Since it is built by Rolls-Royce, there is nothing else quite like the Cullinan. No other SUV has the presence, the sense of occasion, that comes with the Cullinan. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other ultraluxury SUVs available. Some of these are built to basically be tall sports cars, but there are a couple that aspire to the same kind of luxury experience that the Cullinan provides. In the interests of an informed buying decision, we’ll take a closer look at what the competitors offer.

First, we’ll take a look at the Mercedes-Maybach GLS. And the first thing to be said about it is that it clearly lacks the exclusivity of the Cullinan. While the Maybach version of the GLS isn’t exactly common, it is still based on a mainstream luxury model, and in many cases, you have to know what to look for in order to tell the difference. The Maybach does have some wheel and paint options that set it apart from the mainstream GLS, but the range of customization options for the Maybach pales in comparison to what is offered for the Cullinan, and that’s before we even consider the infinite range of custom colors and details available upon request. Inside, it’s much the same story, the Maybach has about the same number of customization options as the mainstream version. They’re higher quality materials, but the range isn’t extensive. The Cullinan shows how much more extensive the options can be when vehicles aren’t mass-produced.

When V12 engines were first introduced in cars, the idea wasn’t more power, but rather a smoother delivery of that power. The Cullinan continues that tradition with a silky-smooth V12 under the hood. It is also true that it’s more powerful than the V8 in the Maybach, but Rolls-Royce knows that customers will enjoy that power more when it isn’t jarring to use. Equally smooth is the ride in the Cullinan. While both vehicles come with soft air suspension, the Cullinan also comes with road-scanning cameras that can anticipate bumps and potholes, and then make adjustments to the suspension in a millisecond, so that nothing interrupts the smooth ride. In all, the Maybach is perhaps a little too mainstream to be a true ultraluxury model.

The Bentley Bentayga fares a bit better than the Maybach, with unique bodywork and a much longer list of customization options. That said, it does still share a platform with several Audi products, and even some European Volkswagen models. The engine, too, is used in all sorts of Volkswagen Group products. This isn’t an issue with the Cullinan, which uses an entirely Rolls-Royce platform and engine to make it more of an exclusively ultraluxury product. On the subject of engines, the Bentayga once again comes with a V8 while the Cullinan is propelled by a V12. The Bentley does have an optional drivetrain, a V6 hybrid, but that’s just going to have a harder time competing with the smoothness of the Rolls-Royce V12.

The Bentayga doesn’t have as extensive a list of customization options as the Cullinan, but it is certainly the main competitor to the Cullinan in this regard. The problem is that Bentley is so eager to trade on the brand’s admittedly impressive motorsports history that a certain boy racer aesthetic detracts somewhat from the luxury experience. For example, one of the veneer options is carbon fiber, an excellent material for making racecars lighter, but one that looks and feels quite a bit like plastic up close. The Cullinan might come with a more powerful engine, but the emphasis is entirely on luxury, with features like lambswool footmats that Bentley simply doesn’t even attempt.