Santa delivered the priciest vehicle TFL’s reviewed all year to the offices for a short stay. At $311,315, the 2024 Bentley Bentayga EWB Azure tops the sticker price leaderboard by over $100,000. The extended wheelbase adds 7 inches of space to the rear seats, which makes the vehicle a real consideration for owners who spend all their time in the 2nd row and leave the driving to their chauffeur.
So, is it worth it? As Roman and Tommy discuss in their review, the Bentayga does include a host of no-excuses luxury touches and technology that DO put the Bentley into rarified air. Whether you believe the sticker price, with its roughly $40,000 in options, is worth it isn’t the point. Customers of this vehicle want unapologetic luxury and performance, not value.
Under the Hood of the Bentley Bentayga
Power comes from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that unleashes 542 hp and 558 lb-ft. of torque through an 8-speed automatic. Bentley claims a 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds that is certified fast for such a massive SUV–fast for any vehicle. Top speed is 180 mph, according to Bentley. Handling gets an assist thanks to four-wheel steering that makes this luxury liner more maneuverable in parking lots and for parking valets. Twenty-one-inch wheels look, and are, massive, but their size also allows Bentley to slide equally massive brake rotors on all four wheels.
Inside the Bentayga EWB
Bespoke luxury is a Bentley hallmark, and when you slide into this cabin, you can actually feel it. The giant rear doors look heavy, and they are. But don’t sweat it; they close shut at the push of a button. The optional $12,000 airline seats slide forward to make more room to lean back to 40 degrees. At the same time, the passenger seat slides forward to maintain legroom. And yes, it happens at the push of a button on the rear passengers’ touchscreen. These features are also where most of the extra costs come into play.
A $9,150 NAIM audio system immerses the passengers in rich sound. Hand-sewn leather trim is everywhere — even the steering wheel and gear shifter feature a bespoke $1,080 leather option. Real walnut trim on the dash and center stack glisten under their lacquer coats.
But perhaps the most luxurious sensory pleasure comes from the near-silent cabin. For an ICE vehicle with a powerful engine, the interior of the Bentayga does the silent treatment quite well.
Driving Impressions
Roman and Tommy couldn’t get enough of the over-the-top luxury touches in the Bentley. While the Bentayga’s exterior style elicits a love-it-or-hate-it reaction from people used to decades of Bentley’s sleek coupes and sedans, once inside the SUV, its extra interior space and comfort can’t be denied. The Bentayga truly makes the case that the future of luxury is, or maybe already is, the spacious SUV. Click on the video below, where Roman and Tommy share their opinions, and see if you agree.
