2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Unlike the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Ghost, the Cullinan doesn’t come in an EWB setup which restricts the trim range to only two levels that is Cullinan and Black Badge. The second trim is discussed in the separate article. To give a sneak peek into it, it has Black chrome exterior trim and an upgraded engine. The base trim pricing starts at $330,000 and with an unlimited range of customizable options, features, exterior paint, interior trims, and the list goes on. 

Meanwhile, the costs can go up to half a million dollars as well. With a dedicated off-road button, the Cullinan is the only Rolls-Royce in their fleet today that can take on some rough terrains with style and confidence. The Cullinan has standard features such as heated front seats, heated steering wheel, Panoramic sunroof, power tilt and telescopic steering column, Forward collision mitigation, cruise control, and more. You also get Massage options on the front seats. 

Which trim should you buy?

If you want a dark exterior, a power boost to the engine, larger brakes, Red brake calipers, and more then you should check out the Black Badge trim which is priced at $382,000. However, if you are fine with base trim’s looks and comfort then try options such as veneered picnic tables and dual 12-inch rear entertainment screens. 

The 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan gets a 6.75 L twin-turbocharged V12 that produces 563 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. The engine has a punchy yet the most subtle power delivery in the segment which is one of the major reasons for the whole Rolls-Royce ‘floating’ experience. The 8-speed automatic transmission unit senses the road ahead via GPS to offer you the right gear at the right time without any hesitation. It shifts through gears so smoothly and quickly that if you don’t observe closely, you might forget the fact that it has an 8-speed gearbox in the first place. 

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan comes only in an AWD persona, and the drivetrain unit in the Cullinan is developed to take on some rough terrains and undulations with confidence and tons of traction. There really isn’t anything that a Rolls-Royce can’t offer you and with a dedicated off-road button, the Cullinan might have taken things to a whole new level. The Cullinan can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds and can cover a quarter-mile distance from a standstill in 13.3 seconds. It has a top speed restricted to 155 mph as well. That said, the same powertrain setup is also present in the Black Badge but it's tuned differently and provides 600 hp and 664 lb-ft. 

The Cullinan might definitely seem considerably slower than its rivals that manage to accelerate from naught to 60 mph in sub-four seconds. Meanwhile, the fastest, the fastest SUV is from the Lamborghini which travels from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Furthermore, the Bentley Bentayga is 0.4 seconds slower compared to the Lamborghini Urus but 1.1 seconds faster than the Land Rover Range Rover. 

How well does the 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan handle?

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan drives like a plane on the road because of its refined engine and smooth transmission. The adaptive suspension system on the Cullinan senses the road ahead through radars upfront and adapts itself to the road conditions with the help of feedback from the radars. The leveled ride quality that makes you feel like you are floating on the road is made available with the help of the best-in-class suspension system and modern technology.

You might feel some body roll while cornering as it is a tall SUV with over 6,000 lbs. in curb weight. The Cullinan truly shines like its name when you really put its off-road capabilities to test. The idea of off-roading in a Rolls-Royce might intimidate you initially, but take the Cullinan over mud ruts and gravel. Additionally, the steering is accurate and there is no problem with the visibility. 

2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Braking Performance

There is no data available when it comes to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan’s brakes but to control a vehicle that weighs over 6,000 lbs, the bite of the Cullinan’s brakes can’t be ignored. It also comes with the Hill Descent Control, brake assist, hill hold assist, and more features which provide help to the ventilated front and rear disk brakes. 

The Lamborghini Urus is surely the quickest one to slow down as it's meant to be a performance SUV and has the hardware that helps it offer the best braking performance in the segment. The Bentayga Speed also seems to offer a decent braking performance. It is the Land Rover Range Rover that takes the longest distance to come to a halt from 60 mph. 

Having a large displacement V12 engine and weighing over 6,000 lbs, is not a good recipe for high fuel economy but the Cullinan does just fine compared to rivals. It offers a combined fuel economy of 14 miles per gallon and offers 12 and 20 MPG in the city and on the highway respectively. That said, fuel tank capacity isn’t known as of now but we will update the data as soon as it's available. 

The Bentley Bentayga Speed has similar fuel economy figures when compared to the Lamborghini Urus but its 22.5-gallon fuel tank capacity helps it offer a higher range compared to the latter SUV. At the same time, the Land Rover Range Rover has the highest combined fuel economy in the segment and also has the biggest fuel tank.

When it comes to interior design and quality, Rolls-Royce has always showcased its expertise in coach building and designing and the Cullinan is no different. The interior oozes luxury with attention to detail at the finest level. From the wood trim inserts to the stitching and metal components, everything has been handcrafted with quality at its best. The dashboard design has a touch of the Phantom’s dashboard layout. Single, Dual, or Triple-tone color options can be chosen and commissioned. The power front seats get cooling and heating function and have memory settings as well. The Cullinan now gets newly designed optional leather upholstery to match the Viewing Suite as well as all-new Sanctuary seats. These seats get extra padding as well as a power-adjustable calf-rest for the right rear seat on top of the plethora of adjustable seating functions. Leather floor mats and piano white veneers are some other additions to the interior décor.

