Item: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Rolls-Royce Cullinan

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

Nobody on a budget buys a new Rolls-Royce, so the fact that the Cullinan’s quarter-of-a-million-pound starting price makes even the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-hot-hatches-2018-and-the-ones-to-avoid/n17005">Bentayga</a> look cheap is unlikely to put people off.

Similarly, insurance and servicing costs will be huge, and it averages fuel economy of just 18.8mpg in official tests, but of more relevance to potential buyers is likely to be the Bentayga’s superior range between fuel stops.

The Cullinan’s extensive list of standard features includes heated and ventilated seats, lambswool floor mats, a head-up display, five USB ports&nbsp;and tables and touchscreens for those in the rear. Meanwhile, the only real limit when it comes to options is your imagination.

One that’s definitely worth considering, however, is Rolls-Royce’s trademark starlight rooflining, which uses dozens of embedded fibre-optic lights to effect the night sky.

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The Cullinan weighs more than 2.6 tonnes. Yet thanks to its mighty V12 engine and slick eight-speed automatic gearbox, acceleration feels effortless; 0-62mph takes just 5.2sec, which is as fast as plenty of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-hot-hatches-2018-and-the-ones-to-avoid/n17005">hot hatches</a> can manage.

Ride comfort is generally very impressive, too, with the Cullinan appearing to float over bumps at higher speeds. However, while it continues to feel pretty supple in town, it can shimmy around a bit over patched-up surfaces.

Some bumps also cause the steering wheel to shudder in your hands, but it’s light and easy to turn, and it lets you place the car accurately.

Just don’t expect the Cullinan to handle with the agility of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-hot-hatches-2018-and-the-ones-to-avoid/n17005">Bentayga</a>; there’s a fair bit of body sway in corners and the nose dives under hard braking.

Instead, the Cullinan is all about helping you get to your destination feeling completely relaxed, and this is an area in which it surpasses <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-and-worst-luxury-suvs/n17036">every rival</a>.

Its engine is so smooth and quiet at idle that you find yourself questioning whether it’s even running. What’s more, it remains eerily hushed on the move.

True, the Cullinan’s big tyres generate a bit of road noise at times, but this isn’t overbearing, and wind noise it remarkably well controlled – particularly when you consider that this is a car with the same sort of frontal area as Buckingham Palace.

For some people, luxury SUVs such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/review/n87">Audi Q7</a> and<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/range-rover/4x4/review/n17353"> Range Rover</a> are just so... common.

These people, whose names are often preceded by titles such as Lord, Duchess&nbsp;or Marshal of the Royal Air Force, want something truly bespoke. And since 2015, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bentley/bentayga/4x4/review/n17228">Bentley Bentayga</a> has been catering for this niche. Now, however, it faces competition from the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

Taking its name from the largest diamond ever discovered – one that graces the Crown Jewels – the Cullinan sits on 22in alloy wheels and presents a dominating silhouette. Indeed, it's 200mm longer than the Bentayga&nbsp;and 90mm taller and 350mm longer than the Range Rover.

There’s only one engine option, but it’s arguably all you’ll ever need: the same 6.75-litre petrol V12 that’s found in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/rolls-royce/phantom/saloon/review/n131">Rolls-Royce’s flagship saloon, the Phantom</a>.

Plus, there is, of course, a brochure full of colours, upholsteries and options to choose from, and if you have enough money in your bank account, Rolls-Royce will fit pretty much anything else that takes your fancy.

Read on to see if this helps the Cullinan justify its huge price premium over every other SUV on sale. Or&nbsp;to see how much we could save you on a new car, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">click here</a>.

Even though the Cullinan lowers itself by 40mm to aid access, you have to climb up into it. However, the payoff is the sort of forward view usually reserved for HGV drivers.

This is combined with surprisingly good rear visibility, thanks to the large, deep windows all round, while sensors and cameras further aid manoeuvring.

As for the interior itself, it’s a wonderful mix of the traditional and the modern.

Huge slabs of wood&nbsp;and expertly stitched, soft leathers sit alongside a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/bmw">BMW</a>-sourced infotainment system that sets the standard for usability and somehow doesn’t feel out of place. The only slight disappointment is some inconsistent panel gaps.

Meanwhile, the driver’s seat and steering wheel adjust every which way – electrically, of course – to ensure people of all sizes can get comfortable.

When it comes to making a statement about how successful you are, there is no brand that shouts “I’ve made it!” more emphatically than Rolls-Royce.

If that’s all you want from your car, look no further. The firm has expanded its range in recent years, with the top-of-the-range Phantom saloon being joined by the Cullinan SUV, and other models including the Wraith and Ghost.

Whichever way you go, if you have to ask how much it costs, the chances are you can’t afford it. And, even then, the base price is unlikely to be what you end up spending, such is the list of alluring options on offer.

It’s also a moot point whether the cars themselves – rather than the image they portray – represents the very best way to spend your money. What Car?’s testers rate all of them positively but reckon that – if you’re buying with your head rather than your heart – there are other cars that you should also consider.

ROLLS-ROYCE

CULLINAN

Its ride isn't perfect, but in most respects the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is the ultimate luxury SUV that it was designed to be, with a price to match.

The rear of the Cullinan feels every bit as special as the front, from the ‘coach’ doors that open backwards to create a wider aperture (before closing electrically), to the fact that you can stretch your legs without any danger of getting close to the seat in front.

Buyers can specify a conventional three-seat layout or two individual reclining chairs that are bisected by a long centre console containing a drinks cabinet and a fridge.

What’s more, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/rolls-royce">Rolls-Royce</a> offers a glass partition that separates the luggage area from the passengers to shield them from outside temperatures when the boot is open.

As for the boot itself, this features a handy <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/range-rover/4x4/review/n17353">Range Rover</a>-style split tailgate. However, while the capacity is far from small, at 560 litres, the space does narrow dramatically between the wheel arches, limiting what you can carry.

If you go for the three-seat layout, the rear seats can be folded flat to increase the load space – a first on any Rolls-Royce, although a common sight in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-and-worst-luxury-suvs/n17036">the SUV market</a>. And while there’s initially a step up to the folded seats, the boot floor can be raised electrically to form a long, uninterrupted platform, which Rolls-Royce says could be used for transporting art. Well, obviously.

Options include the so-called recreation module – a series of boxes that can be loaded into the Cullinan's boot with different activity equipment. For example, one box might contain a couple of deckchairs and a folding table, while another has the kit required for playing polo.

Its ride isn't perfect, but the Rolls-Royce Cullinan is in most respects the ultimate luxury SUV that it was designed to be – with a price to match.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Logical and beautifully built interior, with great infotainment</li> <li>More than enough space for five passengers or, even better, seven</li> <li>Strong performance along with impressive efficiency</li> <li>Composed handling that limits any feeling of unwieldiness</li></ul>

We class a luxury SUV as being anything where our pick of the range costs more than £45,000 – and at this price point, buyers' expectations are high. So, as well as all of the qualities that make regular SUVs such well-rounded choices –&nbsp;such as decent space for passengers and luggage, a classy interior and robust materials – we also want a cosseting ride, the latest driver assistance technology and enough space to really stretch out.

The Land Rover Discovery proves that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a luxurious SUV, but if you've got a bit more to spend, the Audi Q7 is perennially popular among buyers, and with good reason. Or, at the very top of this market, there are newer additions such as the BMW X7 to consider.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan review

Introduction

What Car? says...