2025 Lamborghini Urus SE Review: The BoldlyPlayful Super SUV

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      One of the best aspects of my job is being able to showcase the high-end cars I sometimes have the opportunity to friends and family. The first time I entered the 2025 Lamborghini Urus SE, I struggled for three minutes trying to figure out how to shift it into drive. Thus began a playful challenge with all my passengers: How do you start this car?

      Directly beneath the secondary climate control touchscreen in the Urus, there are three handles. On the left is one labeled “Anima,” which toggles through Italian terms for street, track, snow, etc.; on the right is one that regulates how much the plug-in hybrid SUV utilizes its battery; and there’s a large one in the center with a small “R” at the top. If you miss this label—as I and most of my passengers did—you might mistakenly think that the large handle shifts the car into drive.

      Clearly, that isn’t the right handle. The others adjust drive modes but won’t get the vehicle moving either. The solution is actually found in the upshift paddle behind the steering wheel, following the tradition of the Huracán and Revuelto. Isn’t it amusing? Three levers in front of the center console, and none of them actually get the car moving.

      I asked on Instagram, “How do you start this car? Wrong answers only,” and my favorite response was: “You need to charge the Anima Engine by attacking until you reach Neve level. Then, you can put it into Drive.”

      It’s these moments that oddly define the Urus experience. At its core, this is the most powerful variant of a vehicle that shares its foundation with Audi and Porsche models that cost significantly less. Even with the familiar Lamborghini emblem, the Urus doesn’t feel particularly Lamborghini until you encounter one of its quirky user interface features or when you switch it out of EV-only mode, unleashing the roaring V8. The appearance of fuel-efficient calm dissipates, replaced by sheer hilarity.

      What’s New in the Urus SE

      Believe it or not, the Urus has been in production for seven years. The SE marks the most extensive refresh in the model’s history. At the forefront is the familiar 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine delivering 611 horsepower, now enhanced by an electric motor drawing from a 25.9-kWh battery that adds another 178 hp. In total, that results in 789 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque distributed to all four wheels through a central torque vectoring system and an electronic limited-slip differential at the rear. In EV mode, which is the default upon startup, it can travel up to 37 miles on a full charge at speeds of up to 80 mph.

      On the exterior, Lamborghini’s SUV appears a bit softer, featuring streamlined headlights, a smoother hood shut line that aligns seamlessly with the top of the grille, and a reconfiguration of some elements and graphics on the tailgate. A neighbor of mine referred to it as a “beautiful vehicle” in its Verde Gea matte finish, and I found myself agreeing, as what else could I say in response to a compliment about my Lamborghini? That it’s "a bit too much?" This facelift certainly enhances the Urus’s aesthetics, but it has always been a robust, angular hunk of metal, and a few design tweaks won’t change that.

      Interior changes are equally subtle and noticeable mainly to those who know where to look. Prior to the SE, the Urus featured a single sloping center console that incorporated two touchscreens, with the lower one dedicated to HVAC controls. Now, the upper display is broader and more upright, separated from the lower panel by a leather shelf and small switches protruding from above.

      The Urus SE starts at $262,630, but the model shown here is priced at $344,966, which becomes quite evident when examining the interior. Yes, there’s leather, carbon fiber, and Alcantara almost everywhere. However, there’s also black plastic layered over gray plastic, filled with unnecessary designs and hexagons highlighting what is, in many cases, standard Audi controls. The $141,000 BMW X5 M Competition I drove last year featured seats that could adjust in ways my spine never could, a fiery sound system behind its speaker grills, and heated armrests in a spacious, refined cabin. In contrast, the Urus’s interior feels like a dark and very serious bunker. I realize this may come across as trivial, but Lamborghini is too significant and costly a brand to rely on Google's free Roboto font throughout its user interface.

      Behind the Wheel

      I won’t claim that I completely overlooked these issues when I found a good road to unleash the Urus SE’s potential, but nearly 800 hp combined with the instantaneous torque of an electric motor can make