2025 Lamborghini Urus SE review: International first drive

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2025 Lamborghini Urus SE

The first thing that assaults your aural senses when you hit the jet fighter-inspired starter button inside the 2025 Lamborghini Urus SE is, well, nothing.

Instead of an explosion of petrol combustion, that signature throaty and murderous rumble that Lamborghini is known for, you are bathed in a near-silent experience, only the mildest hum from the Urus SE plug-in hybrid's electric motor slinking its way into the cabin.

It might seem like anathema to the Lamborghini brand, a slight to the purists of performance motoring. But fear not, because the beating heart of this new Lamborghini Urus SE is as wild and symphonic and ballistic as it's always been.

Only now, it gets a little help from an electric motor that makes this, the Lamborghini Urus SE, the most powerful Urus ever and, more tellingly, the most powerful SUV with a combustion engine in today's new car landscape. We'll get to those claims later.

What you need to know now is that this new and heavily facelifted Urus plug-in hybrid is the second act in the Lambo's play in the push into electrification.

It joins the plug-in hybrid Revuelto, the V12-powered replacement for the flagship Aventador. Next year, the final act in Lambo's three-part plug-in drama, the Temerario, will take to the stage. The Huracan replacement has, like the rest of the brand's line-up, gone plug-in hybrid.

And that means Lamborghini's entire line-up of cars will be electrified. But crucially, and going by initial impressions of the car I'm testing here today, that electric push hasn't come at the cost of performance and theatre.

How much is a Lamborghini Urus?

The Lamborghini Urus SE plug-in hybrid is priced from $457,834 plus on-road costs in Australia. That's if you can even get your hands on one, Lamborghini confirming at the international launch in Italy that the entire production run from now until the end of 2025 is already accounted for. Best get your order in for 2026, then.

While there will be a brief overlap with the petrol-only Urus S and Urus Performante models, production of the latter two will end, leaving the SE as the lone SUV in the Italian marque's line-up.

This update brings a host of design changes, a genuine facelift if you will. There's a new bonnet with a more pronounced power dome and reprofiled centre peak. The headlights have been redesigned too, while the daytime-running light signature draws inspiration from the swishing tail of the bull in the Raging Bull logo.

Out back, the redesigned rear end now features a pronounced centre peak, while a new rear grille element was inspired by the Gallardo, one of Lamborghini's chief designer Mitja Borkert’s favourite cars. There's no end to personalisation options, as is the Lambo way, with a palette in excess of 120 colours, and counting. The aim is to offer a choice of 150 hues by next year.

And with around 20 different interior combinations and a choice of either 21-inch (standard) or 23-inch alloy wheels, the Lamborghini Urus SE is not for wallflowers, even if its default start mode is the near-silent electric.

How big is a Lamborghini Urus?

Lamborghini interiors have always been a bit special, a blend of raw aggression and big-money refinement that follows a familiar formula.

Lamborghini makes much of the "feel like a pilot" qualities of the cabin, and it's hard not to be taken in by an interior that does indeed embrace its occupants in a high-tech and purposeful layout.

It might be a big SUV – 5123mm long, 2181mm wide (with mirrors), 1638mm high and on a wheelbase of 3003mm – but it doesn’t take long for the Urus SE to envelop you and fit you snugly into its driver's seat.

The seating position is low (although can be power adjusted in myriad ways, including height) with a commanding view over the bonnet. There's a delicious heft to the flat-bottomed steering wheel, all reassurance and tactility and remarkably uncluttered, with only a small accompaniment of buttons and scrollers to contend with.

The dash has been redesigned to incorporate a larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. It's lighter too, Lamborghini making much of the fact that despite a near 200kg weight impost of the SE's hybrid system, the final kerb weight has only increased by 150kg.

The centre console has also been redesigned to accommodate the larger 'tamburo' selector unit that is, of all the aeronautical qualities inside, the most 'pilot' like. The centrepiece is, of course, Lamborghini's signature starter button housed under a flap that imbues the whole experience with Top Gun-like qualities.

It's hard to imagine Lamborghini owners prioritising cabin practicality, but this Urus SE does masquerade as a family SUV so cupholders (two) and door pockets that can take bottles are well placed to offer convenience. A central storage bin reveals a wireless smartphone charging pad that did, on test, heat up my iPhone to scorching levels; a common complaint across the broad spectrum of automotive brands.

The second row is generous in terms of space, certainly for two adults. There is a fifth seat wedged in the middle of the two outboard seats, but it's best reserved for kids on shorter drives. Still, it's the most practical Lamborghini ever, and that means a fold-down armrest, and door pockets in the second row, as well as separate climate controls and USB Type-C charging points. And for those with little ones, the outboard seats are fitted with ISOFIX child seat mounts.

