Ever since its concept unveiling in 2012- and then its production release in 2017- Lamborghini's Urus model has been turning heads and is a sharp change of direction for the Italian manufacturer. While keeping the classic Lamborghini look (albeit in SUV form), and still offering a supercar-level of power, the Urus has received excellent reviews and is no doubt a game-changer of the SUV scene.
It's expensive, yes. The 2021 model comes in at a starting price of around $218,000, which is more than its main 'sporty SUV' competition such as the Bentley Bentayga, Aston Martin DBX, BMW X6 M, and Porsche Cayenne, but it's arguably the best of the bunch. Some would say you're getting more of a sports car than an SUV with the Urus.
The Urus is still in its first generation, having only been on the market for four years (and still holding its value), but the 2021 edition keeps the best of what makes the Urus tick alongside a number of small changes. We're going to take a look at the ten most impressive features of the new Urus models, and why they make Lamborgini's SUV so mouth-watering.
9 New Color Palette For 2021
The Pearl Capsule package adds an extreme color palette for the '21 Urus with orange, yellow, and green available, and those are matched within the interior. Additionally, some exterior body parts such as the rear wing and diffuser are given a black trim.
23-inch wheels matching the vibrant color of the buyer's choice make the Urus even more noticeable as if it wasn't already. Lamborghini also added some more standard colors, including some with metallic and matte tints, but the most popular options are still grey and, of course, yellow.
8 Sensonum Sound System
This is optional on the 2021 Urus, and may not be important for everybody, but Lamborghini's 'premium', 17-speaker sound system (730 watts) is no doubt going to elevate the audio experience.
Whether that's a good thing or not is down to personal preference; some people will, understandably, be happy enough with the humming V8 soundtrack.
7 Advanced Parking Assist
Like most modern cars, the Urus comes with a plethora of driving and parking assists thanks to a combination of cameras and sensors fitted all around the SUV. One change for the 2021 model is the development of the parking assistant; an 'Intelligent Park Assist is introduced, which allows the car to essentially park itself.
It's not to a Tesla level of self-control, but the Urus can now pull off parallel and perpendicular parking on its own, by managing the steering, throttle, and brake completely independently.
6 Impressive Practicality
Granted, this is an SUV, so plenty of room is to be somewhat expected. The Urus doesn't disappoint, with plenty of driver and passenger space amongst its five seats (four to be ultra-comfortable), and ample headroom for most people.
Moving towards cargo space, and the Urus delivers here too. Standard trunk space is 21.75 cubic feet, but moving the rear seats down increases that to a massive 56.4. There's a lot more to be impressed about by the Urus, but this very practical aspect confirms the true SUV nature of the car.
5 Grippy Tires
With options for 21 to 23-inch wheels, Italian tire manufacturer Pirelli is the main supplier for the Urus' grippy rubber. As standard for the street, Pirelli's P-Zeros offers a superb level of grip to complement the SUV's size and power.
On-track (because the Urus certainly can be used as a track car), Pirelli's Corsa tires are the better bet, while the aptly-named Scorpions are suited for off-road and challenging conditions.
4 The Advanced Infotainment System
Featuring two infotainment screens at the front- one for driver options and the other for entertainment- the Urus certainly pulls off the double-screen format with aplomb and is just one of many great aspects of the Urus' breathtaking interior.
The entertainment screen is the real highlight, with all the usual features for modern cars and then some more. The Android Auto/Apple CarPlay combination, as well as Bluetooth, are the basics on offer here, but features like the traffic management system and a fully operational 3D, 360-degree camera, are pleasant additions.
3 Customizable Interior
Top Gear called the Urus' interior "the quality marks of an Audi but skinned to be a Lamborghini", which is just a summary of what is a very impressive design and compliments the rest of the Urus nicely. Wrapped in either Alcantara or Q-Citura leather (including the steering wheel), and with carbon fiber patches elsewhere in the cabin, this gives an executive and quality feel to a Lamborghini like no other.
For comfort levels, the range of temperature controls is impressive. Not only are the seats heated and ventilated, but so is the steering wheel. And, if we're going back to basics, there are cupholders in both the front and rear of the car.
2 Comfortable - Everywhere
With adjustable air suspension, featuring six different drive modes for all conditions- including the track- the Urus is a very comfortable, adaptable SUV. Based loosely on the Audi SQ7, the Urus also boasts four-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars, increasing the performance and handling while maintaining an SUV level of comfort.
It'll never be the softest-feeling SUV out there, but the level of choice for the driver depending on what surface they're on (and how fast they're driving) is vast, and at the most comfortable settings, is more than smooth enough for a family road-trip.
1 Twin-Turbo V8
By far one of the biggest standouts on the Urus is the sheer power of the thing. Under the hood is a four-liter twin-turbo V8- a tweaked version of the Audi equivalent- which powers the car from 0-60 in a little over three seconds and has a top speed of 190mph.
Producing 641bhp and 627lb-ft of torque, this is a fast, fast SUV. There's no need for it to be this quick, but why not? This is one of the major appeals of the Urus; its genuine crossover between a sports car and SUV. It's still a Lamborghini, after all. It lacks the V10 or V12 engines used in their other models, but we can't have everything. And what you get in the Urus, given this is essentially a daily driver, is good enough.