Bentley Bentayga vs the Competition
September 01 2019, Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press
THE WORLD'S FIRST ULTRA-LUXURY SUV FINALLY HAS COMPETITORS
For the last two years the Bentley Bentayga has been the only ultra-luxury SUV available, but thanks to the new Lamborghini Urus and Rolls-Royce Cullinan things are starting to heat up within this highest echelon of premium off-roaders.
To be clear, this new range of ultra-luxury SUV is in an entirely different league from those that came before, starting in the mid-$200,000 range for the Bentley and Lamborghini, and north of $370,000 for the high Roller. This leaves SUV models that were previously at the top of the heap, particularly the full-size Land Rover Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Porsche Cayenne, and the recently added Maserati Levante, in a price bracket that starts much lower, along with SUVs from BMW, Lexus, Infiniti and the like, while the considerably more prestigious Bentley, Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini newcomers appeal to a much more exclusive luxury buyer.
To assist you in determining which ultra-luxury SUV would best suit your wants and needs, we've organized some straightforward lists of standard and optional features plus key specifications from the base trim levels of the Bentley Bentayga's price-comparative ultra-luxury SUV challengers, including the Lamborghini Urus and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and followed these up with some competitive analysis. Keep reading to find out more:
SUPERB PERFORMANCE DESPITE SEGMENT BEST PASSENGER LAYOUT
Having just completed the famed Pikes Peak Hill Climb faster than any other production SUV in recorded history, the Bentley Bentayga will need no convincing with respect to performance. The twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8-powered base model sprints from standstill to 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, while the top-line W12 accomplishes the task in a mere 4.1 seconds, and by so doing says so long to its new Rolls-Royce challenger that can only muster the feat in 5.2 seconds. Likewise, the Bentayga was the first SUV to reach a top speed in excess of of 300 km/h, whereas the Cullinan has been limited to just 255 km/h.
The Bentayga has also gained universal respect for its incredible handling prowess, while it's stiff body structure, air suspension, and advanced four-wheel drive system make it quite capable off-road. Of note, the new Lamborghini is the quickest and fastest of the three, but its performance does present some drawbacks.
For starters, the Urus can only seat a maximum of five, just like the Cullinan, whereas the Bentayga has available seating for seven. Still, despite its three-row practicality and incredible performance, the Bentayga is also more fuel-efficient than its key competitors at 11.4 L/100km combined city/highway in base V8 guise, this surprisingly thrifty when compared against the Urus at 12.7 L/100km and Cullinan at 15.0 L/100km.
Speaking of fuel-efficiency, Bentley will soon be the only ultra-luxury automaker to combine high levels of performance with environmental friendliness, thanks to a new electrified SUV. The upcoming 2019 Bentley Bentayga Plug-in Hybrid can achieve 50 kilometres of range in all-electric EV mode, plus it will only take 2.5 hours to fully recharge the battery.
BENTAYGA PROVIDES MORE USABLE CARGO CAPACITY THAN KEY RIVALS
Even in the ultra-luxury SUV sector, practicality matters, so therefore along with the Bentley SUV's aforementioned seven-passenger capability from three rows of seats, the Bentayga provides more usable cargo space than its two closest competitors. As noted above, all three utilities deliver similar storage space behind their second row of seats, but the Bentayga offers up considerably more maximum cargo capacity than the Urus and, while not as large as the Cullinan overall, it features a much flatter, more utile load floor when the rear seats are folded.
Unfortunately, neither Rolls Royce or Lamborghini have divulged tow ratings for their SUVs, but it will be difficult for them to beat the Bentayga's 3,500-kg (7,716-lb) trailering capacity, the Bentley sport utility having already proven its worth when it comes to hauling the family Airstream or taking your vintage Riva Aquarama down to the boat ramp for a dip.
EXCELLENT VALUE WITHIN THE ULTRA-PREMIUM SUV CLASS
The new Rolls Royce Cullinan does feature more standard features than either the Bentayga or Urus, but for $128,600 more than the $241,900 Bentley it needs to. This said the Bentayga is extremely well equipped in standard guise, with features like automatic full LED headlamps with automatic high beam and dynamic cornering capability, passive keyless access with pushbutton ignition, self-cinching doors, heated and ventilated front seats plus heated second-row outboard seats, a large high-resolution infotainment touchscreen incorporating navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 4G LTE Wi-Fi, plus an optional top-view surround camera system and an available head-up display.
On top of this, the Bentayga incorporates a full leather interior made from the finest materials, plus some of the most impressive cabin detailing in the industry.
To learn more about the new Bentley Bentayga V8 and W12 models, contact Bentley Vancouver by phone at (888) 263-1962 or come visit the showroom at 1770 Burrard Street.
