Jump LinksInfotainment: Embracing TechnologyPerformance ImpressionsRide and HandlingFuel Economy InfoA few years ago, CarBuzz had a unique opportunity to drive two versions of the Aston Martin Vantage back-to-back, and the experience revealed an interesting truth about the car and the brand that built it: incremental improvement. We tested the Vantage Roadster, which used an earlier engine tune and minorly tweaked suspension setup from when this generation's coupe first debuted, to be a decent cruiser but lacking polish. We also drove the Vantage F1 Edition, a more hardcore version with a bit more power and improved suspension calibration; it felt like a completely different car, and by different we mean superior. The Roadster was nice to drive, the F1 Coupe was stupendous, but both required owners to make excuses for their frankly outdated interiors.A lot has happened since the last time we drove those two versions of Aston's "baby" sports car. The second-generation Vantage got a major facelift for the 2025 model year with a new Roadster variant debuting shortly after. Aston then showed off the 2026 Vantage S, an enhanced version with more power and suspension improvements. After getting a quick drive in the coupe version earlier this year, CarBuzz spent a week in the new 2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster to find out if the latest version can live up to the lofty expectations of the F1 Edition. Aston Martin may be performing poorly in Formula 1 as of this writing, but its road cars have never been better.2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster hero Exterior Looks: The S Is For Special The second-generation Vantage wasn't an ugly car before its facelift, but this latest update has taken a striking shape and fixed one of the only controversial elements. Chief designer Marek Reichman said the rare One-77 was used as inspiration for the front end, which now has a grille that's 38% larger and bigger headlights that no longer resemble an ND Miata. While the rear end wasn't the focus of the facelift, the Vantage Roadster always looked quite good back there, with its unique light bar hump that gives it a ducktail-like appearance. Aston hasn't offered a Vantage S since 2018, and if you remember that car, it was subtly separated from the base car with unique styling elements. So too is this new model.2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster rear 3/4 roof upSpotting a Vantage S over a base car requires a keen eye, as most of the trim-specific changes are pretty minute. The S gets hood blades finished in gloss black or optional carbon fiber to vent hot air from the engine, as well as S badging on each fender, filled with a pretty red enamel and surrounded with bright or dark chrome. Specific 21-inch wheels with a red graphic are unique to the Vantage S, as is a subtle spoiler at the back that adds 97 pounds of downforce at top speed. As you might expect of an Aston Martin, the Vantage S Roadster boasts a wide color palette with 74 hues, and additional colors for elements like the lower bodykit pinstripe. Interior & On-Board Technology: A Better Vantage Point If you want to make the outgoing Vantage feel outdated, spend some time in the new model. Aston completely overhauled this cabin with a different dashboard layout, steering wheel, center console, switchgear, seats, and technology suite. To say this is an improvement would be an understatement, as the old car's button-heavy approach felt functional but more of an afterthought. This new-look interior first appeared on the DB12, and although the Vantage isn't quite as luxurious or customizable inside, it's not far off and retains a near-identical cabin layout from the cupholders, forward. We love that Aston still left plenty of physical controls with metallic knobs that feel satisfying to interact with, but they feel more carefully laid out and thoughtfully designed.2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster interiorThe Vantage may be Aston's smallest sports car, but it's packed with standard features you'd expect to cost extra from an exotic automaker. Aston throws in safety technology such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, and a 360-degree camera. Other standard goodies include 12-way heated seats with three-position memory, a wireless phone charger, power-folding mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, and auto-dimming rearview mirror, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Our tester had a few upgrades, including upgraded Phantom Grey leather ($3,500), red seatbelts ($1,000), contrast black stitching ($2,900), and ventilated front seats ($1,900).There are seven total interior colors, including Onyx Black, Phantom Grey, Bison, Brown, Spicy Red, Dark Night (blue), Bitter Chocolate, and Oxford Tan. Aston offers far more interior customization on its GT models (the DB12 and Vanquish), including leather colors, woods, and multi-tone options. Vantage customers can pick their few leather/suede colors, stitching, carbon fiber tint, jewelry finish, and center console finish. Our car's Sport Plus seats are standard, but you can upgrade to a satin carbon fiber Performance seat that looks excellent at the expense of comfort. The Vantage S gets a few bespoke touches, including Alcántara seats, carbon fiber inlays, S logos on the seats, and Aston Martin wings on the headrests. Infotainment: Embracing Technology For its entire modern life, the Vantage used dated technology that was borrowed from older vehicles. In the case of the pre-facelift car, it was a COMAND system from Mercedes-Benz, and before that, the first-generation Vantage used an ancient Volvo unit with a pop-up screen. For the first time in this model's nameplate, it's now ahead of the technology curve as one of the only new cars on sale to feature Apple CarPlay Ultra, a screen mirroring software that can also take over the gauge cluster. We previously sampled CarPlay Ultra in the Vanquish, where it was mostly a positive addition, but it suffered from a few connection issues. The system seemed to connect faster and have fewer hiccups in the Vantage, only disconnecting from the car once during our week of testing.2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster19CarPlay Ultra is notable because it lets users control all elements of the car within one system, including the radio, climate controls, and even drive modes. This is great for vehicles that have done away with physical controls, but less important in cars like the Vantage, where adjusting the temperature can be done quickly with a metal knob. We'd also like to see more customization, as Apple's colorful menus don't always match the tone of an Aston Martin, especially in the gauge cluster. There is one green cluster theme that looks nice, but the rest are too stylized, and are ill-suited to the Vantage's character. As for the optional $10,000 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system, it's highly suited to a convertible sports car, and easily worth the upgrade cost. Performance: The Baby Grows Up Understanding the Vantage S requires a subtle deep dive into the Aston Martin press release, and perhaps a bit beyond. The 4.0-liter AMG-sourced twin-turbocharged V8 now produces 670 horsepower, up from the base car's 656 hp. Torque remains unchanged at 590 lb-ft, as does the 202 mph top speed. Aston also focused on handling and tuning changes, making improvements to the suspension, launch control system, and chassis to improve the driving experience. Without driving the two cars back-to-back, these subtle changes might be hard to notice, but the Vantage S is the culmination of small lessons learned over a long period.Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet Performance Impressions 2026_Aston_Martin_Vantage_S_Roadster_Engine1Aston Martin said improvements to the Vantage's launch control system allow the S to hit 60 mph quicker than the standard car. Not only is that true, but in our independent testing, the Vantage S Roadster flew to 60 in just 3.27 seconds, the quickest time we've ever recorded in a front-engine vehicle with rear-wheel-drive. That time matches the DBX 707 down to the tenth, and it bests the V12-powered Vanquish (3.36 seconds), which costs twice as much. Despite having 826 hp, the Vanquish simply can't put down its power effectively to 60 mph; beyond that speed, the Vanquish would be faster. Even still, the Vantage S gets the same amount of power found in the larger DB12, and it can be deployed with greater punch. Ride and Handling The Vantage S is imbued with improvements that run far deeper than a slight power bump. Starting with the tuning, Aston's engineers recalibrated the weight of the throttle pedal and retuned its response and resistance for each drive mode to make it feel more immediate and connected. The suspension sees numerous changes, both hardware and software calibration. On the hardware side, the S gets a solid rear subframe mount that replaces the base car's rubber bushings. This subframe not only holds together the rear suspension, but also carries the transmission, making it a structurally integral part of the powertrain. In the Vantage S, the transmission mounts are 10% stiffer, leading to less movement in the chassis and better control during gear changes.Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet Underneath the car, the suspension team retuned the Bilsteain DTX adaptive dampers to deliver more front end feel and increase rear end stiffness. The latter is aided by the aforementioned solid rear subframe mounts, plus a stiffer rear sway bar and a minor increase in negative camber, toe, and caster. Those are a lot of fancy engineering words to say the Vantage S is sharper, easier to control, and better balanced. What was already the driver's car of Aston's lineup has now reached its pinnacle form.One knob (made of anodized metal) in the center of the car controls the Vantage's drive modes, which include Sport, Sport+, Track, and Individual. Drivers can quickly change specific elements of the driving experience, such as the exhaust sound and suspension stiffness, using dedicated buttons on the console. Sport mode leaves the car comfortable enough for daily driving, but the Vantage doesn't float like the larger DB12. You sacrifice some softness, but it still feels like a civilized experience. The traction control button activates a secondary function of the drive mode knob, letting drivers scroll through an eight-level traction control system where higher numbers allow more wheel slip. On public roads, we found traction control 5 to be perfectly enjoyable without making us worry about having to send an apologetic email to Aston Martin PR.Where the Vantage sets itself apart is when you crank the knob to Track. This puts the suspension into its firmest setting, the steering into a heavier weight, and the engine at maximum responsiveness. Even compared to the Vanquish, the Vantage's smaller size and lower weight make it more agile and easier to control. Not including the company's mid-engine cars, the Vantage S is the sharpest driving experience with Aston Martin wings, and you don't even have to pay the top ticket price for this enjoyment. Fuel Economy Info Assuming you can afford any Aston Martin, fuel cost is likely not a high priority, but you may be happy to hear the Vantage S Roadster does not get hit with a gas guzzler tax. It's rated at 15/22/18 MPG (city/highway/combined) by the EPA, which is one MPG better (combined) than the larger DB12 and two better than the Vanquish with its V12 that incurs a $1,300 gas guzzler fee. Verdict & Pricing: A Value Aston? Calling any Aston Martin "good value" might sound frankly insulting in today's economy, but hey, value is a relative term and the 2026 Vantage S can out-accelerate its V12 sibling that costs over half a million dollars. While we would never suggest the $211,000 retail price for the Vantage S Roadster is a bargain, it's at least reasonable when taken in the context of Aston Martin's current lineup. The standard Vantage Roadster costs $205,900, so it's only a $5,100 privilege to upgrade to the S. You should definitely get the S. Our tester included a few options plus $7,900 import costs (tariffs) and $3,500 transportation and handling fees, bringing the total price to $249,500. A Vantage S Coupe wins the proverbial game of limbo with its $199,500 sticker price, and if you want more trunk space plus the sharpest possible driving experience, it's the one to buy.2026 Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster badgeContext is key when shopping for a Vantage S Roadster, both in terms of how it compares to other Astons and other cars in this price range. A DB12 Volante starts at $282,000 for a softer and more elegant Aston Martin experience, and you will likely end up spending over $300,000 with options. If you absolutely need the bragging rights of a V12 engine, even though you won't be any quicker off the line, it will cost you $468,000 for a Vandquish Volante, which will balloon to well over $500,000 after options. There are no shortage of Porsche cars, Corvettes, and other supercars available in this price range, but few garner the same level of genuine compliments (without the undertones of disgust) as an Aston Martin.We personally think there is no wrong way to buy a Vantage S, but the Coupe might be a slightly better option if you want the purest expression of an Aston Martin sports car. For a drop top cruiser, the DB12 Volante is a more relaxing experience, but the Vantage S Roadster isn't much less comfortable at a far lower price. Aston Martin has taken the "baby" car in its range, and proven it can be just as fun (if not more) than its halo flagship. The UK automaker has left room for a more track-focused version if it chooses to build one, but for the street, the Vantage S is stupendous.