At the heart of the 2021 Bentley Bentayga is its engine. This year, Bentley offers two high-output gasoline engine options, as well as a hybrid powertrain option. Bentley still offers the prevalent 4.0L V8 twin turbo making 542 horsepower and at the top of the line sits the Speed version of the Bentayga, utilizing the powerful 626 horsepower 6.0L twin-turbo W-12 engine.
The entry level hybrid powertrain consists of a V6 engine and an electric motor for those concentrating on luxury with fuel efficiency. All three engine choices are mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, sending power to all four wheels. No matter which petrol engine, the Bentayga should go from 0-60 in under 4 seconds.
The Bentayga is available in four discrete trim levels; Hybrid, V8, First Edition and the Speed trim.
The Bentayga comes loaded with a standard 10.9-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, a 700-watt 12-speaker stereo sound system, voice-activated navigation, Bluetooth, mobile hotspot, USB ports and satellite radio. Additional standard features on the hybrid model include 21-inch alloy, leather seating, power front seats, heated front and rear seating, power folding mirrors with tilt function, remote keyless entry and multi-zone climate control with separate rear HVAC controls.
The V8 and Design Edition carry over all those same features but adds the 542-horsepower twin turbo V8 engine, instead of the base model's hybrid system. The Design Edition differs from the V8 trim by adding many sporty and luxurious styling cues, these includes special color combinations and luxurious designed touches by Mulliner.
The Bentayga Speed is the top-end trim available by Bentley. It comes standard with the powerful 626-horsepower 12-cylinder engine. It's recognized as one of the fastest SUVs on the market. It also adds the larger 22-inch wheels, leather with suede seating, heated leather steering wheel, 360-degree camera system and power rear window sunshade for rear passenger privacy. The Speed trim comes with a slew of safety features, including Reversing Traffic Warning, pedestrian warning, forward collision mitigation, Park Assist and Traffic Sign Recognition.
The Bentayga comes stocked with standard safety features, including automated emergency braking, blind spot warning, perimeter approach lights, front and rear overhead airbags, tire pressure monitoring, tracker system, immobilizer and eight airbags.
Optional luxurious equipment on the Bentayga include carbon ceramic brakes, sports exhaust, Bentley Dynamic Ride, rear privacy glass, veneered picnic table, Mulliner console drinks cooler, Bentley Rear Entertainment and many optional materials for interior finishes.
The Bentayga is available in four distinct specification packages, Touring, City, All-Terrain and Mulliner. All-Terrain Bentayga come with a couple of unique driving modes, including a Mud and Trail mode and a Sand mode. Another nice feature on the All-Terrain is a sump camera that could prove invaluable in helping the driver to avoid bottoming out while off-roading. A compass, an altimeter and various other off-road spec gauges come standard on the All-Terrain.
City specification includes Park Assist functions and a top view camera to make parking the admittedly large SUV significantly easier. The City specification also can detect traffic signs, displaying speed limits and other signs in the dashboard where the driver can see them. The City specification has additional features to help avoid fender benders in urban areas. The Bentayga has an audible pedestrian warning system that will beep if someone steps into the vehicle's path, applying emergency braking if necessary.
The Mulliner trim adds unique 22-inch wheels, Ombre Burr Walnut fade veneer interior, LED welcome lights, a console drink cooler, and a Naim audio system. Additional options include ambient lighting, a rear entertainment system, front and rear-seat ventilation with massaging function, a two-tone premium leather-trimmed steering wheel and rear foldable tables.
The Touring specification adds adaptive cruise control and lane assist functions to the Bentayga. The adaptive cruise control can even be used in heavy traffic, allowing the Bentayga to come to a complete stop and then accelerate again as traffic allows. A night vision system can also warn drivers of potential hazards lurking beyond the view of the headlights.
Extreme Levels Of Comfort And Luxury
All-wheel Drive
Plenty Of Ground Clearance
Incredible Acceleration
Bentley Cachet
For 2021, the Bentayga receives few major changes including a refreshed exterior with a new front grill and headlights and a new infotainment system with a bigger 10.9-inch touchscreen that incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
With the Bentayga, a new level of luxury enters this SUV game. Like all Bentleys, value is a subjective term, used more in relation to the exclusivity and performance of the vehicle than in terms of outright cost. The Bentayga will be about as exclusive as SUV's come. Picking out the right Bentayga is an exercise that can easily take up one's entire afternoon. So many options and colors are available that it's easy to get lost in the features list. And of course, the standard features are just on this side of ridiculous.
