Aston Martin DB11 Review (2016-2023)
Aston Martin DB11 cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
Combines precise handling and long-distance comfort
The V8 is almost as fast as the V12
Very well equipped as standard
Cons
Sky-high running costs
The Bentley Continental GT is more luxurious
Early examples are not as good to drive as later cars
The CarGurus verdict
While the Bentley Continental GT remains a marginally more luxurious and refined companion over long distances, the DB11 counters with a sharper edge – you’d choose the Bentley for the long drive to the mountains, but the Aston Martin for the moment you arrive. The DB11’s very small rear seats are more useful as additional storage space than for a third and fourth occupant, which is one more area where the Bentley and other rivals have the edge.
But the Continental GT cannot better the DB11’s soundtrack, its looks, or its performance. Aston Martin’s brave new era got off to an uncertain start, but the improvements the company made to its grand tourer during its first two years on sale put both the DB11 and its second century plan firmly back on track. The DB11 will be remembered as one of Aston Martin’s finest models, and as a great all-round GT car.
What is the Aston Martin DB11
The DB11 was supposed to signal the start of a brave new era for Aston Martin. The first model launched under the company’s ‘second century plan’, sat on a new platform and used an all-new 600bhp engine which, in a sizeable departure for the British marque, was fitted with a pair of turbochargers. It even introduced a design direction that would underpin the marque’s forthcoming generation of cars.
While Aston Martin hoped for rave reviews for its new sports car from the off, the DB11 initially suffered from several problematic shortcomings that couldn’t be easily overlooked. Certain parts of the cabin were not as luxurious as they should have been for a car of the Aston’s price and status, on certain road surfaces, the ride quality was too brittle for a car that claimed to be a consummate grand tourer and, thanks to those turbos, much of the brilliant V12 soundtrack of old had been lost.
Everybody had their own point of view on the DB11’s styling – certainly there wasn’t the overwhelmingly generous consensus that had met the DB9 13 years earlier, but there was potential. Over the years that followed, Aston Martin began realise that potential as it made minor but significant changes behind the scenes until, in 2018, it launched the DB11 AMR. Here was a more powerful (+30bhp) version with a better ride, a tuneful soundtrack, and a more convincing cockpit. The AMR is now the only V12 DB11 offered by Aston Martin.
How practical is it?
Space and practicality are rarely priorities for supercar buyers, but the front of the DB11’s cabin, at least, is pretty roomy, and there’s no shortage of head and legroom. The miniscule back seats will accommodate people on the smaller side, but little more, and they’re best considered an area for some extra luggage capacity. The boot will swallow a couple of bags but not a great deal more.
If you’re after a top-end GT car with space for regular long-distance trips, more practical alternatives such as the Mercedes S-Class Coupe or the Bentley Continental GT would do a better job in this respect.
What's it like to drive
Several years after it was launched, the DB11 is now a supremely capable and likeable GT. Dynamically, it’s very well judged, with crisp steering and a fine balance between body control and ride comfort, plus a magnificent engine in that 630bhp 5.2-litre V12 (there is also a V8 variant that’s more affordable and scarcely any slower).
Whether you prefer your DB11 with eight cylinders or 12, it’ll be crushingly fast in a straight line. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 – sourced directly from Mercedes-AMG and shared with the smaller Vantage and the DBX SUV – develops 503bhp, meaning even the entry-level DB11 will reach 62mph in just 3.9 seconds.
With another 127bhp, the twin-turbo V12 AMR is faster still, and capable of hitting the same speed in 3.7 seconds and powering on to 208mph, where the V8 tops out at 187mph. All models use the same eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
Even the most basic DB11 comes well specified as standard. Thrown into the asking price, you’ll get heated seats, a 360-degree parking camera, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, electric front seats, keyless go, smartphone integration and a 400-watt stereo.
Buyers can upgrade their cars with all manner of leather finishes, paint colours, custom stitching and so on, as well as additional kit such as heated and ventilated seats, a Bang and Olufsen audio system, auto parking and powered seat bolsters.
