Aston Martin DBS (08 on) - Review

DB9 customers buying new have the choice of specifying rear seats or a storage area in the back of their cars but the DBS is a strict two-seater. Accept that and you will find the DBS an almost perfect companion with comfortable, supportive sports seats fitted as standard. You can opt for some even more figure hugging buckets that save 20kg in weight but their fixed backrests reduce long term comfort. The standard ones are so good we’d stick with them. Head and legroom is good and noise levels very low. In fact we'd welcome a bit more engine noise from this supposedly hardcore Aston.

The DBS may be designed to shrink whole continents but you'll have to do a lot of washing on your trip because the tiny 186-litre boot doesn't allow much room for luggage. There is at least a space behind the front seats to use but its awkward shape and difficult access makes it squashy bag territory. Shallow pockets are fitted to both doors and a useful storage cubby lives under the centre armrest that also houses two cupholders. Thankfully both front and rear parking sensors are fitted as standard because the low-set driving position can make judging the extremities difficult.

Although the basic cabin architecture is the same as the DB9, the dashboard can now be ordered with a sleek piano black finish and the console buttons are revised. But the big difference is that the traditional ignition key has been replaced by a clear cartridge you slot into the centre of the dash. Equally strange is the gear lever which looks like an upside down golf club - you expect it to feel awful but it's actually very comfortable. As ever, the quality of materials used in the interior is superb but the swept back pillars and long bonnet make it hard to see out of.