2019 Bentley Bentayga

The base Bentley Bentayga is available as a single trim. As the name suggests, this gets you the base twin-turbo V8 with the standard 8-speed automatic transmission and AWD drivetrain system. The 2019 model year is also expected to receive a “Design Package” for the V8 model that has been touched upon by the Mulliner department and would easily cost you over 30 grand from the base pricing of the V8 model. You obviously have the V12 Bentayga speed on the other end of the spectrum, but given the ridiculous price difference, we shall treat it as an altogether different entity.

The2019 Bentley Bentayga V8 is not short of any features or creature comfort here. Like any SUV that could be equipped easily over 200 grand price marker, the 2019 Bentley Bentayga has the finest of the finest things going for it. A full fine-leather upholstered interior with genuine wood and polished aluminum inserts is something anyone will drool over. The seats and steering are power operated, which along with the exterior mirror get multiple memory settings. The exterior also gets you some finely detailed LED lights, impeccable pint finish, and some decent-looking 20-inch wheels. The only thing we think Bentley skipped on would be the driver assistance tech, which has been entirely offered as optional packages which should ideally haven’t been the case at this high of an asking price.

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Since the 2019 Bentley Bentayga V8 comes in as a standalone base option, you are pretty much limited on trims here. The 2019 Bentley Bentayga Speed with the V-12 is another option here, but that is a variant for an altogether different discussion and would easily cost you a minimum of $65,000 over the base V8. The 2019 Bentley Bentayga V8 is also set to get a “Design Package” brought by the Mulliner Division and would easily set you back over 200 grand. Moreover, optional packages like the City ($3,855), Touring ($8,435), Event, Sunshine, All-Terrain, and Blackline are available at an additional cost over base specification.

Since the 2019 Bentley Bentayga has a high chance of being used as a luxury long-distance cruiser, fuel economy, and tank range are something we think would make the experience even better. With a maximum EPA-certified highway economy of 23 mpg, the Bentley Bentayga is easily one of the top fuel-efficient SUVs in its segment in the standard (now) engine configuration. The 17-mpg combined rating is also one of the best we have seen in this class. This along with the decently big 22.5-gallon fuel tank helps its squeeze out a maximum range of just over 500-miles, which we think is certainly a good figure for a cruiser SUV. Do know that the V12 is a bit of a gas guzzler and the combined figures could easily fall under 14 mpg.

Despite housing one of the smaller engines in this comparison, the high output of the Lamborghini Urus causes it dearly when it comes to fuel economy. This along with the fact that it comes with one of the smallest fuel tanks in this comparison does not help its cause. The Cullinan also has a similar combined figure but its fuel tank which is expected to carry a minimum of 25 gallons of fuel, should give it an upper hand here. The Range Rover SV Autobiography is not as efficient as the class best Bentayga here, but its humongous 27.3-gallon tank helps it eke out a win over the Bentley when it comes to range.

One could easily run out of words to describe the opulence of the inside of the Bentley Bentayga. Such is the quality of the materials that have gone into its making and let’s not forget the amount of time and craftsmanship spent on every single stitch that you see. The polished metal inserts to the soft leather that surrounds the entire cabin make every single second you spend inside the cabin of the Bentley Bentayga an occasion. If there is one aspect that justifies the SUV’s asking price, then it definitely would be its interiors. Basic creature comfort amenities that you expect from an SUV of this class have all been covered and mentioning them one by one just won’t make any sense.

Talking about the ergonomics, unlike most big-size luxury SUVs, the 2019 Bentley Bentayga makes you feel cocooned on the inside. There is no sense of the abundance of space in the interior and everything falls into arms in one reach. This does not suggest a compromise in comfort or space as the front row is some of the best we have experienced on any car so far. The same also can be told about the second row with the seats feeling just as relaxing and exquisitely padded as the ones at the front. You even get a fancy touchscreen below the center console A/C vents for the rear occupants so that they have some additional functions of the SUV at the tip of your fingers. However, the legroom might feel a bit lacking here and if we were to be asked if this is one SUV that you would be like to be chauffeured long distance around in, our answer would obviously be a “no”. Also, the trend of the low room continues with the trunk as well, because its 17 cu. ft. cargo area is best described as “decent”.

