Bentley had been working on the Bentayga long before its unveiling back in December of 2015. We actually knew quite a bit about its styling thanks to the EXP 9 F concept car from the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Or at least we though we knew because, interestingly enough, Bentley were forced to modify the Bentayga’s EXP 9 F styling for the production version after the concept was met with a mixed response by fans and the media.

The end result was a slightly less retro-appearance overall, featuring a more traditionally-shaped rear tailgate. You can say that Bentley definitely went above and beyond trying to match what they originally had planned for the Bentayga, with what everyone else thought their SUV should look like.

But guess what? The British carmaker now actually went back to the drawing board and decided to totally redesign the rear end of the Bentayga, making the tailgate curvier and adding taillights similar in shape to those of the Continental GT.

Read: Bentley Mulsanne Bows Out With Bespoke 6.75 Edition Model

While Bentley may have wanted the Bentayga to fit in better with the Continental GT and the all-new Flying Spur, changing the rear end design the way they did definitely took some guts. At least they expanded the rear track by some 20 mm (0.8 inches), which does result in a better stance.

Thankfully, the front fascia is a lot less controversial. While those body panels are also new, the overall styling is similar to that of the original Bentayga. There are less angles and more curves, giving the luxury family hauler a sleeker appearance, despite the more aggressive-looking front bumper.

The Bentayga’s grille also grew a little and now stands more upright, while novelties such as heated windscreen wipers with 22 washer jets per arm are making their debut.

A complete package

Bentley also wanted to make the Bentayga a better all-rounder, which is why they didn’t just improve convenience features and trim, but also added more legroom for rear seat passengers – an extra 100 mm (3.9 inches) to be precise.

Other novelties include the Conti GT steering wheel, new door panels, new seats, wireless phone charging, USB-C ports and a new 10.9-inch touchscreen with no physical buttons around its edges.

As for available powertrains, the 2021 Bentayga will launch in V8 guise first, powered by the same 542 HP 4.0-liter twin turbo unit found in the pre-facelift model, which will be joined later by W12 and plug-in hybrid variants.

Any bad angles?

Tough to say. If there was one, then it would have to be either its 90-degree rear angle or the rear 3/4 angle – and it’s because of those taillights. It almost looks like the tailgate isn’t “busy” enough from a visual standpoint, with too much exposed metal.

So, what’s your take on the Bentayga? Is Bentley’s SUV looking better after the facelift or do you prefer the original design?