Lamborghini’s first hybrid SUV: Why the Urus SE outclasses the competition

They say falling in love with an Italian ruins you for life. Having driven a number of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis and even a Pagani, it’s hard to argue with this statement. But an Italian SUV by the supercar mafia? Mamma mia! 

You can imagine the outrage when Lamborghini announced plans to roll out a high-performance ‘super SUV’ in late 2017. But when it hit the market the following year, it didn’t take long for the Urus to impress – and silence the same critics who were dubious about its high-octane prospects.

Blending supercar power with real-world practicality, the Urus debuted with a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that could dispatch the 0–100 km/h sprint in 3.6 seconds.

It proved an instant hit, attracting a whole new segment of customers for Lamborghini, which has been wholly owned by Audi under the Volkswagen Group since 1998. According to the company, about 70 per cent of Urus owners are first-time Lamborghini buyers.

By 2019, the Urus was the raging bull that doubled Lamborghini’s total production volume. By 2021, it had become the fastest-selling model in Lamborghini history. 

Then came the Urus S and Urus Performante, each packing more power and sharper performance.

In 2024, Lamborghini debuted the Urus SE, its first plug-in hybrid ‘super SUV’, as part of its ‘Direzione Cor Tauri’ programme. The initiative aims to decarbonise the company’s value chain by hybridising its full product range, and to reduce total enterprise emissions by 40 per cent ‘per car’ by 2030.

The Urus’ success also follows a mould-breaking blueprint Porsche laid down – and the way the Cayenne, then the Macan, transformed its business. In fact, Lamborghini posted record results in 2025, delivering 10,747 vehicles, driven heavily by the Urus SE. Of those, 2,750 went to the Asia Pacific region, including Singapore.

GOOD VIBRATIONS 

You really have to drive it to understand the Urus’ allure. And to the naysayers who lament that it runs on the same Volkswagen Group architecture as luxury SUVs from Audi, Bentley and Porsche, we know by now this isn’t a rebadging exercise, as cynics once claimed.

That ‘super SUV’ label? It’s not just PR spin. Performance-wise, the Urus SE really does outclass the competition because the Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo platform has been heavily modified and dynamically tuned to feel unmistakably Lamborghini.

The numbers confirm it: The 4-litre twin-turbo V8 makes 620 CV, while the electric motor adds another 180 CV. That’s 800 CV in total at 6,000 rpm – exceptional, elite-level performance that isn’t exactly necessary for the daily grind.

So what’s all that power good for? Setting new benchmarks. The Urus SE is Lamborghini’s most powerful SUV yet, besting even Ferrari’s Purosangue and Aston Martin’s DBX 707.

That translates to a 0–100 km/h time of 3.4 seconds. Zero to 200 km/h? Only 11.2 seconds, plus a top speed of 312 km/h. Staggering figures – though it’s not likely any Urus SE will be used as a getaway vehicle in Singapore.

According to Lamborghini, the hybrid powertrain – with a 25.9 kWh battery providing about 60 km of pure electric range on a full charge – contributes to an 80 per cent reduction in emissions. Frankly, that’s a pretty extraordinary claim to reconcile, given how outrageously well the Urus SE handles.

New innovations on the SE include an electronic torque-vectoring system that distributes power between the front and rear axles with laser-sharp precision. It works in tandem with a new electronic limited-slip differential at the rear, delivering the kind of cornering composure that makes dynamic driving feel like an extreme sport.

Meanwhile, the Urus SE’s aerodynamics have been completely reworked for maximum efficiency. There’s a new rear diffuser and an aero lip on the front bumper, working together to increase rear downforce by 35 per cent at high speeds. The result is greater stability, particularly for those who fancy themselves Lando Norris hopefuls.

We’re not talking F1 levels of precision and adrenaline-fuelled excitement, but it delivers the heightened responsiveness and drama we love to see in a high-performance SUV.

New underbody air vents and revamped air ducts channel significantly more airflow to cool the engine and mechanical components, resulting in a 15 per cent improvement in cooling performance. Brake cooling is also enhanced by 30 per cent, thanks to a redesigned front section and an aerodynamically optimised underbody.

It’s also worth noting that the electric motor sits within the eight-speed automatic gearbox, rather than on either axle. This means the Urus SE remains four-wheel drive even when running solely on battery power.

There are myriad drive modes, including Strada (comfort), Sport and Corsa (track), plus three off-road modes: Sabbia (sand), Terra (rocky terrain) and Neve (snow). These can be paired with EV, Recharge, Hybrid and Performance settings for a total of 11 combinations – a clever way to make the most of the hybrid powertrain, which will almost always pleasantly surprise you.

We discovered the Urus SE also makes the perfect cocoon for Baby M’s naptime – our little passenger for the day. Comfortably ensconced in his car seat in the back, the V8’s heavenly purr synchronised with raindrops pattering on the windows – a purrfect lullaby that kept him asleep for hours. Each time the vehicle stopped for too long, Baby M would stir, and we’d have to get moving again to lull him back into sweet, sweet slumber. Talk about good vibrations.

LA DOLCE VITA

From sharper performance to its hybrid heart, the SE represents a major mid-life facelift for the Urus, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

In fact, it’s sportier than ever – not just aerodynamically, but visually too. The Urus SE flaunts a restyled exterior that feels more muscular, more dynamic than its predecessors, and more distinct from its competitors.

Redesigned elements include a floating bonnet, LED headlight clusters, and a revised bumper and front grille. At the rear, the taillamp grille is said to be inspired by Lamborghini’s legacy supercars such as the Gallardo.

Inside, the cockpit is designed to make you “feel like a pilot” behind the wheel. Will you actually feel like one, though? In the Revuelto, perhaps. But in the Urus SE, not so much. Still, the design aims to echo that lightweight, driver-first feel, with anodised aluminium trim details and new panel and dashboard wrappings.

We know the Italians do everything with consummate style, so the cabin stays true to Lamborghini’s dramatic visual language. It continues the signature hexagonal leitmotif seen in the Revuelto – in the interior architecture and across the updated Human Machine Interface (HMI).

At 12.3 inches, the touchscreen has grown by 2.2 inches, and the graphics are now sharper with improved 3D animation. It’s also more intuitive on the Urus SE, with a refreshed layout that’s closer to the app-management style you’ll recognise from modern smartphones (good call, Lamborghini). There’s also a dedicated telemetry system integrated into the software for those keen to take their sim racing skills into the real world.

Will you be tempted to race in the Urus SE? Absolutely. Will you, though, with a baby on board? Not a chance. But as the Italians say, la vita è un viaggio. Life is a journey indeed – and who wouldn’t want to enjoy la dolce vita with this glorious V8?