In Search of the Fastest SUV: Lamborghini Urus vs. Aston Martin DBX

• In a half-million-dollar drag race, everyone wins
• From dignified and subtle to brash and exciting, each SUV does its brand proud
• There are no James Bond references in this article. The video on the other hand ...

It doesn't get much more expensive than this. The 2021 Aston Martin DBX and the 2021 Lamborghini Urus are part of a small but significant segment of hyperbole-inducing super SUVs. They deliver the power, exclusivity and opulence you should rightly expect with a combined price tag of over half a million dollars.

Which one's quicker? Which one is more luxurious? Which one inspires more jealousy from your friends? And which one provides the better value? That's what we're here to find out.

As each of these SUVs has a base price that nearly matches that of the median home in the U.S., which one is worth the money? As the old saying goes, you can sleep in a car, but you can't race a house.

Speaking of Racing, Which One Is Quicker 0-60?

Which is the fastest SUV? Considering the Urus' 641 horsepower versus the Aston Martin's 542 hp, did you honestly think the Lambo would lose? Actually, maybe don't answer that. We have to justify this test somehow.

Not only is the Urus more powerful than the DBX, its launch control works better too. It's an exciting experience from the driver's seat. You can feel it leap off the line, with the front tires pulling you forward and the engine's soundtrack playing at full volume. The DBX, on the other hand, is more relaxed with its acceleration. Dignified, perhaps, but slower.

What would you expect from a Lamborghini Urus 0-60 mph run? How about 3.3 seconds (3.0 seconds with a 1-foot rollout). As for the quarter-mile, it's gone in 11.4 seconds at 118.6 mph. The Aston Martin DBX 0-60 mph run takes 4.4 seconds (4.1 seconds with rollout), and this SUV dispatches the quarter-mile in a gentlemanly 12.5 seconds with a trap speed of 112.0 mph.

No, the DBX isn't the fastest SUV here, but it isn't slow either. The Aston Martin actually posts similar braking performance to the Lambo, stopping from 60 mph at 107 feet compared to the Lambo's 108 feet. On the skidpad, the Urus outgrips the DBX with 1.03 g of steady-state cornering versus the DBX's (still impressive) 0.94 lateral g average.

On Borrowed Engines

Though their respective performance and styling are quite different, these two SUVs have key similarities. Both the Lambo SUV and the Aston Martin SUV feature all-wheel drive, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8s, and a host of parts borrowed from other, larger automakers. The DBX's engine, nine-speed automatic transmission and center touchscreen come from Mercedes-Benz. As for the Lamborghini Urus, most of the parts under its stylized bodywork are shared with the Audi Q8, Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne.

Is this a bad thing? It depends. On one hand, this sharing ensures that these brands can focus on their respective expertise, like an interior that feels custom-tailored to the Aston Martin and a high-performance driving experience from Lamborghini. On the other hand, the DBX's Mercedes-sourced electronics come from the previous generation and lack the fluidity of control, graphic quality and features you'd expect from a modern luxury vehicle. While the Urus' infotainment and technology features all work excellently by comparison, the blatant Audi fonts and buttons can make the experience feel less special if you recognize them.

In the Parade Lap of Luxury

Both of these SUVs are a bit larger than a traditional midsize SUV such as a BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE. And the Urus is a touch longer and wider than the DBX, though it's shorter in height. Neither offers a third row.

The experience of entering either of these SUVs is unique to its respective brand. The Aston Martin DBX greets you with what appears to be approximately an acre of leather, and with a scent to match. Even the carpet feels plush enough that you want to take your shoes off out of respect. The overall appearance is certainly one of high-quality but understatement as well. The metal door handles, for example, have a simple elegance that you only catch and admire when you really look at them.

The Lamborghini Urus packs the subtlety of the Fourth of July. Surely, there are people turned off by the Type A outward design, but you have to admire the unbridled audacity of the thing. Its interior has similarly pleasing leather as the DBX and comparable attention to detail, but also a heightened sense of technology — just see the three digital displays. There's also character everywhere. Most of the names of its various drive modes are Italian, and the only way to shift to drive is by pulling the upshift steering column-mounted paddle.

Edmunds Says

It's a cop-out, but you can't go wrong with either. The Aston Martin DBX is the charmer of the two, offering the look, feel and downsides that come with a bespoke small-volume package. It's the one you want to love despite its flaws. The Lamborghini Urus, with influence from Audi that's a bit too obvious, provides the performance and driving experience you'd expect from the brand. It makes you wonder how the brand DNA would work in other types of vehicles. A Lambo truck? Just think about the possibilities.