A previous-generation Mercedes infotainment system is all that really undermines the cabin ambience, because it’s dated and a little clunky, but at it least works reliably.
Aston Martin DB11 running costs
Don’t expect to be able to run any DB11 on anything but a very generous budget. They sit in the highest insurance and road tax brackets and will slurp through fuel with an insatiable appetite. V12 cars might never crack 20mpg, while an figure of 22mpg in mixed driving is realistic for a V8. Expect that fuel economy number to tumble with vigorous use.
A five-year Aston Martin service plan will cover scheduled maintenance costs over that term, but after that you’ll be spending a low four-figure sum each year just to give your DB11 the bare minimum of maintenance, and tyres will cost a fortune.
On a car like this, it is doubly important not to scrimp on maintenance costs. A high-performance Aston Martin will only ever feel at its best when lavished with the care and attention it deserves – cutting corners in the short term could ultimately lead to much bigger bills later. That does, of course, apply to each of the DB11’s rivals, too.
Aston Martin DB11 reliability
Aston Martins don’t have a reputation for being the most dependable cars on the road. They rarely feature in owner satisfaction surveys, but scare stories are more common than Aston or any of its customers would like. Certain common faults are beginning to emerge, and some owners have reported starting issues, while others have had problems with the sat-nav and air-con.
However, the DB11 was the first of the new era of Aston Martins and it should prove to be more reliable than the company’s earlier cars. Many of the electronics and the infotainment system, as well as the V8 engine, are lifted directly from the Mercedes-Benz parts bin, which bodes well for durability. What’s more, the eight-speed automatic gearbox that serves in all models is a ZF item that’s used by manufacturers far and wide, and it’s known to be a tough and dependable transmission.
All Aston Martins are covered by an industry standard three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, which owners can extend at additional cost for up to two more years. The company offers several different grades of extended warranty: Plus, Premium and Classic.
- Aston Martin unveiled the droptop DB11 Volante in 2018, making it available only with the less potent V8 engine, because the heavier convertible body shell combined with the far bigger V12 motor would have made for an unthinkably overweight car. Additional body bracing means the Volante is 110kg heftier than the V8 coupe, which shows in its 0-62mph dash, as the droptop model takes another 0.2 seconds to reach that benchmark. But a fractional loss in straight line performance is one thing; it’s the Volante’s more flexible body and compromised handling precision that really keen drivers should be mindful of.
- The DB11 was the first new Aston Martin after the firm signed a technical partnership with Daimler, Mercedes-Benz’s parent company. This allowed its engineers to delve into a box of goodies the likes of which they’d never had access to before. All of a sudden, Aston Martin could fit its cars with torque vectoring by braking, electric power steering – great for fuel efficiency, less so for steering feel – and sophisticated multilink rear suspension.
- One of the best bits about Aston Martins is their exhaust note – particularly the V12s. Engage Sport mode on the flagship AMR model and the soundtrack sharpens up, to the point where you have the finest sounding DB11 of the lot.
- On a budget: the earliest DB11s are now changing hands for around £85,000. The V8s are yet to fall to that price (they arrived two years after the car’s launch), which means for this sort of money you’ll be looking at a 600bhp V12 with 30,000 miles behind it.
- Give me eight cylinders: the V8 DB11 is more than 100kg lighter than the V12, which means it feels more responsive in bends. Used cars start at just over £100,000, while a brand new one will cost from £147,900. It isn’t short on power, but the V12 is the perfect companion to a luxurious GT.
- The best of the bunch: the DB11 AMR with its exceptionally powerful V12 engine remains the most desirable of the lot. You can pick up a 2018 example for around £120,000, but a new car will cost from £174,995. Once you’ve sampled that sublime 12-cylinder engine, you may never be able to switch back to a V8.
- Wind in the hair: the Aston Martin DB11 Volante is not the enthusiast’s choice, but it does have an appeal of its own. An eight-layer fabric hood means you could happily use a droptop DB11 throughout the winter. Expect to pay £115,000 for an early used car or £159,900 for a new one.
