Lamborghini Urus vs Audi Q8

What's the difference?

Lamborghini has nailed it. The Urus is a super SUV that’s fast, dynamic, and has Lamborghini looks, but just as importantly it’s practical, spacious, comfortable and easy to drive. You’re not going to find those last four attributes in a sentence about an Aventador.

Where the Urus loses marks is in terms of warranty, value for money and fuel consumption.

I didn’t take the Urus on the Corsa nor the Neve, nor Sabbia and Terra, but as I said in my video we know this SUV is capable on the track and that it can go off-road.

What I really wanted to see was how well it handled regular life. Any competent SUV can deal with shopping centre car parks, dropping kids off at school, carrying boxes and bags, and of course fitting and being driven as you would any car.

The Urus is a Lamborghini anybody could drive, pretty much anywhere.

The Audi Q8 60 TFSI e offers an interesting engine combination but with its small electric driving range and strictly AC charging, I kind of feel like it’s a case of ‘what’s the point?’

It’s expensive compared to its fuel-based cousins and it’s only a little bit more for the fully electric Q8 e-tron. That being said, I like everything else that it offers.

The luxurious appointments, comfort and the awesome handling helps to make up for the shortfall of the plug-in hybrid component for me. Regional or country folk might not wring out the full plug-in potential, but urban dwellers will find better luck. 

Anything interesting about the Urus? That’s like asking is there anything tasty about that really tasty thing you’re eating there? See, whether you like the look of the Lamborghini Urus or not, you have to admit it doesn’t look like anything you’ve ever seen before, right?

I wasn’t a major fan of it when I first clapped eyes on it in pictures online, but in the metal and in front of me wearing that 'Giallo Augo' yellow paint I found the Urus stunning, like a giant queen bee.

As I’ve mentioned, the Urus is built on the same MLB Evo platform as the Volkswagen Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga and Audi Q8. While that offers a ready-made base with great comfort, dynamics and technology, it would limit shape and styling, but nevertheless I think Lamborghini has done an excellent job of ‘dressing’ the Urus with styling that doesn’t give away its Volkswagen Group bloodline too much.

The Urus looks exactly how a Lamborghini SUV should – from its side profile with the sleek glasshouse and haunches which look spring loaded, to its Y-shaped tail-lights and tailgate lip spoiler.

At the front, as with the Aventador and Huracan, the Lamborghini badge takes pride of place and even that broad flat bonnet which looks just like the lid on its supercar siblings has to skirt around the emblem almost out of respect. Below is the giant grille with its enormous lower air-intake and front splitter.

You can also see a few hat tips to the original LM002 Lamborghini off-roader from the late 1980s in those squared-off wheel arches. Yes, this isn’t Lamborghini’s first SUV.

The optional 23-inch wheels do look a bit too big, but if anything can pull them off, I feel the Urus can because so much else about this SUV is over the top. Even everyday elements are extravagant – the fuel cap on our car was carbon-fibre for example.

But then everyday objects which I think should be there, aren’t – like a rear windscreen wiper.

The Urus’s cockpit is just as special (and Lamborghini) as its exterior. As with the Aventador and Huracan the start button hides beneath a red flip-up cover fighter-jet rocket launcher-style and the front passengers are separated by a floating centre console which is home to more aircraft inspired controls – there are levers for selecting drive modes and there’s a giant one just for selecting reverse.

As we’ve covered above, the interior of our car had been optioned to the hilt, but I have to mention those seats again – the Q-Citura diamond stitching looks and feels beautiful.

It’s not just the seats, though, every touch point in the Urus has a quality feel – actually even places that never come in contact with passenger such as the headlining look and feel plush.

The Urus is large – look at the dimensions: it’s 5112mm long, 2181mm wide (including the mirrors) and 1638mm tall.

But what’s the space like inside? Read on to find out.

The Q8 e is one of the few coupe-style SUVs that doesn’t feature a rear that is too pinched-looking. It has a more understated kerb-size appearance and yet still looks like it means business with its massive but well-proportioned body and wide stance.

Some design highlights include the upgraded 22-inch alloy wheels and sporty red calipers, black accents across the car and large air-intake vents at the front.

The updated grille is enormous and wide set but complemented by the HD Matrix LED headlights which makes the front really pop at night time.

