2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Quality Review

Expectations are understandably high on any $150,000-plus vehicle when it comes to comfort and quality, but the 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur rises to the occasion in almost every category.

The seating arrangement inside the 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur is magnificent up front, but reviews read by TheCarConnection.com point out several problems with the rear seats. First, the good: ConsumerGuide asserts that the "huge supportive [front] seats supply imperial long-distance comfort, though headroom is only adequate for taller drivers." Continuing with their praise for the 2009 Bentley Continental lineup, ConsumerGuide says that "the daunting array of seat adjustments can confuse at first, but allow for extreme comfort customization" for front-seat occupants. Unfortunately, behind those wonderful front seats Edmunds reports that there is a "somewhat cramped rear seat." Motor Trend reviewers point out that the 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur "now offers a rear bench seat with electrically adjustable outboard seats," but Edmunds contends that "the rear seats lack the adjustment and advanced features (such as cooling) available in competing sedans. Rear legroom, too, is comparatively scarce."

Although the rear seats may be a bit cramped, the 2009 Bentley Flying Spur lineup does offer quite a bit of available cargo space in the trunk. ConsumerGuide reviewers feel that the "trunk seems larger than the quoted 17-cubic-foot capacity," and a "large opening and low liftover add to [the trunk's] overall usefulness." However, once inside the cabin the available space disappears in a hurry. ConsumerGuide reviewers again offer the most insight here, noting that "the CD changer and navigation-system DVD player consumer much of the glove box, and console storage is limited to a small ash tray and tiny in-armrest cubbies."

While the 2009 Bentley Flying Spur's cabin loses points for interior storage, it more than makes up for it when it comes to materials and build quality. Despite the stratospheric starting price for the 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur, Road and Track reviewers feel that it is "fair to say the build quality, craftsmanship and driving experience are worthy of a car of this price." ConsumerGuide agrees, calling the interior "glorious" and noting that "nothing that can be touched is of anything but the highest-grade materials." Car and Driver observes that "decadent trappings abound, from the Naim stereo—plucked from a couple of shelves above the top shelf—and the Breitling timepiece embedded in the dash to the exquisite dimpled headliner and quilted inserts for the seats and doors." Edmunds reviewers can only add that the "leather- and lumber-lined cabin won't win any awards from environmentalists or animal rights activists, but it's still one of the most exquisitely constructed automotive interiors on the market today."

One of the advantages of such tremendous build quality is that it virtually eliminates all exterior noise from the cabin of the 2009 Bentley Continental. ConsumerGuide reports that "wind noise...is entirely suppressed" in both versions of the 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur lineup, while Motor Trend says that additions to this Bentley sedan bring about "a 5 db reduction in interior noise." The only real problem with all that sound suppression, according to Car and Driver, is that you can never hear the rumble of the 2009 Bentley Continental's W12 engine, since "the exhaust is overwhelmed by wind noise with the windows down and simply eliminated with the double-paned glass up."