Out back, the Urus SE's 616-litre luggage capacity remains unchanged over the outgoing non-hybrid models, remarkable considering the presence of a 25.9kWh battery array under the boot floor. But that boot floor is now fixed in place and can no longer be lifted to reveal the hiding spot of the Urus's toolkit and puncture repair kit. To find those in the event of a puncture, you'll need to lift the rear seat base to reveal their hiding spot.

Does the Lamborghini Urus have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

A new, larger 12.3-inch central touchscreen hosts the Urus SE's infotainment system, and while it has been cloaked in Lambo clothing, it's a pretty familiar environment for anyone who's used similar setups found in Lamborghini's broader Volkswagen Group stablemates, Audi and Porsche. That's no bad thing, the system intuitive and responsive to inputs.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring – both wireless and cabled (via a pair of USB-C outlets found inside the central storage bin) – are standard inclusions.

Apple CarPlay worked well, the system quick to pair my phone wirelessly and maintaining a stable connection throughout.

A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster provides plenty of critical driving information, its centrally mounted tacho and speedometer dial flanked by two data screens that can be toggled through to display a wide range of information – from state of charge, trip data and a host of performance-focused telemetry, you can display as much or as little data as you want or need.

It's here, though, that Lamborghini's shared DNA with stablemate Audi comes to the fore, the buttons and scrollers on the steering wheel used to change views on the instrument display straight out of Ingolstadt's parts bin. So too the indicator and windscreen wiper stalks, which serve duty in Audis costing a fifth of the Urus SE.

Climate controls are located in a third screen – again, borrowed from Audi/Porsche – nestled under the dash in front of the 'tamburo' selector unit. Key controls and functions are on perma-display, easy to see and use on the move.

Is the Lamborghini Urus a safe car?

The Lamborghini Urus SE, like every Urus before it, has not been crash-tested or safety rated by ANCAP or its European counterpart, Euro NCAP.

What safety technology does the Lamborghini Urus have?

A suite of advanced driver assist systems underpins the Urus SE's safety credentials, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, as well as adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality.

The airbag count runs to eight covering both rows of occupants.

How much does the Lamborghini Urus cost to run?

Although unconfirmed, Lamborghini is likely to cover the Urus SE with its three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Similarly, service intervals are still to be confirmed, although using the Urus Performante as a guide, expect to visit your local Lambo technician every 12 months or 12,000km, whichever comes first.

As for cost of servicing, it's a case of 'if you have to ask…', Lamborghini not providing pricing for its three- or five-year prepaid maintenance packages that cover parts and labour as well as fluids and consumables.

We were unable to obtain a quote for comprehensive insurance for the Lamborghini Urus SE.

Is the Lamborghini Urus fuel-efficient?

Fuel consumption for the Urus SE depends on how it's being used. With around 60km of pure electric driving available on a full charge, according to Lamborghini, the Italian marque claims an ambitious 2.08L/100km and 39.5kWh/100km on the combined cycle.

At the other end of the scale, with the battery fully discharged and the Urus SE motoring along on petrol power alone, Lambo claims 12.9L/100km.

The reality, based on my experience at launch, sits somewhere in between, with an indicated 11.6L/100km and 15.1kWh/100km.

I'll add the caveat that that indicated reading was as the result of testing the Urus SE in all driving scenarios – from pure electric, to hybrid to combustion-only – over a relatively short period of time. I'd wager real-world numbers would more closely align with Lamborghini's claim, especially if your daily motoring needs run to less than 60km and you're diligent about keeping the battery charged.

Lamborghini doesn’t quote maximum charging capacity, nor does it provide charging times for the 25.9kWh battery, but using a regular household outlet should see the Urus SE recharged overnight

What is the Lamborghini Urus like to drive?

The Lamborghini Urus SE's breadth of ability is astonishing. There are a lot of big numbers in play, the headline of course, the 588kW and 950Nm combined outputs of the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 and electric motor that underpin the big SUV's drivetrain.

Let's break it down, though. On its own, the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 makes 456kW and 800Nm, while the electric motor brings 141kW/483Nm to the party for combined outputs of 588kW and 950Nm.

The end result is a 2.5-tonne SUV that can complete the sprint from 0–100km/h in 3.4 seconds and 0–200km/h in 11.2sec. Top speed? Try 312km/h.

But, as Lamborghini pointed out at the SE's international launch, the big SUV is more than just the sum of its performance numbers. It's about the full breadth of its driving experience, a breadth that includes sedate about-town pure electric motoring, immensely rapid and raucous performance driving, surprisingly adept off-road ability, and even more shockingly, drifting. Yes, you can drift this family SUV. And easily.