Head inside the cabin and you’ll notice a luxuriously appointed but, again, understated aesthetic.

The supple Valcona leather upholstery and Nappa leather trims add refinement but it’s the flush joinery and the way the dashboard seems so well settled that makes the cockpit look good. Add the LED ambient lighting with its 30 colour choices and combos and the interior can be customised to your liking.

Being a hybrid model, you do miss out on any frunk storage and the boot capacity drops by 100L to accommodate the battery. Other than those items, the added electrical component doesn’t affect the design.

From the outside the Urus’s cabin looks like it could be a cramped place – it is a Lamborghini, after all right? The reality is the interior of the Urus is spacious and storage is great.

Our test car was a five-seater, but the Urus can also be ordered with just four seats. Alas, there is no seven-seater version of the Urus, but Bentley does offer a third row in its Bentayga.

The front seats in our Urus were snug but offered outstanding comfort and support.

Head-, shoulder- and legroom up front is excellent, but it’s the second row which is most impressive. Legroom for me, even at 191cm tall, is outstanding. I can sit behind my driving position with about 100mm to spare – take a look at the video if you don’t believe me. Headroom is good back there, too.

Entry and exit through the rear doors is good, although they could open wider, but the height of the Urus made putting my child into his car seat easy on my back. Also installing the car seat itself was easy – our is a top tether which hooked to the seatback.

The Urus has a 616-litre boot and that was large enough to fit the box for our new child car-seat (have a look at the images) along with several other bags – that’s damned good. Making loading easier is an air suspension system which can lower the rear of the SUV.

The big door pockets were excellent and so was the floating centre console which has storage underneath and two 12-volt power outlets. You’ll also find a USB port up front, too.

The centre console bin is the downfall – it’s only has space for the wireless charging pad.

There are two cupholders up front and another two in the fold down centre armrest in the rear.

The rear climate control system is outstanding and offers separate temperature options for left and right rear riders, with plenty of vents.

Grab handles, 'Jesus handles', call them what you will, but the Urus doesn’t have any. Both the youngest and oldest members of my family pointed this out – my son and my mother. Personally, I’ve never had a use for them, but they both feel it’s a glaring omission.

I’m not going to mark the Urus down for a lack of handles – this is a practical and family friendly SUV.

The cabin feels spacious in both rows for head- and legroom. The wide door apertures and higher ground clearance also make it an easy car to get in and out of.

When it comes to seat comfort, the front seats feel ergonomic with the adjustable lumbar and under-thigh supports. The seats sit low and you sit in them rather than perch on top like some SUV set ups.

The rear seats are comfortable and the back rest supportive, so even adults will be happy on a long journey.

The individual storage is pretty thin up front and the cabin gets messy quickly because of it. You get a shallow shelf as a middle console, glove box and two cupholders but the storage bins in each door are quite big, which is a plus.

The storage in the back seat is much better with two large net map pockets, two cupholders in the fold-down armrest and large drink bottle holders/storage bins in each door.

The boot is a good size at 505L but the sloped roof does mean you can’t position bulkier items at the front. The loading space is level and if you need to, you can adjust the height of the car via the adaptive air suspension.

The back seat has a 40/20/40 split and the boot features a luggage racking system with adjustable anchors, which opens up storage options.   

Amenities is both rows are what you hope for at this price point with three-zone air-conditioning, two USB-C ports in each row and a total of three 12-volt ports, as well. The front also gets a wireless charging pad.

The rear also has reading lights, four directional air vents and its own digital climate control but curiously, the fan control remains manual. The electric sunblinds were a hit for my seven-year old and I like that each door has a control of each blind – perfect for when you’re travelling solo in the back and want to adjust it.

Onto the other technology, the touchscreen multimedia system has haptic feedback, which means it vibrates when you press it - a bit gimmicky for me but the system itself is easy enough to use once you spend some time with it. You also get built-in satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The climate control panel can feel fiddly to use at times but on a whole, the cockpit feels very driver-orientated.

There is only one variant available for the Q8 60 TFSI e and it’s priced at $152,500 before on-road costs and optional extras. That positions it towards the higher end of the rival line-up but the starting prices for the BMW and Porsche are $149,900 and $154,600, respectively.

