Bentley Bentayga review

You’ve a choice of four, five or seven seats. You’ll likely have the ultra-plush four-seater if you’re being chauffeured around, in which case you’ll be enjoying an extra 10cm of legroom compared to the first gen Bentayga. But then someone pulls up next to you in a new EWB with an extra 18cm of rear space. Awks. Try to shrug it off. By the way, you can’t have seven seats in the Hybrid because the batteries get in the way.

If you’re sat up front, though, things have improved even more markedly, even if the changes are all – once again – largely in the details. Bentaygas have never felt quite as special as a Continental or Flying Spur inside, with more VW Group-familiar displays and switchgear, even if the materials and presentation have generally been befitting of a £200,000-plus purchase. There’s less awareness of the inevitable part-sharing here, even if the ‘rotating Toblerone’ entertainment screen of lither Bentleys is missing.

What about the tech?

The tech’s all taken a step up. Apple CarPlay is now wireless, Android Auto makes its debut, and there seems to be a USB-C port embedded in every surface you look at. Which means updating your charging cable if you use a slightly older phone, but then you’re a Bentley owner. You probably don’t.

Oh, and if you stick your phone on the inductive charging plinth, it’s surrounded by a signal booster. The Conti GT that formerly lived in the Top Gear Garage had an interior so well cocooned it occasionally prompted an involuntary digital detox each time you drove it. One we might actually miss when all our WhatsApp groups are pinging away with endless GIFs inside one of these.

Any other tweaks?

Fully digital dials with classier map displays than an equivalent Audi, a newly smooth steering wheel with the stitching moved from the outside of the rim (so as not to irritate your finely moisturised fingers), a more artistic central air vent (which ionises the air it pumps out) and a new remote control for rear passengers to control their own seats and climate, possessing as much processing power as a home PC of a decade ago.

You’ll lose days perusing all the wood, leather, trim and stitching options inside, while you’ve a choice of two stereos: the standard, 590W, 12-speaker set-up, or the optional £7,065 Naim system with 1,780 watts and 20 speakers. Have that. You’ll realise why as soon as you listen to it.

Does it actually work as a family car?

It can work. The question is whether it should. The boot has a high floor which limits the below window load capacity, but 484 litres isn’t to be sniffed at. It’ll take all the golf clubs/padel rackets/polo kit you need. Except the horse. Bear in mind that fitting the Airline Seat Specification means you can’t fold the seats, and it eats into boot space. Luggage capacity drops by 100 litres. But basically, have a towbar and get cracking. Tip runs ahoy!

That’s not me. Tell me more about the Mulliner kit.

Bentley has taken a leaf out of the Rolls playbook. In the back you don’t have to close your own doors. A button does that for you. Then just lay back, have a fiddle with the electric seat, maybe have a massage, raise the window blinds, realise your toes barely tickle the front seats and have a snooze. There, that’s better. Being asleep: it really is a heck of a way to get distance done.

But you don’t get the champagne chiller as standard. No, that’s another £4,945 on top. No wonder most Bentayga Mulliners leave the factory having cost their owners over £300k.