Even though we don’t have accurate measurements of the insides, the Cullinan with its expansive wheelbase and widest haul has the roomiest cabin of the lot here. The 2019 Bentley Bentayga in its standard wheelbase can’t match the Roll-Royce when it comes to space but you could always go for its longer wheelbase variant to scoop up some more second-row legroom. The level of detailing and finishing on the Cullinan’s inside is ever-so-slightly better than the Bentayga but definitely does not feel worthy of the additional $150k or so it commands over the base Bentley. The Range Rover is a really comfortable and loaded machine here but fails to match the intricacy of the other Brits here even though it feels very airy and has the biggest cargo area here. The Urus on the other hand is just a Huracan or Aventador with higher-mounted seats and an additional second row. If it's the comfort that you’re after, the Urus is the wrong place to be in this comparison.

Some standout interior features of the 2019 Bentley Bentayga include:

• 22-Way Power- Heated front seats with memory functionality
• Leather-wrapped steering with power tilt/telescopic adjustment/ auto tilt-away
• Wireless phone charger
• Genuine wood cabin inserts ( Instrument, dash, and door panels)
• Simulated Suede headliner
• Multi-zone climate control system
• Full leather interior upholstery with polished aluminum inserts.

How intuitive is the 2019 Bentley Bentayga’s infotainment system?

8-inches, yes you read that right, is the amount of infotainment screen real estate your $180,000 Bentley bestows you with. Its cheaper Audi cousin, which it loosely shares the platform with, gets a bigger unit that feels more in line with the times. Also, the buttons that surround the screen, well let’s say isn’t something we expect on a vehicle of this pride and are the only cheap feeling bit that we could find inside the car. However, the functionality levels of the screen are pretty good and the UI feels very responsive. Also, it is one of those few systems that you could actually use with one arm reach from the seat, which is one ergonomic factor that we take for granted these days. Moreover, if you are an audiophile, the 700w 10-speaker Performance audio system would definitely excite your eardrums. Apple Carplay and real-time Navigation are all part of the standard equipment, with the only feature missing out being Android Auto Connectivity.

Standout infotainment features available with the 2019 Bentley Bentayga:

• 8-Inch color multi-touch screen
• Real-time navigation with traffic info
• Apple Carplay connectivity/ Bluetooth
• Voice activation system
• 700w, 10-speaker performance audio system

The exterior design of the Bentley Bentayga has been an aspect that has raised many discussions since its launch. Bentley, trying to stay in line with the design heritage it has, uses a similar facia as seen on the rest of its lineup for the Bentayga, which as suggested by many, looks out of place on such a huge machine. But our question is, why it shouldn’t be. This SUV is unmistakably a Bentley and that’s what matters at the end of the day, as far as we see it. Also, the people who complain about the design would never be the ones who would actually buy this SUV and that is a fact.

From the front, this SUV looks unmistakably a Bentley. The huge trademark grille adorning the sliver celestial brand logo is sure to make a statement and clearly demands its presence. The striking circular crystal-like headlamps and the adjoining hollow crystal running lights on either side of the grille instantly grabs anyone’s attention more so with all those lights running. If this isn’t elegant for you, then we don’t know what is. The tail end looks a bit out of place with the boxed-out tail lights, but we love the way the rear swoops down helping disguise the actual bulk of this SUV. The standard 20-inch alloy wheels are also something that we feel a bit “less premium”, while this could be an entirely personal preference. As far as equipment goes, all basic amenities have been covered and in addition, you also get a full-length panoramic glass roof.

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan, being the longest and widest SUV here is the heaviest and the only one that weighs over 6,000-pounds. The 2019 Bentley Bentayga, though looks heavy, surprisingly lighter than the Range Rover SV Autobiography despite having the bigger dimensions all around. The Lamborghini Urus, on the other hand, is an SUV with a different intent here and that is in being entirely sporty. To stay true to that, the proportions have been made sleek and tight, helping it weigh the least (inevitably making it the most cramped) here thereby enabling it to be every bit as agile and quick as it can get.