The Q8 e is a well-specified SUV and you get lots of premium features, like a panoramic sunroof, heated and electric front seats, Valcona leather upholstery and high-end haptic feedback technology screens like the 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system and the 8.6-inch climate control panel. However, at this price point, I am surprised that you miss out on a ventilation function for the front seats.

Other standard technology highlights include wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, built-in satellite navigation, coloured head-up display, digital instrument panel, three-zone climate control and a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with a whopping 17 speakers. Hello, in-car concert!

Adaptive air suspension, HD Matrix LED headlights, keyless entry and start, electric steering wheel adjustments, a handsfree powered tailgate and a bunch of safety features round out the package. 

Our test vehicle is also fitted with the Full Leather package for $8900, which adds Nappa leather trims throughout the car, as well as electric sun blinds on the rear outboard windows. The Waitomo Blue paintwork tacks on an additional $2300, as do the upgraded 22-inch alloy wheels. So, our test model actually swings in at $163,700 before on roads.

Value for money-wise, if you compare only to its rivals, it’s not outrageous but if you compare it to its fuel-based cousins, which are around $15K less, it might be harder to justify. And if you’re looking for an electric alternative, the Q8 e-tron is only a little more expensive.

The Lamborghini Urus has a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 engine making 478kW/850Nm.

Any engine which can make 650 horsepower has my attention, but this unit, which you’ll also find in the Bentley Bentayga, is superb. The power delivery feels almost naturally aspirated in how linear and controllable it feels.

While the Urus doesn’t have the same screaming exhaust note as a V12 Aventador or the V10 found in the Huracan, the deep V8 grumble on idle and crackle on the down shifts let everybody know I’d arrived.

An eight-speed automatic transmission can change its personality from a brutally hard-shifter in Corsa (Track) mode to gelato smooth in Strada (Street).

The Q8 60 TFSI e has a 3.0-litre, V6 turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid powertrain for a combined power output of 340kW and 700Nm of torque. You’ll get a happy tummy sucking sensation if you ever have to put your foot down because it can do a 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.4 seconds.

The Q8 e features an eight-speed automatic transmission and is an all-wheel drive. The switch between the petrol and electric engine components is seamless leading to a pleasant driving experience.

Being a plug-in hybrid, the Q8 e has a 17.9kWh lithium-ion battery that produces a pure electric driving range of 47km WLTP, although I only ever saw a top range of 43km. You will chew through that range quickly.

The Q8 e has a Type 2 charging port but misses out on the fast DC charging component, so you’re stuck with AC charging. Audi says the charging speed is 2.5 hours but you’ll need a 7.2kW wall-box for that. Expect much longer from a wall socket. You also can’t charge larger appliances as it lacks a standard three-pin household plug port.

A V8 combustion engine that makes 478kW is not going to be frugal when it comes to fuel consumption. Lamborghini says the Urus should use 12.7L/100km after a combination of open and urban roads.

After highways, country roads and urban commutes I recorded 15.7L/100km at the fuel pump, which is close to the serving suggestion and good considering there weren't any motorway kays in there.

That’s thirsty, but not surprising.  

The official combined fuel cycle is 2.6L/100km but that’s in a perfect world when the electric battery remains charged at all times. Realistically, my best onboard fuel figure is 4.9L in hybrid mode but when the battery is depleted, my figures hovered around the 9.1L mark.

Overall, not a terrible consumption figure, given how large and powerful the car is but as with most plug-ins, you get the best fuel economy if you charge the battery regularly. For someone who lives regionally and typically does longer trips, it’s not the best combo for me but for an urban dweller, it might be perfect.

The regenerative braking doesn’t feel particularly strong but you do gain percentage when going down a mountain. My average kWh usage sat around 8.7kWh/100km when cruising but hit the mid-to-high 30s when accelerating.

The Lamborghini Urus is a brute, but not brutal, in that it’s big, powerful, quick and dynamic without being hard to drive. Actually, it’s one of the easiest and most comfortable SUVs I’ve ever driven, while also being the fastest I’ve piloted.

The Urus is at its most docile in the Strada (Street) drive mode and for the most part I drove it in this setting which kept the air suspension at its cushiest, the throttle calm and steering light.

The ride quality in Strada even on Sydney’s pot-holed and patchy streets was outstanding. Remarkable, given that our test car rolled on giant 23-inch wheels wrapped in wide, low profile tyres (325/30 Pirelli P Zeros at the rear and 285/35 at the front).

