Compare the2022 BMW X5VS 2021 Aston Martin DBX

The X5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The DBX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The X5 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The DBX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The X5 offers optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The DBX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The X5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The DBX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The X5 has standard BMW Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The DBX doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the X5 and the DBX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the X5 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 103 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The DBX has not been tested, yet.

The X5 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The DBX’s 3-year basic warranty expires 1 year sooner.

The X5’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the DBX’s (12 vs. 10 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Aston Martin doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the DBX.

There are almost 10 times as many BMW dealers as there are Aston Martin dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X5 second among upper midsize premium suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The DBX isn’t in the top three in its category.

The X5 M50i’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 516) than the DBX’s 4.0 turbo V8.

On the EPA test cycle the X5 gets better mileage than the DBX:

Regenerative brakes improve the X5’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The DBX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Both the X5 and the DBX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. All X5s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The X5’s optional 275/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the DBX’s 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The DBX doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X5 is 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the DBX.

The X5’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.2% to 49.8%) than the DBX’s (52.7% to 47.3%). This gives the X5 more stable handling and braking.

The X5 is 4.1 inches shorter than the DBX, making the X5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the X5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The DBX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the X5 xDrive40i is quieter than the DBX:

The X5 offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the DBX can only carry 5.

The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the DBX with its rear seat up (33.9 vs. 22.3 cubic feet). The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the DBX with its rear seat folded (72.3 vs. 54 cubic feet).

The X5’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The DBX’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The X5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the DBX’s (6122 vs. 5940 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Aston Martin DBX is only 5940 pounds. The X5 offers up to a 7209 lbs. towing capacity.

A Condition-Based Service Display is standard on the X5 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and vehicle inspection based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Aston Martin doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the DBX.

The X5 offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The DBX doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The X5 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The DBX doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the X5 has a standard rear wiper. The DBX doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X5 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The DBX doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X5 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the X5 has standard extendable sun visors. The DBX doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the X5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The DBX doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The X5 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the DBX.

The X5’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The DBX’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The X5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The DBX doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW X5, based on reliability, safety and performance.