Bentley Bentayga EWB review: Modern British royalty

Jumping on to the SUV bandwagon, Bentley gave the world the Bentayga back in 2015, and needless to say, it’s the brand’s most popular model, accounting for 40 percent of its overall sales. Eight years on, you could expect an all-new model, but because it’s built on Volkswagen Group’s MLB EVO platform – which also underpins the current Porsche Cayenne and Lamborghini Urus – it’s pretty ready for the times. Naturally though, it’s been given an update and what we have here today is the extended wheelbase (EWB) version. It not only sits at the top of the Bentayga range – after Bentley bid farewell to the luxury Mulsanne sedan in 2020 – but is also considered the brand’s flagship for reflecting the growing social preference towards SUVs. So, is that elevated perch justified?

Bentley Bentayga EWB design

The EWB is 180mm longer than the standard Bentayga and its overall length stands at 5,322mm, and what’s neat is that it still looks proportionate, wearing its lengthened profile with elegance. Up front, you are greeted by the signature quad headlamps and the crystal effect gives it a lovely jewel-like shine even when not lit. The chrome is hard to miss: the wide vertical slat front grille in this Azure variant and the diamond pattern in the bumper are all in chrome, giving the Bentayga enough shine to stand out. The 22-inch, 10-spoke alloys look well-suited to this rather long SUV. See it in isolation and the rear door stands out – the company says the entire 180mm addition has gone to the second row, and thus, the rear door has been elongated considerably.

Unlike the norm, the rear is where Bentley gave the Bentayga the most comprehensive makeover, the tailgate has widened to curve over the side and the spilt rectangular tail-lights are now elliptical single-piece units. The number plate has also moved down to the bumper and the elliptical twin exhausts are now split, giving it a quad-pipe look.

Bentley Bentayga EWB interior

Pressing down on the B in the Bentley logo opens up 380 litres of boot space. The spare wheel is under the floorboard, freeing up the luggage space, which can be increased by folding the second row (not an option if you opt for the airline rear seats). There’s also the option to lower the floorboard for loading and unloading luggage, thanks to the air suspension.

The extra wide rear door, which is now power-assisted, makes ingress and egress an easy affair, and the amount of room inside is plenty. There are three seating arrangements available with EWB: five seats; 2+2 with a perch in the middle; and the one that we have on our test car, the multi-way adjustable, airline-inspired, throne-like bucket seats. You also get what is popularly known as boss mode – tap the control on the small rear touchscreen and it frees up more space, moves the front passenger seat forward and the footboard opens up to give you a relaxed position.

The seats come equipped with massaging functions, and the type and intensity can be adjusted. And before you ask about ventilated seats, which is so mass market, the Bentayga EWB’s rear seats have Seat Auto Climate – its sensors detect the seat temperature and humidity constantly, and then cool or warm the surface automatically to keep you comfortable at all times. They also come equipped with the Posture Adjust feature, which makes regular micro adjustments to the seat cushions making sure your body doesn’t get tired and stiff in one position during long drives.

The personal entertainment screen in our test car is optional, so effectively, on the second row, you get just one small touchscreen remote system, making it a less techy space here than say the Mercedes-Maybach GLS. This might disappoint gadget lovers, but honestly, there is certain luxury in this simplicity.

Bentley Bentayga EWB features

At the front, there’s a good dose of new-age tech and plenty of old-world charm too, with details like the veneered wood panels, the signature analogue clock and push-pull style metal AC vent controls. Look closely and you will notice that the handcrafted leather on the seats and door panel sport a new, elongated version of Bentley’s signature diamond quilting, which the company calls Harmony Diamond Quilt.

One detail I like is on the door panel – the ambient light filters through the perforated leather, and it’s quite pleasing to look at. There’s also a panoramic sunroof, which has been moved 125mm rearwards to place it perfectly above the second row to accommodate the increased wheelbase.

Up front, there is a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Naim premium audio system, and an automatic aircon with an air ioniser and purifier with PM 2.5 filters. If I had to nitpick, the plastic steering-mounted controls weren’t up to the mark and felt scratchy.

Customers can opt for ADAS, with features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitor and more. The driver display too can be customised, our car had a part-digital display, but you do have the option of a fully digital driver display.

Bentley Bentayga EWB performance

Under the long, elegant hood sits the 4.0-litre, 32-valve, dual twin-scroll turbocharged V8 petrol, serving up 550hp power and 770Nm of torque. It’s mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and this powertrain combination can be found on others in the VW stable too; in the Porsche it’s tuned for speed and performance, but the brief here is comfort and smooth power delivery, and the SUV does that effortlessly.

Don’t read this as slow; it’s quick to propel this almost 2.5 tonnes SUV to 100kph from a standstill in a claimed 4.5 seconds, but it does that with a certain calm demeanour. There is a slight pause before the turbo spools up, if you or your chauffeur step a bit quickly on the throttle. It’s also there when you get off the line in start/stop traffic, and to keep it smooth, you have to be gentle with the accelerator. The engine is very refined though and no noise or vibration seeps into the cabin even when pushed hard, indicating the excellent noise insulation in the Bentayga.

The Bentayga EWB gets air springs with continuous damping control and, on paper, that should give you excellent ride quality. However, the 22-inch 285/40 profile tyres on our test car didn’t smother potholes, and rough edges do filter through. So, if a comfortable ride is high on your priority list, opting for higher profile tyres might just be a better choice. It does have body roll, which you will feel a bit of in turns. The all-wheel steering makes maneuvering this massive car a breeze though, and you will be surprised to know that the turning radius of the EWB Bentayga is smaller than the standard one by seven percent!

Bentley Bentayga EWB price, verdict

At roughly Rs 6 crore, ex-showroom, the Bentayga EWB sits between JLR’s Range Rover, Mercedes-Maybach’s GLS and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, albeit closer to the Rolls in price. And after a day with it, I’m convinced that it more than has what it takes to mix it up at this rarified level.

The Bentayga is elegant, opulent and has the requisite modern touches, and the EWB also delivers a drive experience over the regular model with better manoeuvrability, and of course, there’s the extra space and airline seats that are simply top notch. So does the Bentayga EWB deserve the top spot in the Bentley stable? In one word, yes!

MUGDHA MISHRA

Also see:

Bentley Bentayga EWB video review

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