Overview
As one would expect of an ultra-expensive SUV, the 2022 Rolls-Royce Cullinan rides with supreme serenity and indulges everyone aboard. A strong and silky V-12 effortlessly motivates this quarter-million-dollar people mover. Though its exterior design borders on awkward, its unmistakable hood ornament and prodigious proportions ensure that onlookers know it’s a Rolls-Royce—and that its occupants are extremely wealthy. We only wish the interior wasn’t marred by modern trends such as digital gauges, and we’d prefer that the standard back seat was more adjustable. Still, the quietness and build quality of the Cullinan’s cabin is unrivaled, as is the ability to personalize the space to the owner’s desire.
What’s New for 2022?
Rolls-Royce doesn’t make any changes to the Cullinan for the 2022 model year. It continues to be powered by a twin-turbo V-12 making 563 horsepower (592 in the Black Badge version). An eight-speed automatic transmission still handles gearchanges and routes power to the standard all-wheel-drive system.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Cullinan’s twin-turbo 6.7-liter V-12 provides 563 horsepower (592 in the Black Badge model) and is whisper quiet, lest it disturbs the VIPs in the cabin. The one we tested recorded a 60-mph time of just 4.5 seconds—impressive for a vehicle that weighs about three tons. All-wheel drive is standard, although we suspect buyers will never venture off the tarmac and risk damaging the paint. The Cullinan rides on an air suspension that receives information from a road-scanning camera and automatically adjusts the vehicle’s height to compensate for imperfections in the pavement. Ride comfort is beyond the standards of regular luxury vehicles, as the Cullinan wafts down the road and transmits nothing unpleasant to the people inside.
