Aston Martin Vantage
New from £165,055
Is the Aston Martin Vantage Coupe a good car?
Read our expert review
Words by: Erin Baker
"“Engineered for real drivers” is the Alpha-male tagline for the new Vantage, but, if one ignores the shot of testosterone, there is much to celebrate in this old-school British sports car that takes performance and luxury to new levels in the latest version."
Read the review by category
Running costs for a Aston Martin Vantage
3/5
There’s a twin-turbo V8 petrol engine under the bonnet that drinks fuel and makes this a very powerful car, so your wallet won’t appreciate the petrol stops or the annual insurance premium. It’s also a hike in price over the previous model, at £165,000. Add on carbon-ceramic brakes, some carbon-fibre stuff, and the obligatory upgrade to the amazing Bowers &WIlkins audio system, and you’ll be touching the cost of a Ferrari Roma. But what price majesty? There’s still more than a whiff of Bond and all the understated British luxury that implies having this badge on your car.
Reliability of a Aston Martin Vantage
4/5
Normally low-volume, high-performance cars don’t score very well for reliability, but the Vantage has long shared much of its underpinnings with Mercedes-AMG, so it’s tried and tested many times over. Owners of the previous Vantage report few problems overall. You get a three-year unlimited-mileage warranty.
Safety for a Aston Martin Vantage
4/5
Unsurprisingly, most of Aston’s safety features are engineering ones to stop the car getting away from you, rather than lots of software-focused collision warning systems and lane-departure mitigations ones. So you get a sophisticated electronic stability programme with more predictive interruptions to control the car through corners, improve stopping distances and control the wheel slip to give you the most traction when exiting a corner. Alongside these, you also get lane assist and park-distance control, and adaptive cruise control, which controls the braking as well as acceleration. But really, don’t be lulled by the fact that this is Aston’s entry-level car in terms of price: this is a car for experienced drivers who know how to maintain control - two experienced journalists overcooked it at the launch on the track and ended up in the gravel.
How comfortable is the Aston Martin Vantage
4/5
The Vantage feels like, and is, a very wide car. While that’s not great for drivers (see Performance below), it is great for passenger comfort, and gives the sense that this is more of a grand tourer than a sports car, designed for long-distance driving. There’s a decent amount of boot space to enhance that character, too. The ride is firm, but little of it is transmitted inside the car, leaving a calm, relatively quiet space in which to relax (unless you feel like planting the throttle and pressing the button with the two exhausts on it for extra noise). Thumbs up to Aston for calming down its previously riotous interior design, using fewer materials and cleaner lines and a more peaceful vibe, although the dashboard is still cluttered with buttons to push and twirl. The leather is from Bridge of Weir, which has an excellent sustainability record. There are a couple of small cupholders and a central armrest and small storage area, plus door pockets, and that’s about it; the car could do with some more imaginative storage areas.
Features of the Aston Martin Vantage
4/5
Thank goodness for the new infotainment system to replace the old one, which was next to useless. But it’s a shame it sits quite low in the car, forcing your eyes down to follow Apple CarPlay’s navigation system; only the car’s own satnav displays behind the steering wheel. You should pay more for the Bowers & Wilkins 15-speaker audio system: it really is that good. Apart from that, this is a sports car not an SUV, so it’s light on whizz-bang features, and probably all the better for that simplicity.
Power for a Aston Martin Vantage
4/5
The performance is astonishing - 656 horsepower and 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds - but the car feels very wide and difficult to place with confidence on the road, which means the chances of you exploiting that power with ease anywhere other than a track are minimal. This is not a car that’s light on its feet. On the other hand, the chassis has been re-engineered for a great crispness, the steering is magnificent and the way the car delivers the power is astonishing: it provides a real old-school, visceral thrill, with the noise to match. It probably says it all that the standard driving mode for the new Vantage is “Sport”, followed by “Sport +” and then the everything-off option. Aston’s rather grating tagline for the car is “real drivers”, which feels a bit like testosterone overload, but there is something madly rewarding about driving it.
Lease deals
These deals are based on terms of 8,000 miles, for a 36 month lease with a 6 months initial payment.
Standard equipment
Expect the following equipment on your Aston Martin Vantage Coupe. This may vary between trim levels.
Other vehicles in the Vantage family
Related articles and reviews
Aston Martin Vantage Coupe (2024 - ) review
The latest Aston Martin Vantage combines supercar performance with outright luxury to create something quite special
Video Review | 2024 Aston Martin Vantage | Does it drive as good as it looks?
We've driven the brand new Aston Martin Vantage, which is improved in every way... including MUCH more power
VIDEO | New Aston Martin Vantage Coming Soon: Specs, price and release info
Aston Martin’s baby has grown up. It’s wider, more driver-focused and gets a massive power hike
Aston Martin Vantage coupe (2017 - ) review
The latest version of the Vantage is Aston Martin’s cheapest car, but with rivals like the Porsche 911, Audi R8 and Jaguar F-Type SVR, it’s anything but entry-level.
Your questions answered
Monthly rentals ('payments') are not an offer of credit. Payments are based on offers available today which may be withdrawn or varied at any time in the future without notice.
Contract Hire ('Leasing') is subject to status and approval and is only available to UK residents aged 18 and over. Vehicle must be returned with no more than fair wear and tear to avoid further charges. You will not own the vehicle. Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply.
Auto Trader Limited (Firm Reference Number: 735711) is a credit broker and not a lender. Auto Trader Limited introduces you to Autorama UK Ltd (Trading as Autotrader leasing), which acts as a credit broker in its own right. Autorama UK Ltd, Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7DE (Firm Reference Number: 630748) may go on to introduce you to one of a limited number of funders. Autorama UK Ltd will typically receive a commission or other benefits from the funder as a result of this introduction.
Autorama UK Ltd is an Auto Trader Group Plc company.
Vehicles are subject to availability and may vary from images shown.