Used Aston Martin Vantage for sale: everything you need to know

The Aston Martin Vantage may be the British marque’s entry-level sports car, but calling it that rather underplays its abilities. By any standards, it’s fast, great fun to drive and has a luxurious interior. It’s even reasonably practical, so you could drive it every day. If that sounds tempting and you’re considering a used Vantage, you can find out everything you need to know about it here –  including a run-through of the different models that are available.

The Vantage is Aston Martin’s best-selling car, so there are a decent number of used examples available. While you’re here, why not check out the selection of Vantages we have in stock at heycar? 

Should you buy an Aston Martin Vantage?

The Vantage is a very handsome car, whether in coupe or Roadster guise. There are also thousands of combinations of colours, wheels and styling detail packages available, so it’s unlikely you’ll ever see two Vantages that look the same. It’s a similar story inside the luxuriously-finished cabin.

This is a surprisingly practical car. There’s generous space for two and the coupe’s boot is a similar size to that of a Ford Focus. You won’t get a flat-pack bookcase in there, of course, but the space is plenty big enough for a couple’s week-long holiday luggage. The Roadster has a much smaller boot, so you’ll have to pack more carefully.

Still, this kind of car is all about the driving experience – and the Vantage really delivers on that score. It’s extremely fast by any standard, the engine makes a gloriously raucous noise and it feels agile and responsive. The ‘standard’ version’s suspension soaks up the lumps and holes of British roads really well.

The Aston Martin Vantage delivers exactly what a fast and luxurious sports car needs to. It looks great, you have lots of options for personalisation, it’s comfortable, feels good to drive, and even gives pretty good fuel economy. Every drive, whether you’re just popping to the supermarket or taking the scenic route to the south of France, feels like a real event. Just as it should in a sports car.

The Vantage is Aston Martin’s most popular model. It should be generally reliable, although niggling little things can crop up. Aston includes a three-year warranty on new cars and can also provide an extended warranty at extra cost on models up to 20 years old.

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What's the best used Aston Martin Vantage model to buy?

There’s only really one trim, that being the one that the original buyer created with the configurator and the Aston Martin salesperson at the dealership. The AMR, with its 200 series model run, has sold out, though its legacy meant a regular Vantage could be ordered new with the seven-speed manual transmission instead of the eight-speed paddle-shifted automatic. 

You have two choices then, manual or automatic, and open or closed roofs. We’d have a manual coupe, as for all the awkwardness of the manual’s shift, that challenge means it’s a joy to drive, and coupe because we simply prefer them to open-topped cars. 

That said, you’d be entirely correct to buy a paddle-shifted Roadster, as, really, there’s no incorrect choice here. You may have to endure someone else’s terrible mistakes when it comes to colour and trim decisions, though.   

Used Aston Martin Vantage fuel economy and performance

Both the Vantage and F1 Edition models have a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox. The engine is very similar to that found in many Mercedes-AMG models – Mercedes owns a large percentage of the Aston Martin company. 

• Aston Martin Vantage 4.0 V8 petrol – The regular Vantage has a 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 510PS. In the coupe, that’s enough for 0-62mph in just 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 195mph. The Roadster is a couple of tenths slower to 62mph and has a slightly lower top speed of 190mph. Both versions emit CO2 at a rate of 264g/km and have an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
• Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition petrol – This has a more powerful version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 535PS. In both coupe and Roadster forms, it’s a couple of tenths quicker to 62mph than the standard Vantage, but the top speed is unchanged – as are CO2 emissions. Again, an eight-speed automatic gearbox is fitted as standard.

What used Aston Martin Vantage trim levels are available?

The current Vantage was launched in coupe form in 2019, followed by the open-top Roadster a year later. The F1 Edition was added to the range in 2021, marking the launch of Aston’s Formula 1 team and the Vantage’s role as the safety car in some F1 races.

• Aston Martin Vantage – The ‘standard’ Vantage comes pretty well equipped, with sat-nav, smartphone integration, a high-quality audio system, heated leather seats, climate control air-con and a 360-degree camera. If you’re buying or leasing a new one, there are literally thousands of personalisation options available.
• Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition – This model features extensive changes to the car’s chassis and aerodynamics that sharpen handling on a winding country road or race track, along with improving high-speed stability. It also has a unique package of exterior and interior styling details. Standard features match those of the regular Vantage. 

Used Aston Martin Vantage dimensions and boot size

The Aston Martin Vantage’s exterior dimensions are:

• Length: 4465mm (F1 Edition: 4490mm)
• Width: 1942mm
• Height: 1274mm

The Aston Martin Vantage’s boot capacity is:

• Coupe: 350 litres
• Roadster: 200 litres

Used Aston Martin road tax

It won't come as a shock to learn the Aston Martin Vantage owner will have to pay the £390 surcharge applied to cars that cost more than £40,000 when new. This is on top of the regular £180 per year for road tax and that surcharge applies till the Aston reaches six-years old.

How much is it to insure an Aston Martin Vantage?

Not unexpectedly, every Vantage model is in the highest insurance group – i.e. group 50. So insurance is likely to be costly, but exactly how much you have to pay will also depend largely on your personal circumstances, where you live, how many miles drive each year, and so on.

Read our full Aston Martin Vantage review