Bentley Bentayga
HELLO
£157,800 OTR/£198,790 as tested/£1,700pcm
WHY IT’S HERE
Does downsizing and plugging in a big, luxurious SUV actually work?
DRIVER
Rowan Horncastle
HEAR YE, HEAR YE! CAN EVERYONE PLEASE BE UPSTANDING FOR the latest addition to the TopGear Garage a Bentley Bentayga Hybrid
Believe it or not Crewe’s luxo SUV is now seven years old To counter the sevenyear itch this new hybrid Bentayga the bestselling model arrived as part of an extensive new component midlife facelift A facelift any plastic surgeon would be proud of as it’s taken some age and flab out of the bodywork and significantly sharpened the looks
More importantly the fact it’s a hybrid helps move the game on as it’s the first stepping stone to Bentley’s greener electrified future By next year every Bentley will be available as a plugin hybrid Then by all Bentleys will be either plugin hybrid or fully electric with Crewe’s first allelectric car due to be launched in And get this by all Bentleys will be EVs with the W and Vs consigned to history
So what exactly have we got in the garage? Finished in Dark Sapphire paintwork with the optional ‘Blackline’ specification which adds some mascara around the headlights and turns all chrome elements including the massive grille black it looks rather smart which a big expensive k SUV like this should Inside it’s got a belly full of expensive wood and fine Brunel and saddle leather contrasted against piano black fascias which has caused a few raised eyebrows in the office
Still if like me you have one of those lifestyles an electric car can’t quite slot into these PHEVs offer a natty solution With the Bentayga serving up ish miles of range from a kWh battery it’s just about enough range for mooching around town When those batteries are depleted a litre singleturbo V cavalry good for bhp comes out from under the bonnet gifting you flexibility free of any major range or charging issues But is it the best fit for a Bentayga? Well we have a few months to find out