2021 Bentley Bentayga

With its posh interior, superlative road manners and eye-watering price tag, the Bentley Bentayga is undoubtedly one of the most exclusive SUVs on the planet. It's been around since the 2017 model year and now, for 2021, gets its first significant update.

We're most excited about the Bentayga's technology improvements, which we cover in detail below. But there's also a new look for the 2021 model. The grille is larger and more upright than before, and new oval-shaped headlights are pushed farther to the outside. Out back, Bentley has relocated the license plate frame below the now full-width hatch, and there are new oval taillights that recall the ones found on the Continental GT. Overall, these changes help introduce Bentley's newest styling traits as well as make it easy to differentiate the refreshed Bentayga from previous-year models.

We've never had an issue with the Bentayga's powertrain lineup, so it's good news that engine choices are unchanged from last year. The 2021 Bentayga will launch with the turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, which produces 542 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. In previous Edmunds testing, this burly engine propelled the Bentayga from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. That's an impressively quick time. A V8-powered Land Rover Range Rover we tested, for example, needed 5.0 seconds for the 0-60 mph sprint.

The Bentayga's other engines will return later in the model year. The first is a turbocharged V6 plug-in hybrid, which serves as the Bentayga's entry-level engine. We'll also see the turbocharged W12 in the top Bentayga Speed trim. While power figures haven't been released yet, we don't expect them to change from the current ratings of 443 horsepower and 626 hp, respectively.

The Bentayga's expertly crafted interior is one of its defining features, and the 2021 model ups the ante with a greater selection of materials and enhanced usability. There's a new steering wheel and redesigned center stack up front, plus a single central air vent that replaces the twin vents from last year.

Rear occupants get slightly more legroom than last year thanks to redesigned seats, which now offer further customizations for a more tailored look. Ventilated rear seats — previously only available on four-seat configurations — are now available on the popular five-seat Bentayga.

While these updates are all good and fine, we're most excited about the 2021 Bentayga's revised touchscreen system. The previous 8-inch screen suffered from low-resolution graphics and a thinly veiled Volkswagen interface — not exactly becoming of one of the world's preeminent luxury brands.

Front and center of the 2021 Bentayga is a 10.9-inch screen and several nearby physical buttons that you can press to access high-level infotainment functions. While we haven't tested this setup yet, we expect it'll operate in a similar fashion to the systems we've seen in certain models from Audi and Porsche — Bentley's corporate cousins. And if that's the case, we expect the revised infotainment system to be far more attractive and intuitive than the existing setup.

Wired Android Auto is now supported, while iPhone owners can now enjoy wireless CarPlay functionality. Other enhancements include a fully digital instrument panel and a larger rear-seat control unit.

The updated 2021 Bentley Bentayga features a restyled exterior and new customization options among its enhancements. But it's the more modern touchscreen interface with better smartphone connectivity that has us most intrigued.