Lest buyers forget just which of the Brit automakers were first to bat with an ultra-SUV, Bentley has given the Bentayga a substantial mid-cycle refresh.

It’s clear that Bentley leadership called for a 2021 update of unusual depth. For the upcoming model year, the Bentayga sports more than just tech updates and the odd flourish or nip and tuck. There are very noticeable, even prominent, alterations to design language. And the 2021 refresh also represents a change in the Bentayga lineup, with a performance-oriented variant on its way that will flesh out the series into three distinct options for buyers.

On the way late in the year is a plug-in hybrid model of the Bentayga outfitted with a V6. Some 18 emissions-free miles may seem like a token gesture, but it’s a step in the right direction. More important, however, for the average buyer of such a luxurious and potent car is the no-half-measures variant: the Bentayga Speed, which will inherit the original Bentayga’s optional V12, marry it to a host of performance features, and become the lineup’s figurehead. For the standard Bentayga, only the 4L V8 is in store for 2021, but it’s plenty powerful.

Visually, the 2021 Bentayga is more streamlined, and more assertive in the nose. It’s also brought into line with Bentley’s overall design sensibility. Inside the cabin, an 11” touchscreen directs the newest version of Bentley’s infotainment system; it is fed by always-on connectivity. There’s more room in the back seat, and an infotainment remote tablet for the rear passengers can be optioned.