Rolls-Royce Cullinan review: the one Rolls that actually shrugs off a Bahrain speed bump
MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The Cullinan is the sensible Rolls-Royce, which is a strange sentence to write about a car this size and price, but it is true relative to the rest of the range. Air suspension with a genuine lift function, all-wheel drive and a proper ride height make it the one model in the lineup that does not flinch at a Bahraini compound speed bump or a soft-sand shortcut off the highway. It remains a Rolls-Royce in running cost and service reality, so the buyer profile does not widen much — but within that profile, it is the easiest one to actually use.
Pros
- Only Rolls-Royce with the ride height and AWD to shrug off compound speed bumps
- Full-size luxury cabin in an SUV body
- Holds GCC used value better than the sedans
- V12 refinement and pulling power intact
Cons
- Still routes major service through a thin regional dealer network
- Large run-flat tyres are expensive to replace
- Air suspension components are costly if neglected
- Insurance and registration costs match the price tag
Rolls-Royce resisted an SUV longer than any comparable house, and the reason becomes clear the first time a Cullinan tackles a genuinely rough surface: the brand would not put its name on something that only played the part. Standard air suspension, all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering are shared with nothing else in the range, and the raised body gives real clearance rather than a styling exercise.
Bahrain use: heat, sand, speed bumps
This is the one Rolls-Royce that does not need to be babied around a compound. The extra ride height clears the aggressive speed bumps that make Phantom and Wraith owners drive with one eye on the road surface, and the all-wheel-drive system copes without drama on the soft-sand tracks a handful of Bahraini owners genuinely use it on — dune bashing in a Cullinan is a real, if extravagant, weekend activity here. Cabin cooling handles 45°C without the V12 working hard, and rear-seat comfort at causeway speed is close to Phantom-level.
The trade-offs are the same as any Rolls: parts and complex diagnostics route through the regional dealer network rather than a Bahraini same-day shop, tyres are large, run-flat and expensive, and insurance reflects a car with a price tag well north of BD 150,000 new. Where the Cullinan differs from its siblings is that its lower depreciation and genuinely usable body style keep GCC used demand strong, so a well-kept example holds value better than the Phantom or Ghost equivalents.
Buying used
Check air suspension height sensors and the electronic dampers first — they are the most common expensive fault on any air-sprung Rolls-Royce, and a pre-purchase inspection at an authorised workshop is worth the cost on a car this expensive to get wrong. Full service history matters more here than the mileage figure.