Aston Martin V8 Vantage coupe (2005-2017) - Interior & comfort

Aston Martin V8 Vantage dashboard

When the Aston Martin V8 Vantage first hit the market in 2006, its interior was one of the very best around. Fast forward to 2015 and the rival Jaguar F-Type trumps the Aston’s interior with classier switchgear and better attention to detail, making the Vantage interior look more dated than it ever has in the past.

Aston emphasises the fact that every Vantage is hand-built and it’s a tribute to the team at the factory that everything works as it should and feels solid. The problem is that there have been big steps forward in cabin quality and design recently, making what remains of Aston’s hand-me-down switchgear and controls look fairly old hat. Revisions to the interior have helped in this regard over the years, but the Aston still trails some rivals in this regard.

While the design of the Aston’s interior may not be the most cutting-edge, the quality and materials do have a timelessness that almost matches the exterior design. The stitched leather on the seats and dashboard has an inherent and inescapable feel of quality and sitting in a Vantage still feels special thanks to the plush materials used.

Equipment

If you’re buying an Aston Martin, you expect a certain amount of luxury as standard and the car does come reasonably well equipped. A full-grain leather interior is included, as is a leather steering wheel, climate control, rear parking sensors, a tracking device and a six-CD autochanger, as well as USB and iPod connectivity.

The Vantage S gets wider wheels, a subtle rear spoiler, a carbon-fibre front splitter and rear diffuser, sports seats and sat-nav as standard.

Both cars are available in over 30 colours, some of which cost more than others, and there are four alloy wheel designs to choose from.

Options

Like the rival Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type, the V8 Vantage is available with a jaw-dropping number of options. They include various alternative finishes for certain items, such as clear rear lights and a bright finish for the grille, as well as heated seats, a Bang & Olufsen stereo, front parking sensors, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a rear parking camera and sat-nav on both the basic Vantage and the N430 special edition.

Additional options on the Vantage S model include carbon-kevlar bucket seats, piano-black dashboard finish and either an Obsidian Black or Alcantara-stitched steering wheel.