Bentley Bentayga S Hybrid 2023 UK review

It indispensable beryllium tricky for car makers similar Bentley to cognize however overmuch and however rapidly to perpetrate to the electrification of its cars. A conflict is being fought betwixt the volume-selling premium brands astatine present, with caller plug-in hybrid SUVs emerging period by period - from BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and others - with upwards of 60, 70 oregon adjacent 80 miles of authoritative ‘equivalent all-electric range’.

To a definite extent, it’s a conflict that Bentley tin spend to basal and watch, arsenic cipher buying the new Bentley Bentayga S Hybrid volition beryllium worrying astir benefit-in-kind taxation bills. But it tin lone enactment connected the sidelines for truthful long, due to the fact that soon enough, the lawsuit is going to commencement to wonderment wherefore that colleague’s Range Rover tin bash 70 miles betwixt charges portion their Bentayga struggles to negociate 30.

That, for now, is wherever the Bentayga rests successful this fast-changing marketplace for electrified luxury transport. Crewe introduced the Bentayga Hybrid successful 2019, arsenic its archetypal electrified car. But, having present been done the process with the Flying Spur, it has revisited its large SUV and recovered immoderate ways to amended the offering. It has besides lately added new comfort-orientated ‘Azure’ and sporty ’S’ derivatives to the Bentayga Hybrid exemplary line, and it’s the second we’re investigating here. 

What it hasn’t done, regrettably, is swapped the 3.0-litre mentation of the Volkswagen Group’s EA839 V6 petrol motor for the shorter-stroke, higher-output, twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre 1 that has powered the Flying Spur Hybrid from the start, and that besides serves successful the likes of the Audi RS4 and Porsche Cayenne S. So, adjacent though the badging of the caller Bentayga S Hybrid mightiness suggest otherwise, it doesn’t tally the aforesaid powertrain arsenic the equivalent limo.

It does person marginally much powerfulness and torque than it utilized to, by dint of improvements to its motor, and a somewhat longer EV range. It has a peculiar sports exhaust, and a dependable generating resonator nether the bonnet to marque up for the combustion engine's flimsy deficiency of audible presence. It has sporty seats and bumpers, and tons of racey-looking carbonfibre assemblage trim if you privation it. But, to thrust astatine least, it isn’t a car transformed successful rather the mode that you mightiness person hoped for.

That’s nary peculiar responsibility of the car’s caller S-specific suspension settings, it indispensable beryllium noted. The S Hybrid gets the aforesaid uprated adaptive aerial suspension arsenic the V8-engined S, with its damper rates accrued by 15%. It doesn't get Bentley’s Dynamic Ride progressive anti-roll bars, due to the fact that of the packaging of the PHEV strategy – though I wouldn’t accidental that you miss them.

This car has creditable assemblage control, chassis effect and handling precision for the big, luxury conveyance that it is (it’s astir 250kg heavier than the S) and volition support some its dynamic composure and thrust isolation reasonably good if you take to hurry it along. So there’s much than a modicum of sporting entreaty astir the driving experience.

The somewhat disinterested-feeling V6 is conscionable a small unworthy of 1 of Bentley’s S badges, though. Even erstwhile the electrical centrifugal is doing each that it tin to assist, it inactive feels a small spot abbreviated connected accessible torque successful a car of this size and weight, needing revs (and downshifts from the somewhat lazy, slow-witted torque-converter automatic gearbox) earlier it produces thing adjacent to truly commanding pace.

When you’re cruising astir successful EV mode, Bentley’s improvements to the Bentayga's artillery and electrical centrifugal bash tell. You tin comfortably tone it up to the acold broadside of 50mph successful the expanse of regular postulation without needing immoderate other grunt from the engine, and if you support to those sorts of speeds, you volition find 30 miles of EV driving casual capable to achieve.

Just however agelong that volition proceed to beryllium judged capable for a £185,000 PHEV SUV erstwhile alternatives that outgo fractional arsenic overmuch volition spell doubly arsenic acold and farther is present Bentley’s occupation to contemplate. Funnily enough, for a Bentley customer, I would ideate that a amended combustion motor mightiness adjacent beryllium a higher priority.