Exotic Luxury SUV Buying Guide: Bentayga vs Cullinan vs DBX vs G-Class
When considering an ultra-luxury SUV, there are three main models to consider: the Aston Martin DBX, the Bentley Bentayga, and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. All three offer top-tier refinement, luxury, and driving dynamics, but the approach is nonetheless different for each model. And if you want to be sure that you’re getting the experience you want, you need to know what sets these models apart from one another.
Aston Martin DBX VS Bentley Bentayga VS Rolls-Royce Cullinan
What determines which of these models is right for you will ultimately come down to how you intend to use it. Aston Martin calls the DBX the supercar of SUVs, and it comes with the most powerful engine of the three. With a 0-62 time of 3.3 seconds, it’s clear that performance is central to the identity of the DBX. The DBX is also the lightest of the three, thanks to extensive use of advanced lightweight materials like carbon fiber. The DBX comes with sport-style seats, designed to give you extra bolstering for hard cornering without taking away any comfort. The 9-speed “wet-clutch” automatic transmission is designed for racing, operating without a torque converter to get maximum power to the road. The DBX even comes with Launch Control in order to achieve such quick acceleration right off the line. Compared to more mainstream competitors like the Porsche Cayenne Coupe Turbo GT (https://clevelandmotorsports.com/dbx-vs-cayenne-turbo) the DBX offers far more impressive performance, as well as obviously superior luxury and exclusivity.
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is made to maximize luxury, rather than performance. It does come with the biggest engine of the three, a 6.7-liter V12, but while this is obviously quite powerful, it’s tuned more for smooth operation than outright speed. The Cullinan offers the most customization options of any vehicle, and this is not an easy crowd to stand out in, as far as that goes. Down to being able to choose the pinstripe color on the wheels, Rolls-Royce really wants you to make the Cullinan your own. The Cullinan is also the biggest of the three, longer, taller, and a bit wider than the other two. As a result, it offers the most spacious back seat. The reason for this becomes clearer when you see that the Cullinan is the only SUV here with coach doors, and more rear leg room than front. You don’t need to be driven by a chauffeur in the Cullinan, but Rolls-Royce wants you to be comfortable should you choose to. Compared to competitors like the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600, the Cullinan takes the idea of luxury much further.
The Bentayga is built for versatility. Whether it’s made for performance or for chauffeured luxury is up to you and how you configure it. It is the only model here offered with a choice of drivertrains, including a V8, a high-performance V8, and a hybrid. Bentley also gives you the option of an extended wheelbase for more rear legroom. The Bentayga EWB is also available with Mulliner coachbuilding, opening up a much bigger range of customization options. Bentley even gives you the option of an All Terrain Specification, for taking the ultra-luxury experience off-road. This makes it a far more stylish and luxurious alternative to vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. For the audiophiles out there, the Bentayga is the option with the most powerful stereo, a system created by Naim exclusively for the Bentayga. It’s the ability of the Bentayga to be whatever you need it to be that is its strength.
