Bentley Bentayga review

It’s no surprise that Bentley’s self-proclaimed ‘ultimate SUV’ costs a lot to buy, but then again, so do its rivals. And, although it’s based on an Audi Q7, buying a Bentley also brings with it a number of personalisation options, allowing you to create your own completely bespoke, blank-cheque specification, if you so wish. 

That said, if you just want to ‘settle’ for the standard specification, you’re unlikely to be disappointed. The list includes, but is not limited to: auto wipers, heated leather seats, a panoramic roof, a 590W stereo system and the aforementioned 10.9in infotainment system. Of course, there’s also a long and expensive options list to peruse, including a box for the truly mesmerising 1780 W (yes, you read that correctly) NAIM audio system – a must for audiophiles. 

In terms of running costs, the official fuel economy figures suggest only a meagre 21.2mpg will be possible, and in real-world driving we’ve seen this consistently drop into the low teens. And unsurprisingly, with a 4.0-litre V8 engine under the bonnet, the Bentayga’s CO2 emissions are on the high side (302g/km to be exact), placing it in the top 37% bracket for company car tax. 

The same is true, however, for all of the Bentayga's closest rivals, and they all have reasonably strong residual values, too; the Bentayga is predicted to depreciate at a similar rate as the Aston Martin DBX and Lamborghini Urus. And while we expect the Rolls-Royce Cullinan to hold its value even better due to the fact that it’s produced in even smaller numbers, there is also the factor of it costing almost twice as much. 

Euro NCAP hasn’t safety tested the Bentayga, but the Q7 it’s based on gets a full five stars. There’s also plenty of safety kit to help prevent you from getting into an accident in the first place, including adaptive cruise control, night vision, a forward collision warning system, lane-departure wearing, lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic warning, traffic sign recognition, and blind sport warning. There are also two ISOFIX child seat attachments on the rear outer seats. Automatic emergency braking is standard. 

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