2023 Bentley Bentayga

The term 'connoisseur' is defined as an expert judge in matters of taste, and motoring connoisseurs hold automakers like Bentley and Rolls-Royce in the highest regard as the personification of class and style. With so much focus on SUVs and crossovers of late, it's no wonder these power brands have stepped up to the plate. The new Bentaya SUV brings eminent practicality and superfluous comfort to the table - but, seated alongside rivals like the Lamborghini Urus and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, it has to remain on its toes to shine in the ultra-luxury segment.

So Bentley puts in the work and presents buyers with a modern, family-oriented SUV that is now available with an extended wheelbase, seating up to seven. It comes flush with luxuries and comforts typical of the brand and can be powered by various powerful engines, including a 626-horsepower W12 and a hybrid V6 with 443 hp. While it's not the most beautiful to look at, the Bentayga's spacious and plush cabin are streets ahead of what you'd find on more mainstream cars. But is it enough to dominate in the segment?

The price range for the Bentley Bentayga is broad, with the entry-level models in standard V8 guise retailing for around $192k. Adding the hybrid power plant ups those figures with a few thousand dollars, too. Extended wheelbase derivatives are pricier still, with the Azure First Edition priced north of $210k. The W12-equipped Speed can cost as much as $263k to start. Fully kitted out, it's not uncommon for Bentayga prices to exceed $300k. These prices exclude Bentley's destination charge of $2,725.

With or without the extended wheelbase, the Bentayga is a powerful vehicle. The base powertrain is a V8 that develops 542 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque, while a 626-hp 664-lb-ft W12 is available on the Speed. Both are adept at hustling the heavy SUV around town or flinging it down highway stretches with abandon. The hybrid is not quite as burly, but it gets the job done with improved fuel efficiency. To ensure all that metal is brought to a stop safely and quickly, a set of powerful brakes is equipped.

Despite their size and heft, the Bentayga handles well, and the EWB model gets the added benefit of rear-wheel steering to help it feel smaller and more nimble than it is. The steering is otherwise light and precise, so getting around town is nice and easy, and even parking the high-riding behemoth should be a breeze. However, the steering lacks any real feedback, so getting a thrill out of driving is unlikely.

One area that doesn't lack at all, though, is comfort. The new Bentley Bentayga SUV is one of the plushest cruisers on the road, with a suspension that absorbs any corrugations and jostles ahead of it. Even the biggest of bumps are smoothed over with ease, and the suspension adapts to road conditions, drawing power from the mild-hybrid system.

A bad Bentayga is an oxymoron in the truest sense. While taste still plays a big part when buying a new car, you really can't go wrong with Bentley. The Bentayga, in particular, is hard to pass up thanks to its excellent balance of key factors like luxury, performance, comfort, practicality, and features. That said, mainstream brands like Honda and Toyota have lorded their enormous trunks and spacious rear seats over even the most premium brands for years. Now, Bentley is taking back some of that power with its extended wheelbase Bentayga, which gives rear-seat passengers unparalleled space and comfort. Sadly, it does nothing to improve trunk capacity over the regular version, with the focus being on sublime comfort for those seated in the back.

The gorgeously appointed cabin is packed with modern features, while a range of powerful engines, from hybrid to W12, keep the hefty SUV moving with effortless grace. Though not built for it, the Bentayga can be fun to drive in its own way. This well-roundedness is what makes the Bentley so unique since even the Rolls Cullinan and Lambo Urus don't directly compete with it. But if you can afford one, you can probably afford all three, and you should definitely have one o these in your garage.

If you have to ask how much it costs... yeah, you know the shtick. No Bentley Bentayga can be considered "affordable," so we'd throw caution to the wind and make ours as opulent as possible. That means opting for the W12-powered Bentayga Speed model. The V8 feels like a powerful missile under the hood of the Bentayga, but the W12 is an atom bomb. From there, we'd spare no expense opting for any bell or whistle that sounds appealing, particularly the crystal clear Naim audio system and the four-seat Comfort Specification. Bentley doesn't give a full list of prices on its configurator, but we assume a fully-optioned Bentayga can easily surpass $300,000.