2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed Review

The latest Bentayga Speed is more powerful and dynamic than ever. Is it the best option in the Bentley SUV range?

The Bentley Bentayga range isn’t lacking for variants, each offering different levels of luxury, from lavish to opulent. Models such as the Azure and the EWB Mulliner lean into Bentley’s handcrafted excess, while the Speed is a bit of an outlier, adding some dynamism to the extravagance.

According to its maker, the new Bentayga Speed is the ‘most powerful, most dynamic and most exhilarating Bentley SUV yet’. So, quite something then. It is said to surpass the previous W12-equipped variant, with more power and the ‘most dynamic chassis set-up ever offered on a Bentayga’.

The twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 is pumped up to 478kW, while 850Nm of torque, available from 2250–4500rpm, provides the thrust. A sports exhaust is standard, but you’ll want to spend up on the optional titanium Akrapovič pipes. More on that later.

While they haven’t fiddled with the Comfort and Bentley modes, Sport has been tuned to deliver a slightly stiffer set-up than in other Bentayga models. With the optional carbon-ceramic brakes, you also get an ESC Sport mode to give you more leeway in the bends, along with launch control, a first for the Bentayga. There is also rear-wheel steering fitted as standard, plus Speed-specific styling and detail finishes inside and out.

Not cheap, but quite nice

The Speed asks $489,100 but no Bentley goes out the door without a few options.  With its 23-inch wheels and carbon brakes ($21k), titanium sports exhaust ($16k) and other items such as the $10k Touring specification (a package of driver-assistance features including a head-up display, night-vision camera and adaptive cruise control with lane guidance), the $10k B&O sound system, $7k worth of carbon trim and a whole bunch of other items (they even charge $800 for mood lighting), this vehicle achieves an as-tested price of $661k.

Inside, this Speed has carbon fibre in place of the wood veneers you might expect to find in a Bentayga, along with an abundance of leather. Cowhide is everywhere, even on the headlining. This is going to soak up litres of leather conditioner with every groom to keep it looking good. The colour split is Speed-specific, with Beluga teamed with Hyper Green. And it works, for the Speed at least. The craftsmanship is solid, the leatherwork is superb, as is the lacquering of the carbon trim. While they have blacked out the exterior chrome, there is still plenty inside, which often manages to reflect the sun straight into your retinas.

Given its ageing architecture, the cabin has a handy number of buttons to get things done quickly. But a larger screen wouldn’t go astray, along with better resolution for the surround-view camera. And hopefully, when a new Bentayga eventually turns up, it has real clocks behind the wheel; everything has a digital dash these days, so the true luxury class should go analogue.

The seats have ample adjustment and mix support and comfort nicely. This also has the $10k Seat Comfort package, with a massaging function and ‘Postural Adjust’, which makes subtle adjustments to ‘vary the pressure on your muscles to reduce fatigue’ when touring. There’s also Seat Auto Climate, a function that ‘monitors temperature and humidity levels at the surface of the seat and deploys the seat’s heating and ventilation accordingly’. They think of everything.

The safety features are present, though they remain quiet in the background. The lane-keeping assistance can get a touch annoying, but can be quickly switched out without the need to go near the touchscreen. 

There is a three-seat bench in the rear, but it’s more fitting for two. The decor is lavish back there as well. There’s also a large boot, making this a particularly practical hot rod. There’s no low range of course but you get an off-road mode that might be helpful on the way to the ski field.

No shrinking violet

On start-up, the Speed trumpets its intentions; the sports exhaust is not subtle. But despite the bravado, and the big 23s with their thin strips of rubber, it’s still a Bentayga underneath. The air-sprung ride is always pleasant, cushy even in Comfort mode as it soaks up the divots, while the rear-wheel steering eases progress around town in what is a big vehicle. The eight-speed auto is always genteel. We like how the Speed gracefully sinks back on its haunches as it accelerates away in an unfussed fashion. While peak torque doesn’t register until 2250rpm, there is plenty of twist available from idle too, so turbo lag isn’t an issue. It gobbles gas at a ravenous rate, of course, with the long-term average registering 18L/100km, though the cost of filling the 85L tank will be of no concern to the owner.

at close to 2500kg, you don’t expect dynamic miracles, and yet this still impresses.

Once you’ve found a road suitable for the Speed, you’ll want to try that upgraded Sport mode. That turns the exhaust obnoxious, the spent gases exiting with a menacing roar complemented by a crackling overrun. And everything else is primed for a bit more action.

At close to 2500kg, you don’t expect dynamic miracles, and yet this still impresses. With the firmer damping characteristics and active roll control, that monumental mass is surprisingly well contained. With the Speed stabilised, it turns willingly, as the front wheels aren’t having to deal with an excess of weight transfer. And that helps negate the natural tendency of a big SUV to push wide. Meanwhile, the brake-activated torque vectoring helps too, while the steering relays the action proficiently. It’s not overly chatty, but advises calmly.

You can roll into the throttle eagerly before the corner exit, and it doesn’t stray wide. The V8 thumps away as the ample mid-range hauls this out of the bend. It piles on speed quickly, the exhaust rumbling, while the auto snaps through a quick shift around the 6500rpm mark to keep the momentum flowing. It’s tuned to deliver a well-timed downshift under brakes too, so everything is ready once you’re back into the throttle.

That substantial mass travelling at quite a velocity takes some arresting. While the Speed possesses big stoppers, you don’t want to leave it too late. While they don’t have the best pedal feel, the carbon brakes do have staying power.

Perhaps what’s more impressive is how well this goes in the B for Bentley mode. It chews up territory at a phenomenal rate while hardly breaking a sweat. It’s a more fitting mode for when your cronies are on board; you won’t upset them, but they’ll still be impressed with the pace of the thing.

The best Bentayga?

Certainly, if you are after an extravagant mix of sport and luxury, few others can do it better. However, you could argue that the Bentayga is more suited to a life of luxury, where comfort and refinement are more of a priority. The Aston Martin DBX could be viewed as more engaging, as could the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, though the latter is currently between generations. The Cayenne Turbo Electric may be tempting, but then again, buyers up in this stratosphere love a V8. And there’s the Urus too, although the Bentley manages to be brutish without being quite so brash. Those in the upper-luxury market are lucky to have so much choice.  

Bentley Bentayga Speed 

$489,100  /  13.1L/100km  /  298g/km

0-100 km/h 3.40s
80-120 km/h 2.35s (68m)
100-0 km/h 35.09m
Speedo error  98 at an indicated 100km/h
Ambient cabin noise  73.9dB@100km/h
Engine  3966cc / V8 / T / DI
Max power  478kW@6000rpm
Max torque  850Nm@2250-4500rpm
Drivetrain 8-speed auto / AWD
Front suspension Multilink / air springs
Rear suspension Multilink / air springs
Turning circle 12.4m (2.3 turns)
Front brakes  Carbon discs (420mm)
Rear brakes  Carbon discs (400mm)
Stability systems  ABS, ESP, TV
Safety  AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB
Tyre size  f/r-285/35R23
Wheelbase  2995mm
L/W/H  5144 / 2010 / 1728mm
Trackf-1689mm  r-1707mm
Fuel capacity  85L
Luggage capacity  484 / 1774L
Tow rating  750kg (3500 braked)
Service intervals  12 months / 16,000km
Warranty  3yrs / unlimited km
ANCAP rating  Not rated
Weight (claimed)  2465kg