Bentley Bentayga vs Maserati Levante vs Range Rover: which one has the lowest running costs?

Traditionally if you were looking for a premium SUV, you would go looking for one at Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Porsche. However, in recent times more and more manufacturers that would usually be associated with luxury sedans or outright sports cars have introduced SUV models of their own. And there are no signs of this trend dissipating as more and more manufacturers announce their models.

 

Related: Bentley Bentayga V8 Diesel is the first Bentley diesel – is there a good cause?

 

One of the manufacturers to join the ranks of SUV creators recently is Bentley. Maserati also only recently started with the body style, however, Range Rover started and is considered as one of the original creators of the luxury SUV. But let us jump in to see which one has the lowest running costs. For this article, we will be focussing on the Bentley Bentayga V8, Maserati Levante Trofeo and the Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic Supercharged.

 

Price

One of the largest factors in determining the running costs of a vehicle is the monthly repayment a customer can expect to pay if the vehicle is financed. We calculated the estimated monthly repayment on each vehicle using the following formula on the AutoTrader Car Finance Calculator. For a deposit, we entered 10% of the total value of the vehicle, the residual set at 0%, and we selected 72-months for the finance period. We chose 12% for the interest rate for a realistic result.

Please note that the result is just an estimate and monthly instalments will differ with each finance application based on your individual credit profile and banking fees associated with the vehicle finance.

 

Bentley Bentayga V8

The base price for the Bentley Bentayga V8 is set at R3 825 000. Using the formula set out above results in the estimated monthly instalment being R67 301.54 with the total amount of interest accumulated over the 72-month period being R1 403 210.71. The total repayment amount is R4 845 710.71.

 

Maserati Levante Trofeo

The Maserati Levante Trofeo will set you back R3 790 000. Over the 72-month period, you will be paying R66 685.71 per month and will see a total of R1 390 370.88 in interest accumulated. The total repayment amount comes to R4 801 370.88.

 

Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic Supercharged

The Range Rover has the highest purchasing price at R4 067 362 which will result in an estimated monthly instalment of R71 566.02. The total interest accumulated will be R1 492 123.53 resulting in an R5 152 753.53 the total repayment amount after the 72-month period at a 12% interest rate.

 

Warranty and maintenance

A warranty serves as a promise from a manufacturer on the quality of their components and manufacturing processes, fit and finish. Most owners of a new vehicle will never have to access the warranty service but if and when they do, it saves the vehicle owner a lot of money. This is why the warranty is so important when considering a new vehicle or even a used model that still falls within the mileage and time constraints of the warranty agreement.

Bentley offers a 3-year / unlimited-kilometre warranty on the new Bentayga as well as a 3-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan. Customers can optionally specify a 5-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan which will increase the initial purchasing price but will provide the owner with a longer period in which Bentley will maintain the vehicle at their high standards. Services are scheduled every 15 000 km or every year, whichever occurs first.

 

The Maserati Levante offer a similar 3-year / unlimited-kilometre warranty but comes with a 5-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan as standard. The Levante also only need to go in for a service every 20 000 km or annually, whichever comes first. 

The Range Rover benefits from a longer warranty period, however, sees a limit placed on the distance. As standard, you can expect a 5-year / 100 000 km warranty to come with your purchase and a 5-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan. Service intervals are set at 26 000 km or annually, whichever occurs first.

 

Fuel consumption

The Bentley is powered by a 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged, V8 petrol motor coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The configuration sends all of its 404 kW and 770 Nm of torque to all four wheels. The manufacturer claims that owners will be able to achieve the average fuel consumption of 13.3 L / 100 km.

The Maserati Levante features a smaller 3.8-litre, bi-turbocharge, V8 petrol motor, however, is the most powerful producing 434 kW and 730 Nm of torque. The power is sent to all four wheels via the 8-speed automatic transmission. Maserati claims that owners will be able to achieve the average fuel consumption of 13.5 L / 100 km.

 

The Range Rover has the most displacement offering customers a 5.0-litre, supercharged, V8 petrol motor mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The configuration also powers all four wheels and develops 416 kW and 700 Nm of torque. Range Rover says that the SVAutobiography Dynamic Supercharged is capable of an average fuel consumption of 12.8 L / 100 km.

 

Conclusion

While it is the most expensive of the three and comes fitted with the largest engine, the Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic Supercharged offers the best fuel consumption and a longer warranty period. However, it also has the highest price tag results in it being R4264.48 more than the Bentley in its estimated monthly instalment. 

The Maserati Levante Trofeo on the other hand, not only boasts with the most powerful engine of the three, but it also matches the Range Rover on its maintenance plan period. Even more impressive is that it is the most affordable of the three costing R615.83 less per month than the Bentley Bentayga and a staggering R4880.31 less than the Range Rover. 

 

Make no mistake, the Bentley still offer good value with its frugality and even its price which falls in between the Maserati and the Range Rover. But it is hampered by the shorter maintenance plan period which means owners will have to start paying for their model out-of-pocket much earlier in the ownership period. 

It is because of this that the Maserati Levante Trofeo is crowned the winner with the lowest running costs.

 

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