There’s a certain amount of satisfaction to be taken from something simply yet emphatically meeting expectations. A cold drink on a summer’s day, a good meal with friends, the Bentley Bentayga EWB. It may sound like I’m damning it with faint praise in saying that it meets expectations, but this is a Bentley. Expectations for the Bentayga EWB – extended wheelbase – were lofty to say the least. This is now Bentley’s flagship model, having replaced the Mulsanne which ceased production in 2020. This is the way of the world now, with demand for SUVs outstripping saloons and limos. But, to give Bentley its dues, it makes sense.
From the imperious, lofty driving position to the plentiful legroom in the rear, the Bentley Bentayga EWB feels every inch worthy of being the flagship model for a brand with a history as illustrious as Bentley’s. Times, they certainly change, and Bentley has moved adroitly with them. The original Bentayga was the first to push the envelope of the luxury SUV. To continue that legacy just feels logical.
Whilst the design might be familiar – you’d be hard pressed to tell the EWB from the ‘standard’ Bentayga in isolation on the road – it has aged gracefully. Where the Bentayga shocked with its size and scale when it was launched a decade ago, everything else has grown up around, perhaps even because, of it. Adding a few inches to the wheelbase doesn’t so drastically alter the aesthetics so as to compromise its design architecture.
It remains, however, big and imposing. The original and still the best? A long weekend with more than 500 miles of driving would reveal all. From first impressions, there are certainly worse places in which to cover such distances.
Living with the Bentley Bentayga EWB
At 5.3m long and 2.2m wide, you’d be forgiven for expecting this to be unmanageable in towns and cities. With rear-wheel steering, self-parking functionality and 360-degree surround view, however, the Bentley Bentayga EWB has a remarkable propensity to shrink around you. Yes, seriously.
Sure, it’s too big for most parking spaces, but you can neatly slot it between the lines and let the car do the heavy lifting with reverse parallel parks. Even if things do get heated, the car will help you to relax.
The model tested came in Azure spec, which has a focus on wellness. Heated, ventilated and massage seats are just the start. The wellness capability will keep you seat at a steady temperature. It will also move imperceptibly so that your posture doesn’t set. This alleviates stiff backs.
It works remarkably well. I drove to Leeds and back on the Saturday, a 400-mile round trip and I arrived as fresh as I’d departed. A bit of traffic on the M1? No drama, choose from the various massage settings and embrace the quality of the cabin.
This is where Bentley leaves its competition behind. The materials used and the craftsmanship are exceptional. Tick the Naim for Bentley audio option and you could happily sit in here just to listen to music. On the move, it isolates you from what’s going on around you.
Hop in the back and the airline seating specification raises the opulence bar still further. Reclining, with heated, ventilated, massage seats with dynamica pillows, it’s a wonderful place to be. The only car I’ve been in to rival the rear of the Bentley Bentayga EWB is the Lexus LM. But that’s so rear passenger focussed that you wouldn’t want to drive it. This, however, is a Bentley.
What’s the Bentley Bentayga EWB like to drive?
Start the Bentayga EWB and there’s the pleasing thrum of the 4ltr twin-turbo V8. With 542bhp and 770Nm of torque, there’s always plenty of shove available and 0-60mph can be dispensed with in 4.5secs. Unless being driven in this wholly uncouth manner, the 8-speed box silently works its way through the cogs.
One element that surprised me was the pickup at motorway speeds. At north of 2,500kg before anyone or anything has got in, there’s enough to weigh it down. This can blunt performance, particularly at higher speeds, but it’s not so noticeable here. The performance always feels linear and reliable.
At which point you’re grateful of the head up display. Wafting along, minding your own business, you can soon be travelling a little quicker than you intend.
Whilst the Bentayga EWB isn’t designed for B-road frolicking, it is far from a fish out of water in such an environment. If you need your driver to get you somewhere in a hurry, they will most certainly be able to meet your requirements. The anti-roll bar keeps things flat through corners and it retains an impressive poise at all times. Of course, it’s not a physics defying miracle machine, but I was surprised with how much I enjoyed hustling it along country roads. All whilst enjoying a lumbar massage.
It’s on the motorway, however, where the Bentayga EWB really steps up. The big Bentley positively devours the miles. Bring the adaptive cruise control into play and you can really settle into a long journey. At the end of a long day in Leeds, having already ticked off the early start to get up there, my shoulders usually sag at the prospect of the return journey. Not a bit of it here, I was rather looking forward to getting in and relaxing.
Conclusion
That’s what the Bentley Bentayga EWB does to you. There’s no need for haste, but you can get a move on when you need to. It’s a car that simply steps up and delivers whatever you demand of it. The Bentley Bentayga EWB is an astonishing car in so many ways. It dials up the opulence whilst retaining the poise and performance you’d expect of the Bentley badge. For effortlessly ticking off long distances, there’s little else to compete with it. You’ll be in no rush to get out. It’s a fitting flagship for Bentley.
The only minor gripe is the infotainment system. It has been left behind, even within the rest of the Bentley range, and feels its age. But it only stands out because the rest of the car is so on point. Even then, it doesn’t dominate like some screens do and everything works seamlessly. For fans of physical buttons, there are plenty of those with which to interact with and the old school rotary dials for the temperature and organ stops for the vents are a delight.
There’s a simplicity to the overall experience which is entirely fitting, too. There are drive modes available, but in reality, you don’t need them. The Bentley setting optimises everything and you’d be hard pressed to tell when someone switches to comfort or sport without telling you they’ve done it. The model tested is fitted with all terrain specification, but unless you’re seriously considering taking your Bentley Bentayga EWB off road, you won’t need it. Ground clearance is more than adequate with the adaptive air suspension to deal with speed bumps and potholes in such a manner that you barely register their existence.
Lofty expectations simply met. The Bentley Bentayga EWB takes the Bentayga to a whole new level.
