SUVs. You either like them or hate them, and Chris Harris isn’t afraid to admit that he belongs on the second camp during his review of the new Rolls Royce Cullinan.
However, if you happen to be a fan and want the most plush, most luxurious member of the SUV species, then the Rolls Royce Cullinan is the one to go for, there’s no doubt about that.
Rolls Royce managed to inject the Cullinan with its world-dominating engineering when it comes to cabin isolation, making it the quietest, more relaxing car of its kind to drive. It took 100kg (220lbs) of soundproofing material but it apparently works at making the driver and passengers feel fresh, even after crossing a continent.
Despite its humongous footprint and near-three-tonne weight, the Cullinan is also pretty fast; Not alarmingly so, but as fast as you would want an SUV of this size to be. The twin-turbo 6.75-liter V12 produces 563hp (571PS) and 627lb-ft (850Nm) from just 1,600 rpm, in case you were wondering.
You would expect from a Rolls Royce SUV to make no compromises but the Cullinan appears to have made some, particularly in the luggage compartment area. The British car maker opted for a smaller boot in order to make the rear passengers feel more comfortable while the huge spheres of the air suspension further increase the size of the wheel arch intrusions, leaving you with a boot that’s smaller than what you would normally expect from a vehicle of this size.
Then there’s the issue of the styling; while this is a very subjective matter, the Cullinan’s design has proven to be a controversial topic. Harris has rather strong feelings about it but he can’t help but admire the engineering that went into making this behemoth of an SUV.