Two friends recently joined me for a weekend morning drive to breakfast in a 2017 Bentley Bentayga. One buddy wore a fedora for the occasion, the other a touring cap. Another friend dressed up for a lunch meeting. It wasn’t for the restaurant’s stature, but for his passenger’s role in the plush sport utility vehicle.
(All images © Michael Kahn, https://www.mklibrary.com)
Bentley does that to people. It’s the manufacturer of cars for royalty, including the Queen of England’s 2002 limousine. It’s the original car author Ian Fleming selected for his James Bond character to drive while wearing his custom-tailored suits. Beyond its elegance, Bentley has won the 24 Hours of LeMans six times.Key Takeaways
- Fastest SUV ever built when launched: 600-horsepower 6.0-liter W12 engine delivers 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds and a 187-mph top speed, setting the benchmark for SUV performance in 2017.
- Bentley’s first sport utility vehicle: The Bentayga is named after a subtropical peak in the Canary Islands and represents Bentley’s response to Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Maserati entering the ultra-luxury SUV space.
- Hand-crafted interior with Bentley’s signature materials: Quilted top-grade leather, personalized wood inlays (dark-stained burr walnut in the test car), variable front and rear-seat massage, and a signature Breitling analog clock.
- Roughly $300,000 starting, customized above: About 5,000 Bentaygas are slated for 2017 production globally, with approximately one-third of the production allocated to North America.
- Fuel economy is a penalty of the powertrain: 12 city / 19 highway / 15 combined mpg on premium gasoline is the cost of carrying a 600-hp W12. Green-car honors are not part of this car’s mission.
Bentley will turn 100 in two years and the English carmaker, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, recently invested a queen’s ransom into the brand, and it has a few new vehicles — a rarity among exotic cars.
The Mulsanne sedan, which I recently reviewed, is more than 18 feet long and six feet wide. It was first unveiled in 2009 and its more powerful sibling, the Mulsanne Speed, in a 2014 model. They’ve remained the same generation. But for the 2017 models, they’re joined by a new Flying Spur V8 S model.
And then there’s the Bentayga. It’s the 600-horsepower, SUV for celebrity soccer moms with an appreciation for racetrack driving and variable front and back seat massage capabilities in their vehicles. Or, it’s the appropriate vehicle for car fanciers with $300,000 to spare and who’ve grown tired of every other SUV on the road looking identical.
The Bentayga, named after a rugged peak in the subtropical Canary Islands, is the one percent of the SUV phenomenon. It’s the fastest growing car segment, and so Bentley and Maserati have new elite people haulers while Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini have SUVs planned.
Billed as the fastest SUV ever made, the Bentayga has a top speed of 187 mph and gets the rating via its six-liter W12 engine. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in four seconds, quick enough to appease performance-obsessed souls. Equally impressive, the Bentayga glides down the road as a quiet heavyweight. It’s a high-sitting luxury sedan with SUV tendencies.
Like its siblings, the new Bentley’s exterior is understated, with one exception. Its massive shiny front grille can likely communicate with interplanetary satellites, but its rear end is plain. Several observers noted they didn’t recognize the vehicle as a Bentley or anything else exotic until they viewed the “Winged B” Bentley logo.
The interior exudes refinement rather than flash. Top-grade quilted leather with superior quality cross stitching dominates the cabin. Wood inlays are personalized via customers’ preferences. In my test vehicle, the dark-stained burr walnut ideally complemented the leather motif like an homage to Architectural Digest. The sound system was concert hall quality, the safety and technology features state of the art. Comfort reigned.
Environmentalists would likely cast a scornful attitude since the Bentayga has ratings of 12 mpg in city driving and 19 mpg in highway treks. But that’s the nature of the massive horsepower, powerful machines. Green car honors aren’t part of the equation.
Bentley has never been a high volume manufacturer. A reported 5,000 Bentayga models are set for 2017, with about one-third of the production slated for North American distribution. Buy one and dress appropriately.
What We Like
- 600-hp W12 with 4.0-second 0-60 and 187-mph top speed
- Hand-crafted cabin with Mulliner bespoke personalization
- Variable front and rear-seat massage functionality
- 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters and all-wheel drive
- Near-limitless customization via Bentley’s bespoke Mulliner program
What We Don’t
- 12 mpg city on premium gasoline
- Six-figure starting price before personalization
- Rear styling is notably more subdued than the grille
- Service network limited given narrow North American allocation
- Tech interface is VW Group-sourced, not Bentley-unique
Facts & Figures: 2017 Bentley Bentayga
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Engine | 6.0L Twin-Turbo W12 |
| Horsepower | 600 |
| Transmission | 8-speed Automatic |
| Drivetrain | All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel Economy | 12 city / 19 hwy / 15 combined mpg |
| Fuel Type | Premium Gasoline |
| Acceleration | 0-60 mph, 4.0 seconds |
| Top Speed | 187 mph |
How It Compares
| Vehicle | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| 2017 Range Rover SVAutobiography | |
| 2017 Mercedes-AMG G63 | |
| 2017 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S | |
| 2017 Maserati Levante |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much horsepower does the 2017 Bentley Bentayga have?
The hand-built 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 engine produces 600 horsepower, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
How fast is the 2017 Bentley Bentayga?
0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds with a top speed of 187 mph — billed as the fastest SUV ever made at its 2016 launch.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Bentayga?
EPA ratings are 12 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, and 15 mpg combined on premium gasoline.
How much does the 2017 Bentley Bentayga cost?
Base pricing starts around $230,000 and climbs into the $300,000s with personalization. Bentley’s Mulliner program allows nearly limitless customization.
Is the Bentayga related to other Volkswagen Group SUVs?
Yes. The Bentayga shares its MLB Evo platform with the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, Lamborghini Urus, and VW Touareg, though Bentley’s engineering, materials, and tuning are unique.
How many Bentaygas are built each year?
Approximately 5,000 units for 2017 production, with about one-third allocated to North American dealers. Bentley has never been a high-volume manufacturer.
Does the Bentayga have massage seats?
Yes. Both front and rear seats offer variable massage functionality as part of the standard seating package in the test vehicle.
What are the main rivals to the 2017 Bentley Bentayga?
Primary competitors include the Range Rover SVAutobiography, Mercedes-AMG G63, Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, and Maserati Levante in the ultra-luxury SUV segment. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan arrived in 2018 to directly challenge the Bentayga.
Article Last Updated: April 17, 2026.
- About the Author
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
Thanks for the review. We’re excited to learn some of the new features these luxurious autos have to offer.