Sport mode does what you’d expect – firms the dampers, adds weight to the steering, makes the throttle more responsive and dials back the traction control. Then there’s 'Neve' which is for snow and probably not hugely useful in Australia.

Our car was fitted with optional extra drive modes – 'Corsa' for the racetrack, 'Terra' for rocks and dirt, and 'Sabbia' for sand.

Alternatively, you can ‘build your own’ mode using the 'Ego' selector which lets you adjust steering, suspension and throttle in light, medium or hard settings.

So, while you still have the Lamborghini supercar looks and colossal grunt, with the ability to head off road you could pilot the Urus all day as you would any large SUV in Strada.

In this mode you’d really have to plant your foot for the Urus’s reaction to be anything other than civilised.

Like any large SUV the Urus gives its occupants a commanding view, but it was a strange feeling looking out over that very Lamborghini bonnet but then pulling up next to the No.461 bus and glancing over almost at head height with the driver.

Then there’s the acceleration – 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds. Combine that with this height and piloting it feels like watching one of those videos of a bullet train shot from the driver’s seat.

Braking is almost as astonishing as the acceleration. The Urus has been equipped with the largest brakes ever for a production car – sombrero-sized 440mm diameter discs at the front with giant 10-piston calipers and 370mm discs at the rear. Our Urus was fitted with carbon ceramic brakes and yellow calipers.

Visibility through the front and side windows was surprisingly good, although seeing through that rear glass was limited as you’d expect. I’m talking about the Urus not the bullet train – bullet train rear visibility is terrible.

The Urus has a 360-degree camera and an excellent reversing camera, too, which makes up for the small rear window.

The Q8 PHEV has plenty of power and you never feel like you’re tapping into the full scope of what it could do.

There are moments where the acceleration from a full stop can feel a little anaemic in the sense that it doesn’t ‘jump to it’ as quickly as what the 5.4-second 100km/h sprint time would suggest.

That being said, those moments are short lived and the Q8 PHEV has proven to be a fun ride overall.

The steering and nimble footing produce dynamic handling when you’re hitting corners or winding roads. You feel confident tackling terrain like this at speed. Taking it camping also proves it can handle damp grassy campgrounds and the gravel/dirt stuff very well.

The adaptive air suspension makes for a comfortable ride and even though you have those 22-inch wheels, the outside world sounds wonderfully muffled. The engine is near silent most of the time and honestly, a bit too quiet for my liking with a V6 engine on board but that also helps create a Zen-like cabin space.  

At 4986mm long, 2190mm wide and 1705mm high you’d be forgiven for thinking the Q8 e would feel big to drive but it doesn’t at all. At least, not until you come to park it.

It can feel cumbersome to manoeuvre in tight spaces due to its 13.3m turning circle but the ultra-clear 360-degree view camera system helps takes out the guesswork.

The front and rear parking sensors are also great but I downgraded the sensitivity of the collision avoidance detection system because it activates too early, or when there is seemingly nothing behind it to set it off.

The Q8 has a lot of standard safety features, but a highlight is the adaptive cruise control with its lane keeping and stop and go functions – it has the right balance of sensitivity and doesn’t slow down dramatically when approaching cars in front.

Other standard features include daytime-running lights, lane-keeping aid, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, collision avoidance assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit warning, intelligent seat-belt reminders, 360-degree camera system, front and rear parking sensors.

The Q8 PHEV variant is untested by ANCAP and thus unrated but its fuel-based cousins all achieved a maximum five-star rating in 2019. The Q8 e has eight airbags, including side chest airbags for both rows but it’s common to only find these on the front.

For any families out there, you have ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear outboard seats and three top tethers. You may be able to fit three skinny child seats and there is plenty of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat installed.

This is the category which brings the total score down. The three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on the Urus is falling behind the norm with many carmakers moving to five-year coverage.

You can purchase the fourth year of the warranty for $4772 and the fifth year for $9191.

A three-year maintenance package can be bought for $6009.

The Q8 e comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is a normal term for the class.

There is a five-year or up to 75,000km servicing plan which costs $3570 or an average of $714 per service, which is reasonable for the class.

Servicing intervals are good at every 12 months of 15,000km, whichever occurs first.