The Aston Martin DB9 hosts a V-12 engine churning out 470 horsepower married to an auto or manual six-speed gearbox. If you want smooth handling and triple digit speeds on the road, the DB9 is for you. The interior of the DB9 is ultra-luxurious; it has an impressive button tranny selector and is well appointed. However, ergonomic issues may leave you wondering what the carmaker was thinking when designing the car's interior.
The DB9 comes in a convertible variant if you want an open-air ride, and if you crave a soft-top you can opt for the Alantara-lined roof with easy lowering/raising functions. If you go for the soft-top roof, the car is still capable of satisfying noise dampening as you drive. Basically, the DB9 fuses sport and luxury.
The DB9 is clearly the Goldilocks Aston Martin vehicle. The car lacks the sportier look achieved in the DBS model, nevertheless, the DB9 is lavish, attractive, and more powerful than the Vantage V8. If you want an impeccable grand touring vehicle, go for the DB9, you get great specs and features.
The Range
Bodystyles: Coupe, convertible
Engine: 6.0L V-12
Transmissions: 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic
Models: DB9 Coupe, DB9 Volante
What's New
In 2009, the convertible DB9 Volante was added to the lineup, and previously the DB9's V-12 was bumped from 450 to 470 horsepower. Changes for 2010 are nil.
Exterior
Somewhat restrained, but oh, so elegant, the DB9 has just enough flash to stand out among the ultra luxury coupe competition, but not so much that the camera phone crowd will make you feel like a celebrity.
Interior
As with most Astons, it's wood and aluminum all the way in the DB9's cabin. The DB9 is technically a 2+2 with small back seats, but in all honestly, they're utterly worthless for carrying people.
Performance & Handling
Out on the road, the DB9 could be made just a touch softer. Initial impact harshness is a bit strong for the nature of the car, possibly made worse by spring and damper rates that were made firmer several years back. Still, that's not enough to stave off enthusiasm for the driving experience with effortless power and an exotic exhaust growl. The Volante is well-stiffened with virtually no cowl shake and a solid feel overall.
Safety
The DB9 includes dual-stage driver as standard, along with side airbags. Stability and traction control are both standard and automatically deployed roll-over bars are standard on Volante models.
EPA Fuel Economy
Coupe: 13 mpg city/20 mpg highway
Volante: 11 mpg city/17 mpg highway (manual)
You'll Like
- Low-key yet exotic styling
- Effortless power
- Luxurious cabin
- Lack of cowl shake in Volante
You Won't Like
- Questionable reliability
- Worthless rear seats
- Ergonomic faults
Sum Up
The ultimate cross-country transport
If You Like This Vehicle
- Bentley Continental Supersports
- Ferrari 599 GTB
- Mercedes SL63 AMG
- Porsche 911 Turbo