There’s an inherent contradiction when you examine the Bentley Flying Spur prior to driving it. There are the stately looks and limo proportions. Scanning down the spec sheet your eye catches terms like ‘wellness seating’ and ‘front seat comfort specification’. Then the rear occupants are treated to an oasis of calm, with reclining, ventilated massage seats and blinds to shroud them in darkness should they so wish. Then you see 671bhp, 930Nm of torque and 0-60mph in 3.8secs. Surely such performance would rather unsettle the ambience?
The model tested here is the Azure. Bentley’s Flying Spur, now into its fourth generation, comes in Core, Azure, Speed and Mulliner. The former two feature Bentley’s high performance hybrid powertrain; the latter pair Bentley’s ultra high performance hybrid powertrain. We got a taste of the ultra version in the splendid Bentley Continental GTC Speed (one of our cars of the year for 2025). It’s slightly toned down here, but as you can see, it’s hardly wanting for power or performance. It does, however, weigh 2646kg, so you could reasonably argue that it needs it.
Both versions supplement a 4.0ltr twin-turbo charged V8, ubiquitous across the VW Group’s performance variations, with a slab of battery in the boot. Where the setup is freer to be more rambunctious in cars like the GTC Speed and Lamborghini Urus SE, it needs to find a cosseting level of refinement in the Flying Spur.
A trip to North Yorkshire, 644 miles and a fully loaded family trip would reveal all over a long weekend.
What’s the Bentley Flying Spur like to live with?
The stately exterior is matched by a suitably elegant interior. The duo-tone cabin of shell grey and beluga leather, with veneers and fascias in burr walnut, comes together exceptionally well. It feels like a timeless space to occupy, a sense further accentuated by the recognisable configuration of everything from the driver’s seat.
You could argue that the interior is the only aspect dating the Flying Spur, but Bentley gave themselves something of a headache in this regard by making it so good to begin with. There’s a perfect blend of digital and analogue, with the touchscreen complimented by a plethora of physical buttons. The rotating screen, whereby you can swap the touchscreen for three analogue dials at the touch of a button, remains a classy centrepiece.
The interior feels a step up from the Bentayga and even the Continental. The Bentayga doesn’t feature the rotating centre screen and the headrests in that and the Conti (at least for the driver) aren’t what they are in the Flying Spur. I should point out that I’m nitpicking, but one can afford to in this rarefied air.
One compromise of the hybrid system is a cramped boot. It’s only 346 litres and if you keep all the charging cables in there, much of that is consumed. On our venture north I took one of the cables and we managed to get everything in for three nights away with the two children. It could have been worse, but it’s one area where SUVs comprehensively win.
Where space isn’t at a premium is in the cabin. Rear occupants have plenty of head and legroom. A split panoramic roof offers plenty of light, too. Then there’s the Naim for Bentley audio. You can while away long journeys in perfect relaxation.
What’s the Bentley Flying Spur like to drive?
Which is exactly what I did. The 250-mile trip from Surrey to Pickering was a breeze. In fact, it’s hard to conjure up a better car for such an excursion. The ride quality is exceptional, the cabin comfort second to none and there’s plenty of power.
Whilst the postural adjustment in the seats sounds like a gimmick, the subtle and constant movement of the seats, coupled with temperature control, does a remarkable job of alleviating any lower back pain you might reasonably expect from five hours behind the wheel.
A benefit of the hybrid system, too, was 35.8mpg from the 644 miles covered. I was able to charge where we stayed, which made slinking through sleepy Yorkshire villages in EV mode a serene experience. On an excursion to Whitby, the Bentley Flying Spur didn’t leave me shortchanged on a dart across the North York Moors. The twisting, undulating roads were tackled with aplomb.
The V8 bursts into life and there’s a wonderful crackle from the exhaust. Where most manufacturers seem to be quietening down, Bentley seems to be getting louder. Move the dial round to sport and the V8 stays constantly alert. Spot an overtake, dive into the well of power and off you go. It delivers relentlessly yet effortlessly, retaining its graceful character even when being driven beyond the boundaries of what might be considered polite. The flying B protrudes proudly from the bonnet, confidently pointing you towards the horizon.
The road handling is superb, the Flying Spur finding more traction that you’d dare to expect, hunkering down and powering out of corners with a grace a car this size should not possess. Flick it back into Bentley mode and everything settles down again. I didn’t ever feel like it could use more power.
Conclusion
Of course, if you want more, the Speed and Mulliner versions will deliver it. I, however, completely fell for the charms of the Bentley Flying Spur in Azure spec. I wondered if it might appear somewhat bland in shell grey with chrome exterior accents, but not a bit of it. It’s a car brimming with presence, that sits comfortably in its own skin.
Another sign of how the Flying Spur impresses is that I didn’t receive a single query of what might be our arrival time at our destination. On the way home, my youngest fell asleep in the back with my wife. My eldest, beside me, sat quietly looking through magazines, his head only occasionally turning to switch the massage seat back on.
It meant I could waft down the M1 as the Flying Spur intended: peacefully. The only slight inconvenience is that it was a little large for the parking spaces at Leicester Forest East services. Thankfully there was a space by the bins so I could actually open the doors. It was entirely unbecoming, but perish the thought of someone opening their door into it. The first space I reversed into meant no one could egress.
Another minor grip is the sound the indicator makes. I didn’t really like it. Too clanky.
When you’re reduced to raising concerns about the noise the indicator stalk makes, however, you know you’re driving something special. Complaining of its proportions, too, is akin to complaining that the sky is, perhaps, a little too blue.
The Flying Spur feels like the best of Bentley, being at once luxurious, accommodating and sporty. That is to say, it offers the best of everything. I still can’t think of a car I’d rather have had for the long weekend I had it.