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What's the difference?
Yes, you can drive your Bentley and keep your family. It's called compromise, or the Bentayga, Bentley's SUV.
The Bentayga my family has been living with is the Azure grade which promises to be even more comfortable and pleasant than the rest of the range.
Comfort is important and we'll cover the Bentayga's lavish details in time, but our mission first and foremost is to find out if the Bentayga makes a good family SUV.
The Audi Q5 now has a sportier-looking sibling, with the German brand's all-time best-selling SUV welcoming a sleeker, more aggressive solution it calls its Sportback range.
And look, spoiler alert, it looks better than the regular Q5. It's as simple as that. So if that's all you're here to find out, feel free to close the laptop, put the phone away, and move on with your day.
But you'd be doing yourself a disservice, because there are more questions to be answered here. Like will you paying in on-board comfort for this new raked roofline? Do the Sportback's sporty intentions make for a more annoying daily drive? And how much does Audi want you to pay for one?
All these questions and more answered. So stay with me.
The Bentley Bentayga Azure may look a bit awkward and it surely isn't great value for money, but it is a true Bentley and a very good family SUV that not only provides terrific practicality but superb performance and comfort.
Let’s forget the money, for a second, because yes, you’re paying more for the Sportback variant. But if you can afford it, then why wouldn’t you. This is a sleeker, sportier and more stylish answer to the regular Q5, which was already a super-solid offering in the segment. And as far as I can tell, the practicality sacrifices you have to make are minimal at best.
So why not?
You'd think of all automotive brands Bentley, with its beautiful swooping and powerful saloons, would be able to floor us with something just exquisite in SUV form. But right from the 2012 concept the Bentayga has struggled to stun the world with its design.
So, while there are Bentley family traits all over the Bentayga, from the intricate headlights and mesh grille, to the oval tail-lights and body which squats over the rear wheels, the overall design looks awkward to my eyes.
To me it appears the boxy design with the tall, flat roofline and elevated ride height favours practicality over the sleekness possessed by a lower, more coupe-like SUV.
I favour dark coloured clothes because it hides my shapes, creases and bulges, but these are the things you want to see in a car and our Bentley's 'Onyx Black' paint, despite being a beautiful colour with a blue hue added, make it a featureless blob in the sunlight.
A lighter shade or something outlandish like a turquoise or yellow would look amazing, and even better, upset your neighbours.
Let's look at the interior design which is lavish with all the quilted leather and Mulliner customisation, but lacks the modern look of many contemporary cabins with its smallish media screen and busy mosaic of buttons.
I like the little chrome plungers for the air vents, the winged styling to the dashboard and the stitched leather upholstery, but it's easy to spot parts that are shared by other members of the Volkswagen Group (which owns Bentley).
For example, there are the indicator and wiper stalks, as well as the steering wheel buttons, all from Audi. Surely Bentley should have its own crafted parts?
The interior colour scheme on our Bentayga is 'Beluga' (black) and 'Camel' (tan) and the Mulliner option split the colours with a cream tone.
From a family perspective the tan and black will hide dirt, although the cream will struggle. It's possibly the best leather on the planet, however, coming from cattle living high enough that their hides are unblemished by insect stings.
Our adventure began with the SQ5, and, to my eye at least, it looks mean, and more like a jacked-up hot hatch than sportier version of a mid-size SUV.
Speaking of which, it looks bigger than a mid-size, too, as though the flattened roof has pushed the rear out for more length, at least visually.
By far its best angle, though, will be afforded to the people in front of you on the road, with each peek in the rear-view mirror revealing a wide, forward-leaning grille, all black honeycomb mesh, with a cat-clawed bonnet and headlights that sweep back into the bodywork, hinting at speed before it even sets off.
Side on, the massive 21-inch alloys hide red brake calipers, but it does also reveals a tale of two SUVs, with the front half looking taller and straighter, while the rear roofline is more raked as it flies towards a fairly small rear windscreen with a roof spoiler that juts out over it.
