Juande Ramos may have spent millions in the transfer market during the summer to attract the likes of Luka Modric, David Bentley and Roman Pavlyuchenko, but his side are the only team in the top-flight that have yet to win a game.
Spurs have only managed one point from their opening four games and on the evidence of this display, they need to kick-start their season sooner rather than later if they are to avoid a relegation battle.
One of those summer signings was Heurelho Gomes, who had a game to forget after allowing Ashley Young's shot to slip through his grasp to hand Villa all three points.
Villa have enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign and look genuine contenders to challenge the big four this season following another impressive result at White Hart Lane.
Villa got off to a dream start when Nigel Reo-Coker opened the scoring after just four minutes.
Gabriel Agbonlahor crossed in from the left and John Carew back-heeled the ball to Reo-Coker, who made no mistake striking his close-range effort into the corner of the net.
Villa could have doubled their lead on eight minutes when Reo-Coker's shot deflected off Gareth Bale and cannoned back off the post.
Martin O'Neill's side continued to dominate the first-half proceedings and came close again on 22 minutes when Reo-Coker crossed in for Gareth Barry, whose header was superbly saved by Gomes diving away to his left.
Gomes came to Tottenham's rescue once again just 60 seconds later when he made another acrobatic one-handed save to deny Agbonlahor's free header at the far post.
Tottenham finally woke up and came close to grabbing an equaliser on 50 minutes when Aaron Lennon's shot was tipped over the bar by Brad Friedel.
But it was Villa who got their just rewards when they added a second on 54 minutes.
Young ran unchallenged into the Tottenham half before firing a low shot which Gomes should have easily dealt with diving low to his right.
But the Brazilian keeper made the first major blunder of his Spurs career as he allowed the ball to slip through his grasp and into the corner of the net.
Young should have made it three for Villa on 80 minutes after Agbonlahor raced away down the left before crossing in for the England forward, who volleyed the ball just over the bar.
Tottenham grabbed a consolation goal on 86 minutes when Jermaine Jenas' shot was turned in by Darren Bent.
Jenas then made a fantastic goal-line clearance to deny Marlon Harewood right at the death, but it was Villa who came away with a deserved victory.