Aston Martin Rapide V12 Luxe Touchtronic 4dr Car Review - April 2012

There is no doubt that the Rapide is a car of stature when you look at it from the outside, but the driving experience belies the fact that it is a car that is over five metres long. The steering is quick to respond and leaps into corners with plenty of grip, and the ride is supple and comfortable despite the large wheels found on the car. As you would expect from a luxury vehicle the driving position is very good and offers plenty of adjustment for both the steering wheel and the driving seat.

The performance delivered by the 5.9 litre v12 is really all sports car, with the acceleration from 0-62mph happening in only 5.1 seconds. The top speed of 188mph is also more than can ever really be used on a British road. There is some road noise to be heard when driving at speed, and the v12 rumble is always present, although this is more likely to be welcome for most drivers.

Aston Martin have branded the Rapide a four door coupe, and this is closer to the mark than calling it a saloon, as the roof does slope towards the back end in the coupe fashion. The narrow headlights and distinctive grille of the Rapide does give it a very attractive and aggressive front end, and this is definitely not in the same mould as some of the other top end saloons. Inside the cabin is luxurious and attractive, although the large centre console does mean that some people may find the driver seat quite enclosed.

As you would expect from a prestige car like this there is plenty of equipment included as standard, and the 20-inch alloy wheels are certainly a good start. Inside the car the power heated leather seats are a real luxury, and it also comes with plenty of gadgets such as satellite navigation and a hands free phone kit, although the DVD player isn’t included as standard.

Although Aston Martin hasn’t always been able to boast an excellent reliability record, the driver surveys do suggest that this record is improving. The Rapide is also a very safe car to drive, and has a fine array of driving aids to keep all of that power under control, and there are also plenty of airbags to look after the driver and passenger in the case of an accident.

The Rapide is designed to be a more practical coupe, and although the four doors do mean it can take four adults, the back seats are a little awkward to get to for taller and larger adults. The boot is very well sized and offers plenty of space for luggage or other items.

One of the main problems that is associated with the Aston Martin Rapide is that the list price of £149,995 is a big hurdle, and there are other cars such as the Porsche Panamera that are much more competitively priced.

Keeping the Rapide on the road isn’t cheap either, with the fuel consumption figures showing that the 5.9 litre engine is only able to achieve an average 19.0mpg. The high insurance group does mean that premiums will be very high for Aston Martin drivers, but the sheer desirability of the car means that it should hold its value very well. The Rapide comes with a three year unlimited mileage warranty, and is also supplied with roadside breakdown assistance.