At the rear, the quad exhaust tips (which sound great), and a boot spoiler moulded into the bodywork complete the package.
But even in lesser lesser Q5 45 TFSI guise, this Sportback looks the business, I reckon. Though a little more premium than performance-focused, perhaps.
As the name suggests, the Sportback version gives you, well, a sportier back, and it all starts at the B-Pillar, with a more raked roofline that gives this version of the Q5 a sleeker, more slippery look.
But they aren’t the only changes. In Sportback models, the single-frame grille upfront is different, and the grille is also positioned lower, and seems to jut out from the bonnet more, for a lower, more aggressive look. The lights are also positioned a little higher, and those massive air vents on either side are different, too.
The cabin is the usual level of Audi niceness, with a big central screen, big digital screen in front of the steering wheel, and a sense of genuine solidity and quality wherever you look.
There are some questionable materials at work, though, like the door trims and the hard plastic that your knee rubs against when driving, but all in all, it's quite a lovely place to spend time.
Being shaped like a bus does nothing for the Bentayga's beauty but makes it spacious for cargo and roomy for people.
With its large doors and elevated ride height (the car can be lowered for easier access) it's great for families.
Our Bentayga is a five-seater, which is fine for my little family of four, but there are four- and seven-seat configurations available, too.
Second row legroom is exceptional, even for me at 189cm tall, and sitting behind my own driving position there's still plenty of room.
Headroom is also outstanding throughout. We could be a family that loves top hats, on our way to the top hat championships, and not have to remove our top hats. That's how good headroom and hat room is.
Sun blinds in the second row are vital in Australia, and the electric ones in the Bentayga raise and lower quickly, not just offering protection but also more privacy.
Storage is good throughout with big door pockets and five cupholders.
It seems the cabin space eats into the cargo area because the boot isn't overly large at 484 litres with all seats in place.
Buttons in the cargo area allow the rear of the car to be raised and lowered to make it easier to hoist items in the boot.
For devices there's a wireless phone charger up front along with USB ports in both rows.
The Q5 Sportback range stretches 4689mm in length, 1893mm in width, and around 1660mm in height, depending on the variant. It rides on a 2824mm wheelbase.
And remember when I said there were few practicality penalties for the new sportier look? This is what I meant.
Up front, it's basically the same Q5, so if you know that car, you'll know this one, with its spacious and airy feeling front seats.
In the back, though, things are a little different, just not quite as different as I was expecting. The new sloping roofline has actually only reduced headroom by 16mm. I’m 175cm tall, and there was clear air between my head and the roof, and plenty of leg-room, too.
The central tunnel arrangement means you probably don’t want to squeeze three adults across the back, but two would really be no problem at all. That way, you can deploy the back seat divider to uncover two cupholders, use the two USB charge ports or adjust your climate controls, including temperature settings.
In the 45 TFSI and SQ5 models, the rear seats also slide or recline, meaning you can prioritise luggage space or passenger comfort, depending on what you're carrying.
Up front, there’s heaps of little cubby spots, including a key storage spot under the aircon controls, another in front of the gear shift, a phone slot next to the gear shift, two cupholders in the big centre console, and a surprisingly shallow centre console that’s home to a wireless phone charger and a USB port, joining the regular USB port under the drive mode selector.
And at the rear, Audi reckons there’s 500 litres of storage, only about 10 litres less than the regular Q5, which grows to 1470 litres with the second-row folded.
Reviewing every type of car on the market provides a pretty good perspective, but when it comes to Bentleys we enter a realm where value-for-money often isn't as crucial as it is for more mainstream options.
The same goes for the price. Bentleys are among the most expensive cars in the world. So if, like me, you flinch at the thought of paying more than half a million dollars for an SUV, it may not be the car for us right now.
With that I can tell you the Bentley Bentayga Azure's list price is $475,000 and our car with all of its options comes to $515,000.
