Head 2 Head: Bentley Bentayga vs Aston Martin DBX

The Aston Martin DBX is the latest entrant in the luxury SUV segment. This is the slice of the market contested by brands like Lamborghini, Porsche, Rolls Royce and Bentley. In fact, Mercedes-Benz has also entered the fray with the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.

We have already seen how the DBX SUV compares with the Lamborghini Urus. Unlike the Urus, which is a sporty off-roader, the Bentayga is a high-riding, luxury grand tourer. So, how does DBX stack up against its fellow countryman?

Style

Both Bentley and Aston Martin have stuck to their design philosophies while designing their SUVs. The DBX looks like a jacked-up Vantage, while the Bentayga seems like a Continental GT that has been re-shaped into an SUV.

In fact, the Bentayga and Continental GT share a similar front fascia. It has four circular LED headlights and a shiny Bentley grille in the centre. The front bumper is also identical to the coupe, while the rear features rectangular tail lights with the LED inserts in the shape of the Bentley ‘B’. Inside, you get the finest leather upholstery and wood trim, as expected in a Bentley.

The grille on the Aston Martin DBX might look familiar at first glance, however it is larger than the one on Aston’s sports cars. It has a coupe-like roofline and rear fascia that’s looks similar to the Vantage. Unlike the Bentayga, which is now available in 4-seat and 7-seat configurations, the DBX is a 5-seater.

Performance

The Bentayga is offered in a variety of powertrain options. The top-spec Bentayga packs a monstrous 6.0-liter W12 engine that pumps out 608 hp @ 5000-6000 rpm and a peak torque of 664 lb-ft at just 1350 rpm. In the Bentayga Speed, this engine is tuned to produce 635 hp @ 5000 rpm and 664 lb-ft @ 1750-4500 rpm.

There’s also a diesel engine option. It’s a 4.0-liter V8 block that produces 435 hp @ 3750-5000 rpm and 664 lb-ft @ 1000-3250 rpm. That’s not all. The Bentayga also comes with a hybrid powertrain. It uses a 3.0-liter V6 hybrid that puts out 449 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.

Bentley Bentayga V8 – Technical Specifications

But, since we’re comparing it with the DBX, let’s see how the Bentayga V8 performs. The 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine delivers 550 hp @ 6000 rpm and 568 lb-ft @ 2000-4500 rpm. With 542 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, the Aston Martin DBX just misses out to the Bentayga on paper. However, both SUVs have similar 0-62 mph times and identical top speeds.

Aston Martin DBX – Technical Specifications

Price

The Bentayga V8 starts at $165,000. But, once you start speccing the car, the price can easily cross $200,000. Nevertheless, the low base price does make it sound like a bargain compared to the Aston Martin DBX, which starts at $189,000.