In the age of vehicle electrification, opting for a hybrid or plug-in hybrid model over the traditionally-powered options usually means a trade-off between performance for efficiency.
Unfortunately in Bentley's case, the 2020 Bentayga Hybrid has received an efficiency rating from the EPA that's lower than the standard V8 model that's been around for a few years now.
The recently released EPA ratings put the extremely luxurious hybrid SUV at 17/21/19 mpg or 14/11/12 l/100km. On electric power alone, it is capable of 19km before it kicks the V6 engine into action.
Interestingly, this highway figure of 11 l/100km is slightly lower than the Bentayga V8's figure of 10 l /100km, which makes you wonder what the benefit of buying the hybrid model over the V8 really is.
From the factory, the hybrid comes with 330kW and 699Nm, while the V8 possesses 404kW and 770Nm of torque. Thanks to that extra 74kW, the V8 can make the 0-100km/h sprint a whole second faster than the hybrid.
What's more, the V8 model received an EPA-rated highway range of 833km, while the hybrid only managed to achieve 692km fully charged and with a full tank of fuel.
As you'd expect, the price is really the only thing that the hybrid model has going for it in international markets. Over in America, it's about $10,000 cheaper than the V8 model, which starts at US$170,000.
Bentley hasn't revealed plans to bring the hybrid model down to New Zealand just yet, but considering that the petrol V8 starts at $285,000, don't expect any change out of $260,000.