Bentley Bentayga V8
Updated to fight Aston DBX
Despite the impressive global success of the Bentayga since its 2016 launch, Bentley has always been a bit concerned about the styling of its SUV flagship.
Most early criticism has melted away now that global sales have passed 20,000 and this fastest-selling Bentley ever continues to dominate a class whose size has trebled in four years, helped by the arrival of the Rolls-royce Cullinan, Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX.
Still, it’s small wonder that Bentley has launched such a thorough Bentayga update for 2020, running to more than 1000 individual changes.
On the outside, changes reflect the effects of a new design era that arrived with the latest Continental GT and Flying Spur saloon. The grille is bigger and more upright, while the lights are lifted in the front wings and take on an exotic, elliptical shape. At the rear, there’s a cleaner, new-shape tailgate that allows an uncluttered space for new elliptical tail-lights. The numberplate is in a more ideal aperture in the lower bumper. The lower body sides now have stylish light catchers and the rear roof spoiler is extended. Finally, the car’s stance is adjusted so that its new-design 22in wheels more fully fill its wheel arches.
Inside, the centre console’s edges have been extended into the cabin to improve looks and carrying space, while two of Bentley’s trademark eyeball vents have been replaced by a prominent new winged vent on top of the dashboard, incorporating the analogue clock. The driver gets a classy head-up display, plus a bigger screen between the traditional twin dials (now digital). There’s a new switch panel on the centre console, providing hard keys for owners who prefer not to operate the infotainment system via the (larger) touchscreen.
The Bentayga’s seats have all been redesigned. For cooled versions, the leather perforations now reach to the edges for better summer effectiveness, and there’s a new double-seam interpretation of Bentley’s characteristic quilted trim design. The second-row seats have a new frame that affords around 30mm more knee room when occupants are sitting normally or 100mm when the newly provided extra reclining is used. Among other practical updates are matrix headlights with 48 LEDS on each side and ‘wet arm’ wipers with 22 jets that make a more efficient job of windscreen-washing.
Bentley is launching the 2020 Bentayga in 4.0-litre V8 form first, using its familiar 542bhp 32-valve petrol unit. The 6.0-litre W12 Speed model will come later, along with a promised V6 petrol plug-in hybrid.
The new Bentayga feels hearteningly familiar on the road. It’s big and wide, with large helpings of refinement and very low noise and vibration levels. With a 0-60mph time of 4.4sec, copious traction via a clever 4x4 system, an air suspension system that offers four air-suspended ride heights plus 48V active roll control, the new Bentayga delivers handsomely on the original’s promise of ultra-versatile high performance.
A few things feel different. The front seats have better side support. A small but critical increase in rear track means the steering feels a shade more precise and immune to bump disturbance near its straight-ahead – a big benefit on narrow roads. And in potholed Britain, this vehicle absorbs bumps with calmness and poise.
Not that the new Bentayga is perfect. Our test car generated more motorway road noise than we remember. It’s not terrible, just not as impressive as we had hoped. One standout fault is the Bentayga’s slowness to respond to the throttle when you’re accelerating from rest at intersections. At times, it feels downright sluggish – hard to tolerate in a machine whose every other mode of driving is smooth and graceful. Perhaps the PHEV will be better.
That aside, the new Bentayga is, just like its predecessor, an all-round brilliant machine, built to a level of quality entirely commensurate with its £145,000-plus pricing. Bentley has a hard-won position to defend and has built the SUV to do it.