The Cadillac Escalade is a fine purchase. It offers seven seats, a powerful V8 engine, and a very welcome combination of luxury and tech, all standard on every grade. However, the Caddy sports a starting price of $91,100. At that level, a brand-new Escalade buyer could potentially be swayed by something even more special, should they dare dip a toe into the used car market. For the same or less, the same buyer could be driving home in a heavily depreciated, five-year-old Aston Martin. Aston Martin's Super-SUV Is Cheaper Than An Entry-Level Escalade Aston Martin Aston Martin is a British automaker that's been in business for over a century. It's the brand responsible for iconic models such as the classic DB5, the thunderous Vantage, and a selection of super-exclusive hypercars, including the One-77, Valkyrie, and Vulcan. Five years ago, though, the automaker decided to enter the world of ultra-luxury SUVs, in an attempt to chase some much-needed profit.It nailed the brief, delivering a V8-powered DBX to the world. As with all Aston Martin models, the DBX was sublime to look at, and the cabin was immaculate. The high-end machine carried an asking price to match: $176,900. That's much more than a brand-new Escalade-V would set buyers back, and that's before we factor in inflation or consider the hotter S and 707 models.Today, though, it's a different story. Luxury cars tend to depreciate quite quickly, and the DBX is certainly no exception. Price Trend data from the CarBuzz Marketplace shows that an early DBX can now be had for an average price of $86,610 at the time of writing. That's just the average, too, with cheaper examples closer to $70,000, although an ex-rental or high-mileage DBX is probably best avoided for myriad reasons. To put that price into context, a zero-option 'base' Escalade in 2026 will set buyers back $91,100, and that's before any dealer or destination fees too.Of course, the DBX is not a mainstream product, even less so than a near-six-figure Escalade, for that matter. The situation can make finding a DBX in the right area, with the right spec, for the right price, quite a tall order. Still, hunting one should be easier than finding any other Aston Martin model, given that the 2021 DBX accounted for almost half of the automaker's sales that year alone, with around 3,000 finding homes globally. The Five-Year-Old Aston Outperforms The Cadillac Aston MartinThe DBX is a four-door SUV and therefore somewhat estranged from typical Aston Martin DNA. However, it still sports the grunt any enthusiast would typically associate with the brand. That's good, because to tempt anyone away from a 2026 Escalade, with its 420-horsepower and 460 lb-ft 6.2-liter V8, a DBX needs to be quick.The Aston also sports a V8. It's smaller in capacity at 4.0 liters, but with two turbochargers, it produces more grunt than the big Cadillac, by 122 horsepower and 56 lb-ft. The performance specs are in the table above, but essentially this is one of the fastest SUVs that money can buy. Only a handful of SUVs can outpace the handsome DBX.CarBuzz hasn't published a review of the base DBX, but our in-house test pilots have been at the wheel of both the later 707 and S models. They had kind words to say about the model's on-road behavior.The DBX lives for corners; the all-wheel-drive system lets you kick out the rear without fear of spinning out, and the German-sourced engine pulls it into the straights with great tenacity.- Jared Rosenholtz, CarBuzz.It's worth remembering that both these later editions do sport notably more power than the early DBX, kicking out between 696 and 717 horsepower, but the sentiment of that quote still stands. The DBX is a blast to drive. The DBX's Interior Won't Leave You Wanting Aston Martin This is where the Aston Martin really shines. Sure, it's unlikely anyone will have much to grumble about when seated in the cabin of a new Escalade, but the DBX is simply on another level. Every surface imaginable is trimmed in high-quality leather, and the scope of customization available to buyers means many used examples now offer fabulous color combinations. Two-tone interiors, quilted seats, contrast stitching, and more are features found in most examples. It's these details that set the DBX apart from the crowd.Of course, a new Escalade would be brimming with the latest tech, and the DBX may lag behind in this area. Even when it was new, it used an outdated Mercedes-Benz-based software system, but there's still a pleasing array of goodies that came as standard for used shoppers to enjoy today. 2021 Aston Martin DBX Stand-Out Features Aston Martin Adaptive air suspension 12.3-inch digital driver's display Immaculately trimmed leather interior Customizable ambient lighting Tri-zone climate control The level of quality in a modern Aston Martin cabin is tough to convey through words and pictures alone. It's the sort of quality that only truly reveals itself in person. The smell of the leather, the thick pile of the carpets, and the sculpted curves of the interior as a whole are well worth sampling first-hand, before wandering into a Cadillac dealer. Running A DBX Isn't Cheap, But It Isn't Ruinous Either Aston Martin Of course, this entire time you'll have been thinking, "Is he really comparing a five-year-old Aston Martin to a brand-new Escalade?" Yes, admittedly, it's an odd match-up in ways, because the Escalade is more of a known entity, comes with a factory warranty, and is probably much less intimidating to own and run. On the other hand, CarEdge tells us the Escalade will lose 58% of its value from depreciation alone in the first five years. In contrast, the DBX has already done that journey, so maybe the comparison is still worth looking at after all?The good news for anyone considering a dip into the DBX pool is that common issues are actually uncommon here. Yes, it's not perfect — owners complain about suspension faults and electrical gremlins — but the majority of these have actually been addressed with recalls. Really, if prospective buyers are especially picky about buying an example with a full dealer or specialist service history and pay close attention to the condition of any perishables, there is no glaringly obvious reason why a DBX should be a financial nightmare to own.Yes, annual maintenance bills will be north of four figures, as will tires, brakes, and fuel and insurance costs, but that's part and parcel of owning a twin-turbocharged V8 Aston Martin. It's not as if the Escalade is a three-cylinder compact either, and the Aston stands a good chance of holding onto most of its value at this point, so in some ways, it's almost the sensible choice. Almost. A Used DBX Could Be A Gamble Worth Taking Aston MartinIn the real world, shelling out north of $80,000 for a five-year-old Aston Martin SUV is a risk, of course it is. But so is spending the same amount on a brand-new SUV, be it an Escalade or something else. For many, owning an Aston Martin is something to aspire to, and the DBX offers an opportunity for those with families or those who just need extra space to realize that dream without making a significant sacrifice in practicality.For someone who just wants a luxury SUV, the chances are a new Escalade or similar is the better bet, but for someone who wants something a little different, a bit more exclusive, and an SUV that simply feels extra special, a DBX might just be worth rolling the dice on.