Skip advert
Advertisement

Bentley Bentayga review – the ultimate luxury SUV?

Bentley's first SUV is sure to be a sales hit, but its sheer weight limits the appeal as a drivers SUV

Evo rating
Price
from £135,800
  • Immensely capable, W12 and V8 diesel options both immensely rapid
  • Very heavy, and not really able to shrug it off... and just look at it...

The Bentley Bentayga takes the terms ‘performance’ and ‘luxury’, ramps them up to the extreme, and then attaches them to an SUV. It’s Bentley’s first car in this class, and as such it’s an extremely polarising model. Is it a triumph of modern engineering and proper Bentley to boot, or is it a cynical attempt to cash in on the growing global SUV market at the expense of the British brand’s rich heritage?

Advertisement - Article continues below

Whatever the Bentayga is, it’s certainly not a half-baked effort. In fact, it might be Bentley’s most advanced car to date. This near-2.5-tonne beast may have a cabin stuffed with as much fine leather and wood as a gentleman’s club, but it also has performance to rival serious sports cars. There’s even a modicum of off-road ability – not exactly a Bentley hallmark – and a reassuringly hefty price tag to match.

> Click here for our review of the Range Rover

The Bentayga may not be a classic Bentley in spirit – in fact, we’d be very surprised if owners are ever let out of a side turning – but in engineering terms, it’s up there with the best, and sits pretty much in a class of one at the top of the luxury SUV pile.

Bentley Bentayga in detail:

Performance and 0-60 time > Staggering pace from such a huge car; 0-60 time rivals even sports cars

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

Engine and gearbox > Choice of W12 petrol or V8 diesel, both mated to smooth auto gearbox

Ride and handling > Impressive, but there’s no disguising the size and weight of this monstrous car

MPG and running costs > ‘Frugal’ is a word that doesn’t feature in the Bentayga’s dictionary, but diesel will do 600 miles between fill-ups

Advertisement - Article continues below

Interior and tech > Shades of Audi Q7, but stuffed with enough leather, wood and technology to make up for it

Design > It’s difficult to call the Bentayga pretty, but ‘imposing’ certainly covers it

Prices, specs and rivals

The Bentley Bentayga is, perhaps understandably, priced out of reach of all but society’s top earners. A starting price of £135,800 gets the ball rolling, but for most owners that’ll just be a jumping off point for even greater expense. For instance, you’ll need to cough up an extra £30,000 if you want the stonking W12 petrol engine, while it gets even more extreme if you begin to peruse the expansive options list. That said, most Bentayga buyers will let their accounts worry about the price lists, and are unlikely to baulk at a £22k Naim stereo upgrade. The dash-mounted Breitling clock may raise a few eyebrows though – it’s machined in solid gold and costs over £150k (on top of the price of the car!).

Rivals? Not many. The elite may consider the Bentayga alongside more traditional luxury cars like a Rolls-Royce Ghost or even Bentley’s own Mulsanne. But we think it’s more likely to appeal as a luxury option for those who need genuine practicality for outdoorsy pursuits. After all, the children’s riding gear can be awfully muddy, and the family Labrador can’t ride in an enclosed boot either.

That pitches it as a rival to the Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne or Audi Q7 – albeit at a significantly higher price point.

The Range Rover offers the most compelling alternative – a long-wheelbase SVAutobiography fitted with a 550bhp V8 engine starts from £167,280, offering comparable performance and luxury to the Bentayga. In fact, some might argue that it provides a better luxury experience. The Range Rover does after all ride on its own platform, while the Bentayga – no matter how powerful and expensive – shares a great deal of its components and oily bits with the considerably humbler Audi Q7. The Range Rover also offers a far more imperious driving position, while it’ll show a dirty pair of heels to the Bentayga off-road.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

More on Bentayga SUV

Bentley Bentayga Speed review
Reviews

Bentley Bentayga Speed review

A little extra pace and handling edge will suit buyers who always want the ultimate
30 May 2019
Bentley Bentayga Speed snatches “fastest SUV” title
Bentley Bentayga Speed
News

Bentley Bentayga Speed snatches “fastest SUV” title

626bhp behemoth is the first SUV to hit 190mph
5 Mar 2019
Bentley drops diesel in the UK
Bentley Bentayga V8 – side
News

Bentley drops diesel in the UK

Bentley has followed Porsche in dropping its diesel engines in the UK
2 Oct 2018
Skip advert
Advertisement
Bentley Bentayga claims 2018 Pikes Peak record
Bentley Bentayga Pikes Peaks
News

Bentley Bentayga claims 2018 Pikes Peak record

Bentley Bentayga Pikes Peak honours the British marque’s victory at the international hill climb event.
25 Jun 2018
Bentley eyes Pikes Peak SUV record
Bentley Bentayga Pikes Peak - front
News

Bentley eyes Pikes Peak SUV record

Using a stripped-out Bentayga W12, Bentley aims to beat Land Rovers previous Pikes Peak SUV record
27 Mar 2018
Bentley Bentayga PHEV revealed at Geneva
Bentley Bentayga V8 – front quarter
News

Bentley Bentayga PHEV revealed at Geneva

Bentley Bentayga PHEV adds petrol-hybrid powertrain to expanding SUV range.
5 Mar 2018
Bentley Bentayga V8 review
Bentley Bentayga V8 – front quarter
Reviews

Bentley Bentayga V8 review

The twin-turbo petrol V8 gets the best from Bentley’s first SUV, matching the W12’s performance with much of the diesel’s usability
21 Feb 2018
New Bentley Bentayga V8 petrol
Bentley Bentayga V8 petrol - front
News

New Bentley Bentayga V8 petrol

Fitted with the familiar VAG 4-litre V8 this promises to be the most dynamic Bentley Bentayga yet
12 Jan 2018
Bentley Bentayga Diesel review
Bentley Bentayga Diesel - front tracking
Reviews

Bentley Bentayga Diesel review

Bentley’s first diesel will be a guaranteed sales hit, but lacks the polish some might expect
2 Jun 2017
Skip advert
Advertisement
Bentley Bentayga Diesel - 168mph and 35mpg
News

Bentley Bentayga Diesel - 168mph and 35mpg

Long-distance travel and effortless performance are the goals of Bentley's first-ever diesel
20 Sep 2016
Bentley Bentayga W12 review
Reviews

Bentley Bentayga W12 review

Bentley's first SUV is deeply impressive, but not a truly thrilling drive
11 May 2016