Lamborghini Urus SE 2026 Review: The Ultimate Hybrid Super SUV
If the world of high-performance SUVs had a mythical beast, the Lamborghini Urus was once the undisputed king. Imagine a creature sculpted from pure rage and adrenaline, its silhouette sharp enough to draw blood, its voice a thunderous roar that announced its arrival long before it appeared. For years, the Urus was the ultimate automotive dare, a playground for the ultra-rich who found the luxury of a Bentley Bentayga too sedate and the precision of a Porsche Cayenne too sensible.
But the automotive landscape is a relentless evolution, and even Lamborghini knows that the soundtrack of a thundering V8 alone is no longer enough to keep the wolves from the door. So, in a move that surprised the purists but thrilled the pragmatists, the Italian supercar manufacturer did something even more audacious than creating the first Urus in the first place: it turned the beast into a hybrid.
The result is the Lamborghini Urus SE, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model that represents the most significant shift for the Urus since its 2018 debut. While Lamborghini has retired the non-hybrid Urus S and Performante models, the SE is not a softened compromise. It is, in fact, the most powerful Urus ever conceived, combining a massive 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with a powerful electric motor to deliver a total output that redefines what’s possible in a road-legal SUV.
What Is the Lamborghini Urus SE?
The Lamborghini Urus SE is the latest iteration of Lamborghini’s Super SUV, now featuring a plug-in hybrid powertrain. This latest version blends the traditional V12 symphony of Lamborghini’s performance heritage with the modern efficiency and instant torque of electric propulsion. It is designed to offer a thrilling driving experience that competitors like the Aston Martin DBX, Porsche Cayenne, and Audi RS Q8 simply cannot match.
Why Now? The 2026 Market Context
In 2026, the automotive market is experiencing a seismic shift. Buyers are increasingly demanding vehicles that are not only powerful and luxurious but also fuel-efficient and environmentally conscious. This has put immense pressure on premium sports SUVs to evolve.
For manufacturers like Lamborghini, the UrSU SE represents a strategic decision to navigate this evolving market. By electrifying the Urus, Lamborghini has made the vehicle more accessible to a wider range of buyers, including those who require a daily driver as well as a track weapon.
Furthermore, government incentives and tax breaks for PHEVs make the Urus SE an even more attractive proposition. For company car drivers, the tax savings associated with plug-in hybrid vehicles can be substantial, making this otherwise prohibitively expensive vehicle more attainable for those who can command higher salaries or run lucrative businesses.
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What’s New in the Lamborghini Urus SE?
The SE model is defined by its revolutionary powertrain and several subtle, yet significant, updates to the exterior and interior.
May 2024: Urus SE plug-in hybrid launched, combining a 4.0-litre V8 engine, electric motor, and 22kWh battery for a total output of 789bhp.
April 2024: Urus SE plug-in hybrid unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show.
September 2022: Standard model renamed Urus S with 657bhp.
August 2022: Urus Performante introduced, delivering 657bhp, 47kg less weight, recalibrated driving modes, and revised aerodynamics.
Overview: The Driving Experience Redefined
If raw driving dynamics were the only metric, the Lamborghini Urus SE would be a five-star vehicle, hands down. It handles with astonishing agility, delivers a ridiculous amount of speed, and is, arguably, the most fun and capable sports SUV on the market.
It is the vehicle for those who prioritize exhilaration and theatre over a plush, pillowy ride and quiet cruising manners. However, in its electric mode, it offers an almost eerie sense of silence.
We award it four stars for the overall experience. The Aston Martin DBX is almost as good to drive but excels in luxury and premium interior finishes (which feel more appropriate for the price). Meanwhile, the Porsche Cayenne offers 90% of the Urus’s talents for considerably less. But if you ignore those two and decide to splurge on a Urus instead, we completely understand why. You are, after all, choosing a Lamborghini.
Strengths:
Searingly quick with blistering acceleration
Thrilling V8 noise or silent electric running
Masterfully tuned ride and handling balance
High performance electric SUV capabilities
Weaknesses:
Regenerative braking can be slightly abrupt
Slight throttle delay in hybrid mode
Premium sports SUV price point is high
Performance & Drive: The Heart of the Beast
Ever since Lamborghini retired the Urus S and Performante, the Lamborghini Urus SE is the sole powertrain variant available on the market. The term ‘powertrain’ is used advisedly, as the SE is not simply fitted with a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. It is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), featuring an integrated electric motor and a 22kWh battery. The V8 produces slightly less power than it did in the Performante (612bhp vs 666bhp), but when combined with the electric motor, the total output reaches 789bhp and 701 lb-ft of torque. This is, to put it mildly, a significant amount of power.
How Fast Is It and Which Engine Is Best?
The SE’s combined power output makes it the most powerful Lamborghini Urus ever produced. However, it is not the absolute quickest. This is primarily due to the added weight of the hybrid battery and electric motor. As such, the extra power and increased weight more or less cancel each other out in terms of acceleration. The Urus SE manages 0-62 mph in 3.4 seconds, whereas the lighter, less powerful Performante took 3.3 seconds.
If this seems slightly disappointing, perhaps a little perspective is needed. On paper, the Lamborghini Urus SE is still marginally quicker than similar high-end sports SUVs, including the fastest Porsche Cayenne (the Turbo E-Hybrid GT Package), the Aston Martin DBX S, Audi RS Q8, and Bentley Bentayga Speed.
On the road, the acceleration feels breakneck. In the raciest driving modes, which prioritize performance over efficiency, the electric motor delivers an instantaneous kick when you press the accelerator. This is immediately followed by the V8’s barrel-chested, relentless surge, capable of reaching 194 mph if you have enough runway. There is also an ‘overtake’ button on the steering wheel that provides a quick boost in performance, as well as a launch control function for the perfect drag-race start.
The eight-speed automatic gearbox shifts rapidly in the sportier drive modes—much quicker than the Aston Martin DBX’s auto gearbox. However, it does take slightly longer to kick down when the car is in hybrid mode, running solely on the electric motor.
In full electric mode, the Urus SE can achieve speeds of up to 84 mph and feels more than brisk enough for urban environments. The official electric range is 37 miles, which is not exceptional for a plug-in hybrid, but again, the Lamborghini Urus SE hybrid system is designed more for performance than ultimate efficiency. Still, the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid manages nearly 45 miles (WLTP) using the same 22kWh battery.
Can the Battery Be Recharged?
You can recharge the battery using the engine, but this is effectively pointless as it simply burns more petrol. It is far more sensible to charge it using a home wall box, and a full charge typically takes around 3.5 hours.
Is It Agile and Is the Ride Comfortable?
Agility is the Lamborghini Urus SE’s unique selling point (USP). It is truly astonishing considering the vehicle weighs around 2.5 tonnes. However, from the driver’s seat, you would never know it. The car is equipped with a host of technology designed to overcome the fundamental physics of managing such massive bulk during cornering and quick direction changes.
First, the Urus features four-wheel drive with a center differential that distributes power between the front and rear wheels. An electronically limited-slip rear differential then meters the torque to each rear wheel. With all this technology in place, the Urus has immense traction (grip when accelerating) and can also feel rear-driven—making it fun, much like a sports car—by sending up to 100% of the power to just the rear wheels.
It is more likely to do this in Sport mode, which is the Urus’s playful setting.