That's more money than any SUV from Mercedes-Benz and BMW costs. Even Range Rover can't quite reach that mark.
Only the likes of Aston Martin's DBX 707 and Lamborghini's Urus can match the price.
There are always bigger fish, though, and Rolls Royce's Cullinan swims in at $700,000, making the Bentayga's price seem quite reasonable.
Let's look at the standard features.
Coming standard on the Bentayga Azure are the prettiest LED headlights in the world. There are LED tail-lights, too, as well as a proximity key, roof rails and a panoramic glass roof, plus a hands-free tailgate.
Inside there's the 10.9-inch media screen, sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto.
The diamond quilting to the door trims is also standard and so are the Bentley sports pedals.
Many of these features are standard on lower grades in the Bentayga range, but the point in choosing the Azure is that many of the optional bundles on offer are fitted as standard here.
So, while leather upholstery is of course standard the 'Colour Specification' package gives you a choice of all interior colour combinations and an extended choice of hide colours.
The 'City Specification' brings extra safety tech like rear cross-traffic alert and a top view camera.
The 'Front Seat Comfort' specification adds 20-way power front seats, ventilation and massage as well as comfort headrests.
The 'Touring Specification' brings adaptive cruise control, a head up display, lane keeping assistance and 'Night Vision'.
And then the 'Sunshine Package' adds electric sun blinds, which are great for kids in the back.
Despite the multitude of standard packages there's plenty left to option on the Azure.
Our car was fitted with about a dozen options including piano black veneer ($5884), 22-inch alloy wheels ($4733), rear privacy glass ($2617), LED welcome lights ($2238), self-levelling wheel centre caps ($1208), a heated acoustic windscreen ($1094), luggage management for the boot ($937) and a heated steering wheel ($543).
Then there's Mulliner, Bentley's in-house customisation division which will personalise your Bentley.
The Mulliner custom features on our Bentayga Azure include the addition of an extra colour in the leather upholstery ($13,492), 'Honeycomb' stitching on the steering wheel ($5391) and contrasting stitching on the quilted areas of leather trim ($2688).
Best family features would have to be the privacy glass, temperature control in the second row and the rear sun blinds.
The second row also comes with a removable tablet which can be used to adjust the climate control, sunroof and media settings among other functions.
In the hands of children this is every parent's nightmare and there's a 100 percent chance of the tablet being lost forever, possibly on the motorway between Sydney and Canberra.
The three-model line-up (two regular Q5s and the SQ5) Sportback range kicks off with the Q5 40 Sportback TDI quattro, which will set you back $77,700 (which is plenty more than the $69,900 of the regular Q5).
The entry-level Q5 Sportback gets 20-inch alloys, a standard S Line sporty exterior styling treatment, LED headlights and tail lights, and an electric tailgate with gesture control. Inside, there’s leather trim, electric sport seats, three-zone climate, paddle-shifters for the steering wheel and ambient interior lighting.
You also get the virtual cockpit, the 10.1-inch central screen with all the Connect Plus services, like live traffic, weather and restaurant tips, as well Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.
The range then steps up to the Q5 45 Sportback TFSI quattro, yours for $86,300. That's another marked jump from its regular Q5 equivalent.
That model delivers a new 20-inch alloy wheel design, a panoramic sunroof, and Matrix LED headlights, The S Line treatment extends to the interior, along with Nappa leather trim, heated front seats and a sliding or reclining rear bench. You get a better sound system, too, with 10 speakers, including a sub-woofer.
Finally, the SQ5 Sportback is yours for $110,900 (up from $106,500), and delivers 21-inch alloys, adaptive dampers and red brake callipers, while inside you get electric steering adjustments, a head-up display, colour ambient lighting and a banging Bang and Olufsen stereo with 19 speakers.
When Bentley stopped putting its W12 into the Bentayga this year I was unsurprised yet sad. The world is moving toward tighter fuel emissions but the twin-turbo petrol V8 in this Azure is still a beast.