It all starts with the electric motor, though, literally. Press the starter button and the default mode is electric. It's a far cry from the rambunctious bark we've come to expect from the Lamborghini start-up experience.

But this is the world we are moving towards and the Urus SE plays along nicely, moving away in near effortless silence. Lambo says the SE can be driven in full EV mode at speeds of up to 130km/h, certainly good enough for most around-town driving scenarios. It's as quiet and smooth as any EV we've driven, with just the faintest electric hum infiltrating the cabin, while road noise is kept nicely at bay, thanks in part at least, to the Urus SE-specific Pirelli P Zero rubber.

The adaptive air suspension too plays its part, offering a superbly cushioned ride that gobbles up scraps and lumps with barely a ripple.

Of course, this is a Lamborghini, and when you want it to behave and growl and snarl like a Lambo, then a simple flick of the 'tamburo' drive mode selector will unleash the appropriate symphony.

There are six driving modes – Strada, Sport, Corsa, Sabbia, Terra and Neve – with a further four 'energy' modes that work in combination with each other to provide a total of 11 drive modes. Needlessly complicated? Or a welcome breadth of choice? For me, it's the latter, the setup ridiculously easy to digest and use.

Selecting Strada from the left-hand controller elicits an almost immediate response, the big V8 barking into life in the manner we've come to expect from a Lamborghini-fettled donk. The resulting smile could power the battery for days.

Strada is the default hybrid mode, providing a tractable and pleasant time behind the wheel, with smooth, almost benign, road manners. Yes, there is that hint of menace from the rumbling V8, but it slips in and out of consciousness as the hybrid system works away at saving fuel.

The transition between the two sources of motivation is effortless and smooth, relatively quiet and docile, most un-Lambo like.

To get the full Lambo experience is as easy as flicking a switch. Or two. Selecting Sport from the left-hand toggle and Performance on the right unleashes the full 588kW and 950Nm, a snarling and bellowing concerto of old-school combustion and modern electronica.

The roads in southern Italy, while not exactly the perfect canvas to exploit the Urus SE's prodigious performance, did offer a glimpse of what the Italian brand has achieved with this Lamborghini for the new world.

Yes, it's fast in a straight line, with neck-snapping acceleration and an angry soundtrack that has come to typify Lamborghini over the years. But it's also completely tractable through corners, with four-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars playing their part in keeping the big SUV remarkably composed.

The adaptive air suspension keeps things nice and comfortable too, while the steering remains meaty and tactile. Stopping power, courtesy of the Urus SE's monster carbon-ceramic discs – 440mm up front and 410mm out back – is not only impressive but also entirety predictable.

Lamborghini has also updated the Urus's all-wheel-drive system. Gone is the old 'Torsen' diff that apportioned a fixed torque split front and rear, and in its place is a mid-mounted Haldex clutch and electronically controlled rear clutch working in tandem to send torque front to rear and side to side as needed.

This new 'hang-on' system was best experienced in the rarified environs of the Nardo Technical Centre in southern Italy where Lamborghini let me loose on the facility's off-road track and drifting skid pan.

Off-road, the Urus SE, in the right modes, does a decent impression of a rally car, able to slide cheerily around corners, the tail hanging out in a control slide sending rooster tails of sand and dirt flying into the air. It seems almost incongruous to chuck a half-a-million-dollar performance SUV through a tight off-road course. And yet, the composure and control available are remarkable. From tentative first laps to all-out attack took about 10 minutes, the Urus SE not even coming close to its limits on the soft, sandy surface.

Similarly, a brief stint on Nardo's skidpan to sample the Urus SE's drifting abilities highlighted just how diverse this SUV can be. Sure, not everyone (or even anyone) is going to head out to their local drift track for some sideways fun. But it's nice to know you could, and highlights just how competent and diverse the Urus SE's breadth of ability is.

Should I buy a Lamborghini Urus?

The Urus SE is the Lamborghini for the modern age – a plug-in hybrid supercar-like SUV that also serves as a capable, comfortable and practical family hauler.

We'd argue it's the most accomplished super SUV on the market today, offering a diverse driving experiences that few, if any, can match.

Combining a very useable and real-world electric-only driving range with a stonking and raucous V8 petrol engine hasn't dulled the Urus's dynamic ability. And, if anything, it has added layers of enjoyment and engagement that would have seemed unthinkable only a few short years ago.

Lamborghini's push into electrification hasn't dulled the Urus one iota. Instead, it's only enhanced it.

The post 2025 Lamborghini Urus SE review: International first drive appeared first on Drive.