What makes the best luxury midsize SUV? It’s not a trick question; we really want to know what it takes to get on the list of top luxury SUV ratings. It would be interesting to have ten car aficionados sit down and make a list of their three most desirable features amongst luxury SUV brands. We’d be willing to bet that no two lists would look alike.
We’d also be willing to bet that at least a couple of people from our own Miami Bentley dealership would have a bit of a hard time coming up with their lists. That’s why we’re undertaking a luxury SUV comparison and pitting the venerable Aston Martin vs. Bentley Bentayga, our one true love.
Let’s see how the Bentayga stacks up against the DBX.
The Boon of Interior Space
First, we have to ask ourselves: what’s the overall point of an SUV?
No, literally. All of us in the automotive industry have to ask ourselves that, because to this day there still is no all-encompassing definition of the term, despite it being in common use since the ‘80s.
Sure, we can look at the acronym—Sport Utility Vehicle—and take it at face value to mean a number of things. At a basic level, it’s often agreed that an SUV is built on a light-duty frame and has more rugged off-road capability than your typical passenger car (but less than most trucks). In that respect, both the Bentayga and DBX qualify. That simple criterion seems incomplete though. Almost paltry.
Modern SUVs are many things, as evidenced by their many qualifying adjectives like compact, mid-size, full-size, crossover, or any combination of the four. And then, we have another term thrown into the mix: luxury SUV.
The fact is the dimensions of both are quite close. In terms of space to stretch out, it seems like a tie at first. But, the Bentayga has a distinct advantage: the Bentayga EWB.
While it’s true that the EWB (extended wheelbase) is technically billed as an entirely different breed, it’s still very much a Bentayga in all the ways that matter. Bentley has said many times before that they make well-being a pivotal design priority, and the EWB model makes the distinction apparent with features like 22-way adjustable seating in front, and a rear seat relax mode, which reclines 40 degrees and deploys a footrest. The extension of the body is entirely in the passenger space of the vehicle, providing not only a place to sit, but a place to live.
Throw in the fact that the original Bentayga also has the option of a luxury SUV with 3rd-row seating, whereas the DBX doesn’t, and it seems the Bentley makes the most comfortable luxury SUV.
The Opulence of Amenities
Now, let’s focus on the other part of the phrase “luxury SUV.”
When you think of luxury, you think of comfort above and beyond the ordinary. You think of flying first class, a hotel with a jacuzzi, and ordering the $30 shrimp cocktail before your entrée.
Both the Bentayga and the DBX are some of the best premium SUVs around, with astoundingly well-appointed cabins and copious luxury features, but both have key differences as well.
We already know the score when it comes to interior space, but how do these models use that space? For starters, both have plenty of colors of custom leather upholstery to choose from. Aston Martin boasts that their DBX can include the first-ever wool felt interior accents used in a production vehicle, and Bentley allows for custom bespoke embroidery. Other interior surfaces are afforded the same degree of choice and attention to detail, from the headliner right down to the floorboards. As with any aesthetic, the decision on which is the best-looking luxury SUV is purely personal.
In terms of Bentayga vs. DBX, we start to see them differ more extremely when it comes to infotainment options. For instance, the Bentayga, center touchscreen infotainment display is 10.9 inches, while the DBX’s is slightly smaller at 10.25 inches. Both have wireless Apple CarPlay capacity, but only the Bentayga is compatible with Android Auto. The Bentayga also has a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot.
Where the Bentayga really pulls ahead in terms of media, though, is the optional dual headrest-mounted screens, which measure over 10 inches apiece, providing backseat passengers with access to superior entertainment for long trips.
After all, if you’re paying for one of the most expensive SUVs, you deserve to ride in style.
The Thrill of Performance
In the luxury midsize SUV rankings, comfort and convenience are undeniably important. But, at the end of the day, the best luxury SUV needs to be able to walk the walk, too.
Again, the competition of Bentayga vs. DBX is a close one.
The Bentayga sports a robust twin-turbo V8 engine, which puts out 542 max horsepower and achieves zero to 60 in just 4.4 seconds. Funnily enough, the stock DBX engine is also a V8 with an identical horsepower rating, though AM claims it goes from still to 60 in 4.3 seconds. So, if you were to pit the two against one another on a quarter-mile drag strip, it seems quite likely that you’d end up with a photo finish on your hands.
Of course, those are just the base models.
True speed aficionados have the option of buying the Bentayga Speed, a cranked-up performance edition with a preposterous 6.0L Bentley W12 engine that puts out 626 horsepower, dialing the top speed to 190 MPH. For Aston, the DBX707 is available, complete with a rowdy AMG turbo V8 that’s rated for an impressive 697 horsepower. At 193 MPH, the DBX707 has a very similar top speed, but the tuned model is quicker out of the gate than the Bentayga.
Once again though, Bentley gets a leg up with another powertrain option: the Bentayga plug-in hybrid, which has a 3.0L V6 + E Motor under the hood.
Hybrids get an unfair reputation for being anemic and underpowered, but the hybrid Bentley is anything but. Its engine puts out a respectable 456 horsies and still manages to surge to 60 in about 5 seconds, all under electric power. The battery can be fully charged in as little as two and a half hours, allowing you to commute to work and run errands without the gas gauge moving a millimeter. With an all-electric range of 25 miles, the Bentayga is absolutely the luxury SUV with the best gas mileage.
A slight advantage in speed is one thing, but the Bentayga is still able to offer the ride of a lifetime with a partially electric motor, proving that the automaker is able to keep up in the Age of Electrification.
The Luxury of Pure Choice
A top-rated luxury SUV should be spacious, comfortable, and fun to drive. Aston Martin may check all those boxes with the DBX, but for our money, Bentley just checks ‘em harder. By offering more options, they guarantee that there’s a Bentley out there for everyone, from those in the affluent suburbs of Aventura to South Florida singles who are ready to mingle.
We’re not the only ones saying it, either. Just a couple of years ago, in their review of four different luxury SUVs, the experts at Top Gear stated, "If we ask this simple question: ‘Which is the best SUV here?’, the answer is right there in front of you. The Bentley is.”
We’re inclined to agree.
Do you have a taste for the finest foreign SUV brands? Braman has a Bentley Bentayga for sale in Miami with your name on it, and we’d love to help you customize your own right down to the last stitch. We’re located at 2060 Biscayne Blvd. Please call us today at (786) 577-5218 to make an appointment or get a price quote.
