Bentley Bentayga W12 First Drive Review

The Bentayga W12 with 600bhp is said to be the world's fastest SUV. Bentley also claims it's the most luxurious. Does it really need the validation?



  • Like: Sense of occasion, effortless speed, cabin, Bentley benefits
  • Dislike: Ride not as plush as expected

At its launch in 2016, the Bentayga definitely was the world's fastest SUV. The 2.4 tonne mass of hand-stitched leather and steel could sprint from 0-100kmph in 4.1 seconds and would go on to laugh in the face of physics, with a top speed of 301kmph. Since then, its stablemate, the Lamborghini Urus has it beat with a 305kmph top speed. But the Bentayga still has the edge when it comes to the most luxurious part.

There simply is nothing else that comes close to the level of craftsmanship and personalization offered by the Mulliner department, at Bentley HQ in Crewe. You can choose from 107 colours, or from nine shades of black itself. We think lighter colours suit the Bentayga better, lending it less visual bulk. In person, it is substantial though, and definitely looks better than pictures suggest.

This First Edition car we were driving had the optional carbon fibre pack, and dark brightwork instead of chrome which certainly helped, at least in our minds. The front fascia and fenders are sort of like the last gen Bentley Continental GT's, just with added height, and certainly look imposing. Our favourite parts are the rear flanks with their accentuated shoulder lines tapering into the roof. The Bentley 'B' vents on the wings are especially distinctive.

The Bentley wings theme carries forward into the cabin, with the entire layout forming symmetry around the wide central stack. The cabin can be specced in a choice of 15 hides and seven different wood veneers for the trim. Leather is everywhere you can see, and touch, so understandably the feel is plush. The hugely comfortable seats are 20-way adjustable and the same seats go in the rear, for the four-seater version. Rear seat space is plenty, though, reclining the rear seat means you have to shift it forward a fair bit, cutting into knee room. You can spec your Bentayga with rear seat entertainment and champagne glass holders if you wish. You can also choose for it be a five or even seven-seater, though the latter will cut into the 430-liter boot space.

The optional Naim for Bentley audio carries 20 speakers and 1,920W of power and is easily the best we've ever heard in a car, with incredible clarity and separation. Knurling on knobs and switches lends most controls an incredibly tactile feel though some switchgear is clearly borrowed from parent company VW's parts bin, like the stalks and rear-view mirror controls.

Though it does little to take away from the feel of being in something very, very special. That's especially true when you fire up the W12 motor. With the optional sports exhaust, this is one Bentley that's far from discreet.

The technological masterpiece that is the engine (with up to 50 per cent cylinder deactivation) deserves an entire piece on its own, but here are the important facts. The 12 cylinders are in a W configuration, which can be overly simplified as two V6s on a common crank. The benefit is that it's a smaller package than a V12 but at 5,998cc it's still packing huge displacement for the effortless speed Bentley is known for.

600bhp is the second most important figure to the 900Nm of torque available from a ridiculous 1,350rpm, thanks to two twin-scroll turbos. It wouldn't be fair to call the throttle pedal sensitive, but less than a quarter of an inch of travel has you at triple-digit speeds. Driven by a ZF-sourced eight-speed transmission and all-wheel drive, response isn't manic, as much as it is unnervingly instant. It's quite something else to pick up speed with so little drama.

The throaty exhaust does add to the fun but without it, we'd imagine it somewhat like hyperloop transport - doing huge speeds in a vacuum. Driving modes are what you'd expect, including off-road specific ones, but the Bentley mode is the one we left it in most of the time. This leaves the car to decide throttle response, shift points, steering feel and suspension settings based on driving conditions and driver inputs.

The Bentayga W12 comes with air suspension as standard and while the ride isn't super soft, it isn't harsh either, especially when seated at the rear. It takes care of the smaller bumps very well but more extreme road conditions do filter through, with the softer Comfort mode doing a perceptibly better job at smoothing out bumps than the adaptive Bentley mode.

The flipside is that body control is extremely good in the sportier modes, with the SUV staying relatively flat, thanks to active anti-roll bars that stiffen up to counter roll. The steering is light and direct, but still not feelsome enough to warrant pushing this 2.4-tonne car to its limits. We're told the customers who choose the W12 over the V8 engine still do a fair bit of driving themselves, and it's fair to say the Bentayga provides enough confidence to get to places very quickly.

Bolstered by the knowledge that the largest disc brakes (440mm rotors) in the business are on the front, and do a very good job of bringing speeds down without any undue stress.


Buying a Bentley is as much about gaining membership to an exclusive club. Owners get benefits, like access to Bentley vehicles at certain locations abroad, to name just one. The Bentayga feels like the absolute epitome of motoring, with a cabin that doesn't leave you wanting and an engine that gives more than you could possibly use. Driving the Bentayga feels like an occasion in itself. And if you think about it, that's half the job done, if you can afford it.

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