The 4.0-litre turbo-petrol V8 is from the Audi family and I love it as much for its plentiful torque and superb acceleration as the deep rumble of its exhaust.
Making 404kW and 770Nm the V8 can lift and throw the 2.5-tonne Bentayga to 100km/h from a standstill in 4.5 seconds and onto a top speed of 290km/h. I reckon you could get it to 300km/h with the wind behind you.
Drive goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed transmission and a Torsen-type centre differential.
Default drive balance is 40/60 front to rear, with up to 70 per cent of power able to be sent to the front wheels and up to 85 per cent to the rear axle.
I don't think you'll be astounded to hear this powertrain uses a lot of fuel? Let's go there...
There are three engines total here, kicking off with the 2.0-litre TDI in the Q5 Sportback 40. It produces 150kW and 400Nm - enough for a sprint to 100km/h in 7.6s. The 2.0-litre TFSI in the Q5 Sportback 45 petrol bumps those figures to 183kW and 370Nm, lowering your spring to 6.3s.
Both pair with a seven-speed S tiptronic automatic, and feature a 12-volt mild-hybrid system to smooth out acceleration and lower fuel use, as well Quattro ultra, which can disconnect the rear drive shaft so only the front wheels are driven.
The SQ5 gets a seriously lusty 3.0-litre TDI V6 which deliver 251kW and 700Nm, and a sprint of 5.1s It also gets a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, and an eight-speed tiptronic transmission.
Bentley says the Bentayga Azure with the V8 petrol engine will use an average of 11.4L/100km over a combination of open and urban roads.
But what happens if you live in the suburbs not far from the city and drive the Azure every day to do the school drop offs and trips to the shops and then take in some fun country roads? You use an average of 22.8L/100km according to the car's trip computer.
This is still not as high as I was expecting. I've driven V6-powered SUVs which use more than this under the same conditions.
That said, even when using as much fuel as Bentley says you should, an 85-litre fuel tank is only going to deliver an approximate 745km driving range.
All Q5 Sportback models are fitted with a 70-litre fuel tank, which should produce a driving range in excess of 1000kms - though prepare for pain at the pump. Sometimes premium fuel in Sydney can run to around $1,90 a litre, for example, so the good stuff will cost you around $130 bucks a tank in the petrol cars.
Audi says the Q5 Sportback 40 TDI will sip 5.4 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, while emitting 142g/km of c02. The 45 TFSI needs 8.0 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, and will emit 183g/km of c02. The SQ5 sits somewhere in the middle, with 7.1 litres per 100km and 186g/km of c02.
The Bentley Bentayga doesn't have a safety rating as like many extremely high-end cars it hasn't been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
That said, the Azure grade comes standard with an armoury of safety tech including AEB (with turn assistance), lane keeping assistance, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, evasive steering assistance, and adaptive cruise control.
Front and rear parking sensors are standard (and the most relied-upon feature I use daily), while exit warning saved my child and myself more than a few times from leaping out into the traffic on the school run.
The Audi Q5 Sportback carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating thanks to the regular Q5, but that’s really the minimum cost of entry these days. So what else do you get?
Advanced driver-assist systems on offer here include autonomous emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), active lane-keep assist with lane change warning, driver attention assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, park assist, a great surround-view camera, parking sensors, exit warning and tyre pressure monitoring, and more radars than you can poke a stick at.
There's also twin ISOFIX anchor points, and top-tether points for child seats.
The Bentayga is covered by Bentley's three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing is recommended every 12 months or 16,000km.
The good news is all new Bentley's have five years regular servicing included in the cost of the vehicle.
All Audis are covered by a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which really isn’t great in a world of five-, seven- and even 10-year warranties.
The brand will let you prepay your services, required annually, for the first five years, with the regular Q5 Sportback billed at $3140 and the SQ5 billed at $3170.