Sport Utility Vehicle. Where did it start? You could argue that military vehicles back in the 1930s were the first SUVs on the block. Useful on and off road and able to carry four or more people. Maybe you feel the VW camper was the first real SUV? But do a quick search on the internet and it’s commonly agreed that the 1984 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) is the first modern iteration of the SUV.

There is no commonly agreed definition for what makes a car an SUV, however. I’d argue they’re the vanilla of all cars. Not that fast, not that big, not that good off road. Jack of all trades but master of none. But perhaps the Urus can change my mind?

The exterior of the Urus is everything you love about a Lamborghini, such as the sharp angles and hard lines. It’s not as pretty as the Huracan or Aventador, but then again, there’s not many cars that are. I commend Lamborghini for giving the Urus it’s own identity and not just putting 
a Huracan on stilts. Far too often car manufacturers seem to take one of their popular regular road going motor vehicles, raise it up and call it an SUV.

Inside the Urus, while it’s very Lamborghini, it’s also not at all. It’s easy to get into, which is 
a brand new Lamborghini experience for me and it all feels very ‘normal’. I am at odds with myself as to whether this is a good or a bad thing, but I like the fact that I feel very comfortable and at ‘home’ as soon as I get in. However, I don’t really want my Lamborghini to feel like ‘home’. I want that sense of awe and excitement looking at buttons and instrument panels you don’t quite understand.

Lamborghini still provides you with impeccable seats and interior design. You still have the ‘jet style’ start /stop button (which never gets old). And of course the traditional car driving modes all written in Italian. I’d only just learnt what Corsa and Strada mean. Now I’ve got three more to learn! Its six different modes allows the Urus to successfully negotiate nearly any terrain. You may even have seen Jeremy Clarkson driving one up a ski hill a few years ago. Yes, the Urus is very capable off road.

Sticking with ‘sport’, I finally get on the road. I’ll admit, I really enjoy the drive. The Urus has a very respectable 641BHP coming from its first ever V8 turbo charged engine. This again leaves me at a crossroads. Is it a good engine? Yes. But is it what I want from my Lamborghini? With the introduction of turbos you get a slight lag between your foot going down and the power coming to the fore. Also, the sound... I love the roar of the naturally aspirated Lamborghinis and it’s part of the reason to buy one. In a world where the electric car is getting ready to become king, the old V8, V10 and V12s are a dying breed. Soon the Lamborghini engine roars that can be heard from miles away will be a distant memory. The Urus offers some pleasant crack and pops with some whizz and bangs but it’s not quite the same. Lamborghini have also refined their ‘homely’ cabin so well that the sounds are all 
but muted unless you put the window down.

This latest Lamborghini also comes with 
a wealth of clever electronics to keep you safe. Cruise control with distance warnings to the car in front. Blind spot indicators along with a host of other safety features. You can choose how aggressive you want the safety sensors to be. While cruising down the highway late at night on near empty roads the car finds the need to brake quite heavily on occasion because it detects a slight decline in the road and there was a car roughly 1km ahead. The once raging bull now feels a bit like your paranoid over protective older family member. Another additional safety feature: The Urus also has some of the largest carbon brakes ever fitted to a road car. Of course all these features are great, as people want to feel safe in their car. But again I’m left at 
a crossroad; I like the fact that the car performs in this manner, yet, it’s very unlike Lamborghini. They are known as the raging bull for a reason.

The decision to buy this car is simple. If you want a Lamborghini and have your heart set on an SUV, get the Urus, as Lamborghini has made an excellent SUV. However, as with all SUV’s 
(in my opinion), it’s still a little too vanilla and lacks the true flavours of what makes 
a Lamborghini a Lamborghini. In summation, the Urus is a great car and there’s really nothing that will disappoint you about it. It has good performance on and off road, it’s very pleasant to look at and sit inside of, and everyone likes vanilla right? If, however, you like flirting with your flavour (honey jalapeño pickle ice cream, 
anyone?), the Urus might be a touch too tame for your wilder tastes.