Test Drive: Bentley Bentayga Hybrid – Behind the Wheel of the Trendiest Luxury SUV

The grand British SUV Bentley Bentayga Hybrid offers a new version allowing it to avoid any tax penalty, but also to enter low emission zones.

Getting peace of mind. That might be partly what Bentley customers who opt for a Bentayga Hybrid will do. Officially, the vehicle consumes only 3.4 l/100 km and emits just 82 g of CO₂/km. In high-society dinners, this announcement will make a small splash! Of course – and we will revisit this later – these homologated figures depend on specific usage. But it doesn’t matter: history will remember that a Bentley with 449 total horsepower officially consumes less than a basic Renault Clio.

Is the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid a tax loophole?

This stance also offers other advantages, such as the maximum eco-tax penalty (€40,000, soon €50,000), which applies to all Bentleys except the Bentayga Hybrid, which is completely exempt. With a base price set at €202,500, one might think that buyers are unconcerned about paying eco-taxes. But that is not the reality.

Because if clients indeed have the means, there’s the question of acceptability—this psychological link that turns into a principle. Who, after already paying nearly €34,000 in VAT to the French government for such a model, would be inclined to pay an even higher eco tax penalty?

Those who truly don’t care will find another advantage to driving a luxury electrified car. Because tomorrow, increasingly more city centers will ban the most polluting vehicles, which this Bentley Bentayga electrified will not face. The British manufacturer has understood this well, and its customers too.

A luxury SUV for the rich, but already successful

As a result, orders are pouring in and the waiting times for this plug-in hybrid version keep increasing. Even those who won’t wait tend to enjoy options—with prices exceeding €76,000 on our test model—and prefer to add to the bill at the dealership rather than fund the tax authorities of a country at war with the rich.

Another advantage: the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid allows companies to avoid paying Vehicle Tax for three years. Few can afford such a car (especially in France, where flaunting success is frowned upon), but for those who can, it remains good news.

An ambiance like no other

The interior of the Bentley Bentayga stands apart from typical automotive offerings, except perhaps at Rolls-Royce, its perennial rival. Thick carpeting, high-end leather, ventilation pull handles recalling the brand’s history… nothing is missing to remind you that you are aboard a true luxury car.

At the rear, the seats are spacious, the climate control is individual, and there is a removable touchscreen tablet. But the third seat is less inviting, and the large transmission tunnel indicates that traveling with five will be uncomfortable.

This is fortunate because the trunk isn’t very large—particularly considering the vehicle’s exterior dimensions: 479 liters. This is roughly the same volume as in a gasoline version of the same model, but the space under the floor—useful for storing charging cables—has disappeared.

Luxury “faux-pas” for the Bentayga

Among the regrets, we note some “luxurious faux-pas,” such as buttons that resemble those in other Volkswagen Group models (owner of the brand) or the digital instrument cluster that mimics that of Audi but less well.

Generally, luxury cars are not well equipped for entertainment and info-display. Here, the central screen is rather slow, Bluetooth connection required multiple attempts, and the GPS is not crystal clear. In such cars, the focus is elsewhere, and Bentley perhaps—justly?—believes that its vehicles are entrusted to chauffeurs less concerned with onboard technology. The hi-fi system, however, is of excellent quality.

Electric? Yes, but…

Equipped with a 17.3 kWh auxiliary battery, the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid is homologated for 40 km of all-electric range. A realistic figure if you stay in urban and flat areas. During our test, initially in Monaco’s Principality and then in the Nice hinterland, the V6 engine performed flawlessly for 26 km on zero-emission mode without vibrations. This is enough for daily use and especially to meet ZFE legislation.

Thus, the claimed 3.4 l/100 km WLTP combined consumption becomes achievable if you recharge often and make short repeated trips. Once the batteries are depleted, consumption tends to hover around 10 to 12 l/100 km, which is reasonable for a vehicle nearly 2.7 tons heavy.

Regarding charging time, about 2h30 are needed on a 7.4 kW charging station. On a standard outlet, it takes around 8 hours. It’s a pity that such a brand does not offer—like the rechargeable Range Rover—a larger, fast-charging battery. Nonetheless, the Bentley’s battery allows for roughly 30 km of daily electric driving, with the combustion engine used only for longer trips.

Behind the wheel: bulky but enjoyable

The Bentayga Hybrid exceeds five meters in length and two meters in width, making the city not its favorite playground. Power in electric mode is limited but sufficient for urban and suburban driving. To avoid triggering the V6 engine start, the “EV” mode creates a resistance at the accelerator pedal. It’s very well implemented, and driving this way is truly enjoyable, especially as soundproofing is excellent. Electric cars typically produce rolling or airflow noises, but the Bentayga is well preserved in this regard thanks to careful work on this aspect.

On faster roads, this large SUV has also shown surprising lively handling, thanks to its turbo V6. Its air suspension rarely produces harsh jarring (especially with 22-inch wheels…), but it surprisingly limits body roll in corners.

A highly versatile SUV

In smooth driving, the car operates in a classic hybrid mode; electric power only takes over at low speeds or during parking maneuvers. The V6 engine always starts seamlessly, and the transition between thermal and electric motors is entirely transparent.

When increasing speed, steering is not entirely precise, but the Sport mode offers increased agility, especially with steering wheel paddles and a slightly more responsive 8-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration is smooth but always strong, aided by the combined torque (700 Nm) of petrol and electric power.

Without claiming sportiness, the Bentayga Hybrid proves to be versatile and dynamic, which is not obvious on paper. All of this is delivered with a smoothness that stands out compared to the rest of the automotive world.

Test verdict: Bentley Bentayga Hybrid

Bentley aims for excellence. This hybrid version fits perfectly into the current environment without compromising on the luxury expected in such a vehicle. On board, everything sets it apart from a “normal” car, and the driving experience offers unique sensations in terms of silence and comfort.

It’s barely the least the brand can do at this price level, leveraging the technical synergies of being part of a large group. Still, it needs some technological upgrades, but otherwise, it would have been perfect.

Technical specifications of the Bentley Bentayga Plug-in Hybrid

Photo gallery of the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid

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