 option on the Cayenne).

Infotainment systems

Aston Martin DBX 707

The Aston Martin DBX infotainment system is Mercedes-sourced, albeit from the previous decade. As a result, the system is sluggish at times, the screen is far from high-definition and it lacks modern features, such as Android Auto smartphone mirroring, although Apple CarPlay is included. It’s a disappointing system for such an expensive car, but it’s not all bad news; it’s operated via a rotary controller, which is less distracting on the move than most touchscreens.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT

The 12.3in display in the Porsche Cayenne is bright, crisp and quick to respond to inputs. By touchscreen standards, it’s also fairly easy to use, but the fact you have to study it to make sure you’re pressing the correct button makes it more distracting to use than the DBX’s system. The 14-speaker Bose sound system is decent, but audiophiles will prefer the 21-speaker, 1455-watt, Burmester system (£3245); DBX owners have to make do with a 14-speaker system putting out 800 watts.

<< Previous | Next: How practical are they? >>

Page 2 of 5