High-performance luxury SUVs are a trend at the moment. The whole segment came into existence back in the early 2000s when Porsche decided to launch the Cayenne. However, pretty much all luxury carmakers followed suit, and the Cayenne was soon overtaken.
We have quite the lineup when it comes to these uber-luxurious pavement crawlers. The Bentley Bentayga could top the list in terms of the opulence on board, while the Lamborghini Urus takes care of extreme performance with oodles of Italian flair.
The Audi RS Q8 is another 600 horsepower high-riding excuse for absurdity. Then there is the Porsche Cayenne with its relatively understated looks and modest levels of luxury, at least in this company of cars.
All of them are technically the same car underneath. Built on Volkswagen’s MLB Evo platform, these super SUVs share very similar underpinnings albeit tailored suit to each of the respective brand’s ethos. Dynamically, it’s the Lamborghini Urus that leads the pack followed by the Porsche Cayenne and then the Q8.
In this comparison, we’ll be pitting the Porsche Cayenne against the Lamborghini Urus and see how they fare.
Porsche Cayenne: A Utilitarian That’s Secretly A Sports Car
The Cayenne was one of the first cars to actually dictate a market change. It was a car that rewrote what an SUV should be and made consumers think of it as a sports car on stilts. Porsche was quick to jump on the SUV bandwagon and decided to invest heavily into an idea that many thought was preposterous. Currently, almost all luxury carmakers have ventured or all planning to venture into the world of super SUVs.
The Porsche Cayenne starts from the base run-of-the-mill model and goes all the way to the extraordinarily powerful Turbo S E-Hybrid. Since the comparison is to a high-performance non-hybrid SUV, we’ll leave out the 670 horsepower S E-Hybrid and go with the Cayenne Turbo. Power stands at 541 horsepower and 567 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that it shares with the Urus. With a manufacturer claimed 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds, the Cayenne Turbo is easily one of the fastest SUVs in the market.
Also noteworthy is the Cayenne’s athleticism. Dynamically, the Cayenne Turbo in many ways defies the laws of physics. With minimal pitch and roll, this super SUV is seriously impressive considering its heft. While Porsche has engineered their expertise onto the Cayenne, it’s no 911. But it’s the closest you’ll get to a sports car.
Lamborghini Urus: Where Flamboyance Meets Utility
The Lamborghini Urus debuted in 2018 as the brand’s first-ever turbocharged super-SUV. Although the LM-002 preceded the Urus as Lamborghini’s first-ever SUV, it came with a V12 from the Countach. As mentioned, the Urus is based on VAG’s MLB Evo platform that it shares with the Audi Q8, Bentley Bentayga, and Porsche Cayenne.
However, Lamborghini has done their bits to it and the Urus turns out to be the most powerful out of all its siblings. Rated at 641 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, the Urus is a very capable utilitarian although not in the traditional aspect. Lamborghini positioned the Urus as the most capable road-going SUV and not a full-fledged off-roader as its predecessor, the LM-002.
That said, Lamborghini claims the Urus is better than most soft-roaders off-road. Performance-wise, the Urus is capable of hitting 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds, staggering numbers for a near 5,000-pound SUV. The Urus was in fact the fastest SUV in the world with a top speed of 189 mph until the Bentley Bentayga Speed came along and took the title by 1 mph. That said, various testers have reached 190 mph in the Urus, so we’ll leave it at that.
Everything else is just as great with practicality being emphasized thanks to bigger luggage space and the ability to seat 5, not something common, especially for a Lamborghini.
Lamborghini Urus Vs Porsche Cayenne: Which One Is Better Then?
Badge engineering is quite the norm these days. Often practiced by large companies, they are one of the easiest ways to save money. However, none have done to a level that VW has with the Cayenne and Urus. They have a distinct character that’s true to their moniker. The Lamborghini Urus is brutishly fast and is, by all means, the flashiest of them all. The Porsche Cayenne on the other hand is relatively understated but is slightly more agile than its Italian counterpart.
Performance-wise, you won’t be disappointed with either one. The 2021 Lamborghini Urus starts from $218,900 whereas its similarly capable German sibling is almost 100 grand cheaper. The Porshe Cayenne Turbo starts from $129,500 and is the one we’d suggest if you’re looking at one of these super SUVs.
However, you do miss out on the crazy styling and of course, the Lamborghini badge. If you don’t mind a sedate design and having a non-exotic logo on the hood, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo should do the job equally well at a fraction of the cost.
Sources: Caranddriver, Porsche, Lamborghini