Lamborghini Urus 2021 review

Model review

When you think of Lamborghini, it’s likely a flamboyant high-performance supercar that comes to mind. Perhaps the Italian firm’s latest Aventador SVJ, maybe even the brand’s Countach and Diablo from a few decades ago. But unlikely to cross your mind are the words ‘SUV’. 

 Yet, with this market’s demand, and increasingly from the top end of the spectrum, it’s too much for many performance and luxury manufacturers to ignore. That’s why we’ve seen SUVs from the likes of Bentley, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce, while even Ferrari is set to join. 

So it was too much for even a firm like Lamborghini to ignore, which is why we have the Urus – a big imposing super SUV. First previewed by a 2012 concept car, the Urus would eventually be unveiled in December 2017, and arrive in dealerships the following year. 

 It’s worth noting that this wasn’t actually Lamborghini’s first off-roader, with the 1980s LM002 getting that label. 

Latest model

Self-labelled by Lamborghini as the ‘world’s first super sport utility vehicle’, the Urus arrives as one of the most powerful SUVs ever produced. Pushing out 641bhp from its V8 engine, which we’ll explore more of later, it offers some truly astonishing figures for something weighing 2.2 tonnes. 

 But though this might be a new model for Lamborghini, it shares bits in common with some Audi and Porsche models that too fall under the Volkswagen Group umbrella. 

 Since its introduction, the Urus has already gone on to become Lamborghini’s most popular model yet, with the firm having built 10,000 units in as little as two years. 

Value for money

If you’re buying anything with a Lamborghini emblem on the front end, there’s a high chance value for money isn’t a top priority. And it’s a good job as the Urus is one of the priciest SUVs you can buy today – costing an eye-watering £143,676, even as ‘stock’. It’s very easy to rack the price up, too, and you’ll never find an Urus without options. In fact, many for sale will be specced up to £200,000 and beyond. 

 Used values are also fairing well, and much better than many rivals. At the time of writing, the cheapest for sale cost £185,000, while virtually brand-new models could cost you in excess of £250,000. 

Looks and image

The Urus is a car you’ll either love or hate the look of. It really is as ostentatious as cars come, with wild styling and lines in the design that make it truly unmissable on the road – more so when it’s specced up in brighter colours. It also has an almost coupe-like shape, which aids the appeal, while flared wheel arch trim and huge alloy wheels bring additional street cred. It really is the Lamborghini of the SUV world. 

 Inside isn’t quite so wild, though the cabin is littered with Alcantara, leather and carbon-fibre to help justify the price. There’s also an almost fighter jet-like drive ignition button, too. But many of the parts in the cabin are borrowed from Audi, just with some Lamborghini flair – including the climate control and main touchscreens. Given the quality and sharpness of such displays, though, it’s really only an advantage that Audi parts are used. 

 And then there’s the way the Urus drives, which is nothing short of astonishing. With a seemingly unstoppable amount of power under your right foot, the Urus can surge forward in a way that almost defies physics for something of this size. Yet unlike other sports SUVs, it still feels agile and sharp through the corners as well. But given the Urus is likely to be a car that’s used on a daily basis, it’s the model’s comfort that astonishes. Flick the drive selector into the ‘Strada’ setting and it settles down to be just as comfortable as an Audi Q7. It really is brilliantly engineered. 

Space and practicality

There’s no hiding from just how big the Urus is in terms of its footprint, and it’s certainly the most versatile Lamborghini produced, and by quite a considerable margin. The firm also says that many of these models will ultimately be used as family cars. 

It’s handy to know then that the 616-litre boot is giant, and increases to 1,596 litres if you drop the rear seats flat. Rear seat space isn’t quite as generous as you might expect, though adults will be able to get comfortable, even with the sloping roofline.

Engines

All Urus models come with a monstrous 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, which kicks out 641bhp and 850Nm of torque, with power being delivered to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. 

 That allows for some astonishing performance figures, with the Urus able to accelerate from 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 190mph.

Running costs

A Lamborghini is unlikely to be bought with running costs in mind, but given this model is likely to be used more as a daily driver, it is a more important consideration than usual. 

Unsurprisingly, you’ll need deep running costs to keep it on the road, with it returning just 22.2mpg, with sky-high CO2 emissions of 325g/km. Any maintenance and insurance costs will also not be for the faint hearted. 

Things to look out for

Though the Urus might be the most popular Lamborghini, it’s still sold in relatively small numbers, therefore not a huge amount is known about its reliability. Given various parts are shared with Audi, that helps matters, though it’s undoubtedly worth considering an aftermarket warranty when Lamborghini’s three years and unlimited mileage cover runs out. 

Rivals

You might think the market for ultra-luxurious and sporty SUVs is quite small, but you’d be surprised by just how many options there are available. Key rivals include the Aston Martin DBX, Bentley Bentayga Speed and Rolls-Royce Cullinan. At the more mainstream end of the spectrum, the Range Rover Sport SVR, mechanically-similar Audi RSQ8 and BMW X6 M Competition are all worth considering.

Depreciation

Usually big expensive premium models plummet in value at quite an astonishing rate, but values are remaining pretty firm on the Urus, even as they get a few years old. Of course, depending on how far you splash out on the options list will affect depreciation, but either way, the Urus feels a safer bet to put your money into than others in this class.