Some of the standout exterior features on the 2019 Bentley Bentayga include:

• Automatic LED headlamps/ LED tail lamps
• LED Crystal-like circular DRLs
• 20-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels
• Panoramic glass sunroof
• Full chrome exterior accents
• Perimeter approach lights

Sharing platforms with SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne and the Audi Q8, safety is not something we question on the Bentley Bentayga. Even though the NHTSA and IIHS rarely do crash tests on these luxury vehicles, the insane amount of chassis engineering and availability of a plethora of standard passive safety tech would be enough to vouch for the safety this SUV offers to its occupants. The 2019 Bentley Bentayga is also packed with a decent number of driver assistance tech, but is it enough for the kind of price it demands is one question we surely would need a second thought on before answering. For instance, amenities like surround parking assist, a top-view camera, traffic sign recognition, and city braking one should go for a $3,855 City Package while options like the adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, lane-keeping assist, and a heads-up-display will set you back an extra $8,435 with the Touring Package.

Some of the standout safety features available with the 2019 Bentley Bentayga include:

• ABS and driveline traction control
• Electronic stability and roll control
• Automated emergency braking
• Adaptive cruise control (available)
• Lane departure warning with lane keep assist (available)

2019 Bentley Bentayga vs 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Let’s just address the elephant in the room here and that being the base pricing. A whopping $150k difference in starting prices is something that we can’t just ignore. Forget that, the V12 options of these differ by 100 grand in the base pricing, which is just crazy. So does, the newer Rolls-Royce Cullinan justify this significant jump in price tag over the 2019 Bentley Bentayga? Well, it depends on how you look at it. The Cullinan does come a bit bigger and bespoke with its amenities here are you sure tend to notice this occasionally. For instance, the ride and sound deadening in the Cullinan are on another level compared to the Bentley. But does all this translate into a $100k worth of appraisal in the drive experience from the Bentley Bentayga, well absolutely not. We don’t want to call out any brand for the value they have set, but the decision is on you and how much you are willing to spend for the name.

2019 Bentley Bentayga vs 2019 Lamborghini Urus

Even though the Bentayga and the Urus are the most related SUVs here, they couldn’t be more distinct. While Bentley does the luxury side of things, the Urus comes out with an all-out sporty SUV, doing the maximum justice to that ‘S’ abbreviation. Even though they share the same twin-turbo V8 from Volkswagen, the Lambo Urus has been tuned to eleven and feels every bit as ferocious as it can get. The same unit on the Bentayga feels smoother and more refined and is rated at higher fuel economy numbers thanks to the lower state of tune. Cabin space, ride quality and opulence are also some traits that the Bentley excels over the Lamborghini. But, that is not the point here. Both SUVs cater to different ends of the market and there is no choice between these two. If you want a luxury cruiser, you go for the Bentayga and if it’s a practical 4-door, practical super that you are thinking of getting, the Urus is the one to go for.

2019 Bentley Bentayga vs 2019 Land Rover Range Rover SV Autobiography Dynamic

Both SUVs do come identical when it comes to base pricing. While the 2019 Bentley Bentayga leads in the performance and efficiency side of things the Range Rover SV offers everything bigger such as an airier cabin, bigger fuel tank, and a bigger trunk. However, the closer the two are in pricing, the class and Luxury both these SUVs exude varies drastically. While the Range Rover Feels like something you would compare to a Mercedes GLS or the BMW X7 (despite the insane pricing), the 2019 Bentley Bentayga tries to be something that’s exquisite, more like a road-going luxury yacht. This factor alone is something that becomes the primary deciding factor and will give more credit to the Bentayga. When spending close to 200k on a vehicle, you expect it to stand out or feel unique, and that’s something we are afraid only the Bentley Bentayga is capable of.

The short answer to this would be “if you have the money to spend, then yes”. The 2019 Bentley Bentayga would not be the most modern or striking Ultra-Luxury SUVs out there now, but with a base asking price of just under $180,000, this SUV is the one that makes the most sense as far as pure luxury barges go. Yes, we realize that the newly launched Roll-Royce Cullinan does take everything to the next level, but our question is, do you really need it? You won’t unless you are a hard-core Rolls-Royce enthusiast and are willing to spend over $150,000 more for finer things that wouldn’t essentially bring any value. Options like the Urus and the Range Rover SV do come up to the fight, but if it's sheer opulence you are after, you might find them a bit lacking. Also, the Bentley Bentayga is the only SUV here to spoil you with two engine and wheelbase choices at once, which is definitely something to have when spending this huge sum of money, Moreover, there are tens of thousand dollars worth of customization and packaged options that are already available at your disposal to build an SUV that firs you desire. So if you ask us, the Bentley Bentayga, though the old boy here, makes the most sense to invest on.