2020 Bentley Bentayga

The market has quite a scatter of luxury SUV's, and since you'd be paying a lot of money for one, it becomes a daunting task to select which one is the best for you. Competing with the Bentley Bentayga are 2 other heavy duties in this field, namely - Land Rover SV Autobiography and the Mercedes-Benz AMG G 63. Read on the review to find out who gets to take the floor for the best of the rest.

An apparent entry-level configuration to the Bentayga lineup, the SUV is fitted with a V8 twin-turbocharged engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The English marque offers a wide range of opulent features and bells and whistles one would expect to find in a Bentley, known for their grandeur and powerful automobiles.

Its elder sibling, the W12 starts at $229,100 and offers further trims with a more extensive list of opulent features and luxuries. The highest trim, Mulliner, costs a whopping $298,000 and all the configurations offer the same powertrains with the only difference being the features and conveniences offered.

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The Bentayga is offered in two engine options, the V8 and the W12. The V8 generates 542 hp, whereas the W12 is capable of fabricating 600 hp. However, this difference in the power output is also accompanied by a great gap between the pricing for both the options. The W12 is almost $60,000 more than the V8. The V8, though does not feel weak, the power is ample and the car drives well.  However, just in case that compromise has never been your thing, and only the best of best is what makes you smile, go for the W12 variant.  

"Bentley says the V-8 is the sportiest version of the Bentayga despite its power deficit, and we have to agree after sampling it both on the German autobahn and on the tight Alpine roads of Austria." -caranddriver

Under the Bentayga is a V8 4.0L twin-turbocharged engine propelling all the wheels mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The shifts snaps gears with absolute ease and smoothness, the new configuration performs like similarly to its W12 sibling. It is powerful to drive, and as you dial through each driving modes going up the ladder, the drive gets more athletic and mightier. Refined and excellent performance infused with accurate and smooth gear shifts make the SUV an excellent power blended-with-luxury 4-wheeler.

In the competition, the Lamborghini Urus takes the most powerful SUV spot, closely followed by the Mercedes AMG G 63 and the Range Rover SVautobiography. The Bentayga follows the trio, completing the four-way battle.

Acceleration

With the V8 underneath the Bentayga taking 4.1s from 0-60 mph, propelling this souped-up SUV almost like its W12 sibling is as swift as a fly getting away from getting squatted would actually. Having said that, the more powerful and mightier Urus shaves off 0.6s from the Bentley. But, is such a tiny difference even noticeable in the real world? The luxurious Range Rover falls far back, taking its time behind the Mercedes.

Braking and Handling

The Bentley Bentayga is as light as a feather on the asphalt. Feeble and consistent steering glides the car towards where you point it. It has the ability to manipulate you into thinking this isn't an SUV; so precise, comfortable, and posh is its ride quality alongside its accurate steering.

Holding the car upright is the Active Air Suspension that returns comfort like driving in the air; although drive over hard bumps and you'd not feel the airy feeling you'd hitherto been going flowing through. Overall, the car still handles well with comfort and ease. Want to get a bit off-road? Dive in right there, but then again this opulent snob will only handle light off-roading. So be a bit careful out there, it's delicate, but monstrously so.

Fitted with massive brake discs, they help stop the 5000 pound heavy duty with ease. The pedals feel firm and albeit exhibiting softness, it behaves effectively with excellent feedback from the same. Under the competition, Lamborghini's high-performance-cum-luxurious Urus takes lesser time at around 111ft.

The 2020 Bentley Bentayga's V8 is anything but frugal. It drinks 14 mpg in city, 20 mpg on highway and a combined mpg of 16. However it is relatively much better than the field. While the best performers battle it out pretty closely, the worst is no doubt by the powertrain underneath the Mercedes-Benz AMG G 63.

"Swaddled in the gratifying richness and comfort of the Bentayga's cabin, why deciding to make this car must have been such a no-brainer for Bentley. Look around the interior and practically everything you can see, hear, touch and interact with speaks of outstanding substance, technical sophistication, tactile allure and rare craftsmanship." - autocar

Seating and Comfort

Step inside the Bentayga and youd' find yourself immersed in its opulence, commodious and spacious cabin. From high-quality materials brushed across the trims and entirety of the cabin, to premium leather-stitched steering wheel and leather seating and highly polished Burr Veneer dashboard, the Bentley gives out a rich and grandeur feeling.

Of course, with further options available, the SUV turns even more premium with luxuries that'd just boggle your mind. Seating 5, the sophisticated SUV has great legroom and headspace for both, the front and back, seaters. Comfortable and plush seats enrich further the experience of grandeur in the Bentley Bentayga.

