Bentley Bentayga EWB Azure 4.0 may be a SUV-limousine, but caters more to drivers

Bentley has positioned the Bentayga EWB Azure as an SUV-limousine, but it caters more to drivers than passengers despite its luxurious rear accommodations.

Bentley may have given the Bentayga off-roading abilities, but not many owners will take them off the beaten path. Most of these gargantuan, uber-luxurious SUVs spend their lives in the concrete jungle, and the carmaker knows it.

Bentley also knows that like most consumers, its clients also love SUVs. They've certainly voted with their wallets: Of the 15,174 units the carmaker delivered in 2022, 42 per cent were Bentaygas.

Naturally, the next logical move is to create a flagship SUV that also does duty as a limousine. Enter the Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB), which Bentley boldly claims can deliver a 'private jet-like' experience.

Distinction

Indeed, the SUV in these photos isn't just any EWB, but the range-topping Azure variant. In a way, it can even be considered the marque's flagship model.

With plenty of bling, it certainly looks the part, too. There's lots of polished chrome around the exterior, from the vertical vanes on the grille to the sword-like trimmings on the doors to the roof rails. In the midday sun, the 22-inch 10-spoke wheels seem to shine even brighter.

Setting the Bentayga EWB apart from 'normal' Bentayga models is the extra 180mm added to its wheelbase, which now stretches to 3,175mm. It's impossible to miss the elongated rear doors, which give the SUV its limo vibe.

Opening them welcomes you into a world of opulence. The inviting smell of leather fills your nose as you climb aboard and settle into one of the rear seats. Apart from the leather, you're in a sea of fine wood veneers, too.

Personalisation is what matters most in this segment, for everything from the colour of the leather to its stitching can be customised. As for the wood veneers, Bentley offers you the choice of polished or open pore, with the Metal Overlay option available exclusively for EWB models.

Other nifty details include Diamond Illumination, which sees the mood lighting also peering through diamond-shaped perforations on the door panels. There are 30 colours to choose from, which should allow you to bathe the cabin in a hue that matches your mood.

Complementing this is the Naim audio system. The 1,780-watt system with 20 speakers not only sounds good, but looks good as well, thanks to the glitzy components.

The ambient lighting, hi-fi system and overly generous room are all great, but the piece de resistance is Bentley's Airline Seat Specification.

Press and hold the 'Relax' button on the rear tablet, and the seat diagonally behind the driver reclines. At the same time, the footrest located behind the front seat deploys, allowing you to put up your well-heeled feet.

You could easily catch a nap on the way to the office or your next board meeting.

Cushiness required

Airline Seat Specification is one of the most lavish features in a car I've ever experienced. But there is a hiccup: The Bentayga EWB Azure's ride quality in the rear, even with the air suspension in Comfort mode, could use some improvement.

The ride is unexpectedly woolly instead of pliant. Undulations and surface unevenness, which you can't feel sitting in front, are surprisingly palpable in the rear. Considering the car's levels of refinement, nothing less than an utterly cossetting ride will do.

Perhaps the 22-inch wheels are at fault here. Maybe swapping them for 20-inch wheels and thicker rubber will solve the issue. Whatever the solution is, it should make the EWB Azure feel silkier than it is.

Driving the Bentayga EWB Azure, on the other hand, turned out to be easy and surprisingly fun.

Motivating it is a turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 producing 542bhp and 770Nm of torque. With the latter figure arriving before 2,000rpm, a good chunk of the EWB Azure's 2,514kg mass dissipates each time you demand power.

Punch the accelerator pedal and this SUV-limo surges forward with authority, with the motor pulling the car from rest to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds. Interestingly, the proceedings are accompanied by the tiniest hint of a V8 snarl.

The Bentayga feels capable and surprisingly nimble for its size. Sure, making three-point turns in a tight alley in the CBD is tricky, but getting the SUV up and down carpark ramps proved easier than expected.

However, rear-wheel steering is needed when it comes to parking this behemoth. Carpark ramps are one thing, but reverse parking is another story altogether, especially when attempting to manoeuvre 5,305mm of British sheet metal into a space.

Due to the SUV's colossal size, kerbs literally vanish from your line of sight. It's best to spot them, note them, and constantly remind yourself to avoid them, unless of course they're low enough to drive over.

That aside, driving the EWB Azure was a pleasure. Surrounded by leather and veneers, insulated from the climate and noise of the outside world, while the Naim system coos your favourite tunes, the experience is a refreshing one as well.

An interesting observation

It's easy to see why nearly half of Bentley's clients are buying Bentaygas. The EWB Azure goes a notch higher by providing an even more commodious interior and an even more ostentatious way of getting around our concrete sprawl.

However, the ride quality doesn't do it enough justice, and instead, the EWB Azure is more convincing when you're behind the wheel rather than being chauffeured in it.

Why get one then? Well, say you were eyeing a Continental GT, but you spouse asks for a less sporty and more practical car for the family instead, then the Bentayga EWB Azure is one candidate to consider. Just don't mention its equally huge performance potential.

ALSO READ: 2022 Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid review: Green pathways

This article was first published in sgCarMart.