The seats do have power lumbar control that hugs you in place and offers you the necessary confidence that you need while carving through corners or going off-road. The rear seats are available in both bench seats as well as individual Sanctuary seat options. The bench seats allow for three occupants in the second row while the individual seats only allow two people. Both the seating configurations get armrests but the individual arrangement also offers a champagne cooler along with a pair of champagne flutes. It also has added power-adjustability as well as power-adjustable calf-rest that will soak you in luxury while you stare at the starlit roof of the Cullinan. Four-zone automatic climate control, heated steering wheel, power tilt and telescopic steering column, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Power-closing doors, four 12V outlets, and keyless entry cum ignition are some standard cabin features.

The interior dimensions of the 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan are not available. Therefore, comparing cabin space will not make sense but it does have decent trunk space. Meanwhile, the Range Rover is the only rival that has a seating capacity of four. However, it does offer the biggest trunk to compensate for that. Furthermore, the smallest trunk is given on the Bentayga. Some of the standout interior features are:

• Four-zone automatic climate control 
• Heated and cooled power-adjustable front seats
• Massage options on the front seats
• Optional rear heated seats
• Starlit roofline
• Power sunshades and calf-rest
• Champagne cooler with a pair of champagne flutes
• Heated leather steering wheel
• Leather upholstery throughout the interior

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The Cullinan gets a redesigned version of the BMW iDrive infotainment system with a 10.25-inch touchscreen display unit that comes with a rotary controller with the Spirit of Ecstasy marked on it. The audio system is a premium 600w surround sound system with 16 speakers and two floor-mounted subwoofers. As far as the connectivity features go, the only drawback seems to be the fact that Android Auto is not available as a feature. Features like WiFi-hotspot as well as Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity are available as standard. Some of the standout infotainment features are:

• In-built navigation
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• 10.25-inch touchscreen
• 16-speaker sound system 
• Voice recognition 
• Apple CarPlay 

The Cullinan definitely tops the segment when it comes to its looks as it brings in the sheer grandeur of Rolls-Royce cars and the personalization options seem to have no boundaries. You can get any color that you wish for your Cullinan’s exterior bodywork and the fact that it offers plenty of chrome elements all around definitely adds to the elegance and grandeur. You definitely can’t miss spotting some signature design elements such as the Spirit of Ecstasy upfront, the tall and wide chrome grille as well as the suicide doors. 

Features like these are the reason Rolls-Royce cars are so distinctive and elegant. The Spirit of Ecstasy rises as soon as you start the engine and the LED daytime running lights, as well as LED projector-beam headlamps with cornering lights, add to the aesthetics and practicality of driving a Cullinan. The LED tail lamps are designed in the shape of baguette diamonds which certainly shouts luxury. The 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan runs on the 22-inch fully polished twin-spoke wheels but you have the freedom to go for different finish wheels or get a smaller set of 21-inch wheels.

The Cullinan is the widest and longest in terms of width and wheelbase which makes it much more stable and confident while driving. Having a long wheelbase and length along with a good amount of width also means that the occupants inside can travel in comfort with plenty of space. At the same time, the Range Rover has the highest ground clearance which makes it fearless against road bumps. Meanwhile, the Urus is the smallest SUV in terms of exterior whereas the Bentayga is the lightest one among the bunch. Some of the standard exterior features are:

• 22-inch 7-spoke part polished shadow alloy wheels 
• Auto on/off LED projector headlamps 
• Cornering lights
• Panoramic sunroof
• LED tail lamps
• LED Daytime Running Lights
• Dual stainless-steel exhaust with polished chrome tips
• Suicide doors
• Power trunk 

The 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan hasn’t received any safety ratings from the NHTSA or IIHS. However, the Cullinan gets all sorts of active safety wizardry such as forward collision warning, front and rear parking sensors, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, cruise control, aerial view camera system, and even a Night Vision Camera to ensure that you travel in complete safety. Some of the notable safety features include:

• Front Collision Warning
• Blind-spot Assist
• Lane Keep Assist
• Lane Departure Warning
• Front and Rear Parking Sensors
• An aerial view camera system
• Optional night vision camera

Rolls-Royce Cullinan vs Bentley Bentayga Speed

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan definitely is costlier when compared to the Bentley Bentayga Speed and doesn’t really have the performance capabilities of the Bentley. But when it comes to luxury, comfort, build quality, and safety, Rolls-Royce definitely seems to deserve the price tag that it comes with as Rolls-Royce gives you a wide range of customizable options that no manufacturer in the industry can match today. However, if you want a perfect blend of performance and luxury, then the Bentayga is more lucrative. 

Rolls-Royce Cullinan vs Lamborghini Urus

In terms of practicality and performance, the Lamborghini Urus certainly holds the upper hand. Not only is it quick on its feet but also provides a bigger trunk. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan on the other hand has its own persona that seems to attract potential customers despite the fact that it costs a small fortune. 

Rolls-Royce Cullinan vs. Land Rover Range Rover 

The Land Rover Range Rover and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan do not have much difference when it comes to performance but if we consider the power figures, the former SUV has the lead. However, if we compare the level of luxury then the Range Rover can’t hold hands with the Cullinan. But overall, it is a much better option, if the price tag is considered. 

The new Rolls-Royce Cullinan is a true statement of luxury, engineering, and design prowess. It is an SUV for those who want to have the experience which the elite of the society gets. However, if you can’t compromise with performance along with luxury then the Lamborghini Urus is what you are looking for.