Interior Features

Some features offered in the car are as follows:

• Eliade Headlining
• Hide and Chrome trimmed gear lever
• 3-spoke hide trimmed steering wheel
• Steering wheel mounted gearshift paddles

Infotainment System

The Infotainment system on the Bentayga is controlled on an 8-inch colour LCD display. Easy to use and intuitive, the system is one not as impressive as its competitors in the market. Some features of the infotainment system include:

• Navigation system
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• 60 GB hard drive
• 10-speaker audio system

Cargo volume

The Bentley Bentayga comes with a subpar boot space at 17 cubic feet, lesser than the competition it resides in. While expandable with rear seats down, adding a 4-seat layout won't allow expansion. Inside the Mercedes AMG G63 and the SV Autobiography, the storage in the trunk for both these luxury SUV's are more than decent. With the Urus, while it is more than the Bentayga, it still loses out by a margin to the segment leaders.

"Elegance is the order of the day, and the Bentayga has it in abundance. Like its sedan and coupe counterparts, the Bentayga sports a long hood that's made longer by a gently sloping windshield that arcs into the vast roofline. The roof drops into a fast rear window and connects with a long rear overhang that drapes the Bentley's wide rear fenders." - thecarconnection

Simple fused with elegance and posh style characterized by hard and straight lines are molded to make up that is the 2020 Bentley Bentayga. The luxurious SUV gracefully manifests the snob it is. At first sight, the design is a reminiscence of its coupes and sedans but what the manufacturer has done is adding a bulkier design to atop the body and voila, here's your SUV. A bit cheeky there Bentley but let us tell you, it still is an eye-turner.

Bentayga is a big car. Period. Measuring longest, the car is a mix-match between all its rivals "in this field. With a ground clearance of 8", scrapes to the underbelly won't be of a major concern. While the weight is a hefty 5280 pounds, the car performs stellar with very nimble handling and excellent power delivery.

Exterior Features

Some of the features offered in the luxury SUV are as follows:

• Black lower bumper grille
• Full LED adaptive headlights with High Beam Assist
• 21" five twin-spoke alloy wheels
• LED taillights
• Twin-quad exhaust tailpipes

Acknowledging the fact that the Bentley Bentayga is yet to be tested by the NHSTA and IIHS, this luxurious SUV comes with plenty of safety features kitted to prevent and/or protect from any collisions or mishaps. Some of the features include -

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Roll Stability Control
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Automated Parking Sensors
• Blind Spot Sensor
• Forward Collision and Rear Collision
• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
• Curtain 1st And 2nd Row Airbags
• Airbag Occupancy Sensor
• Power Rear Child Safety Locks
• Back-Up Camera

Bentley Bentayga vs Land Rover SV Autobiography

Under these two rival, the Range Rover performs as good as much as it costs but falls short of the power of the Bentley. With the Bentayga costing almost a grand lesser than the Range Rover, you're missing out on is an off-roader capability with luxury. It all basically depends on how much money you have, for both the cars are a luxury model of their respective manufacturers, but only with the Land Rover could you actually take proper advantage of the rough and violent terrain.

Bentayga vs Mercedes-Benz AMG G 63

Costing almost twenty grand lesser than the Bentayga, the AMG G 63 sports a meaner look, and that's all to say about it, really. It gets undercut by the Bentley on almost every level even though they house similar powertrains. But, most of all features and safety conveniences offered on the Bentley are offered as standard on the G 63. Worth the extra expense? That's actually your call.

Finally having journeyed their way into making SUVs has paid off handsomely for Bentley. Their famed craftsmanship, quality detailing and powerful performance paves way for easy entry into a more heavy-duty craft. Unmounting the W12 from the hood and replacing it with the V8 has barely made any power deficit.

Remaining the same as its elder sibling, we can't help but wonder why some features, considered standard on other vehicles in this price range, have been omitted. But let's be honest, if you've got this kind of money to buy an automobile, shelling out a couple more bucks won't really deepen the hole in your rather stuffed pocket.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there any major difference between the V8's performance and the W12's performance?

The V8 produces 542 hp and 568 lb.-ft. of torque, whereas the W12 produces 600 hp along with 664 lb.-ft. of torque. 

What connectivity features does the car offer? 

The Bentayga offers a number of connectivity services such as the Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity. 

Is the available Real-Time Traffic Data Reliable?

Yes, the data is reliable in most cases, since the information is gathered using anonymous movement profiles of mobile phones, smartphones with online navigation apps and online navigation systems.