Lamborghini Huracan (2023-) Review

Introduction

If you think of supercars, you think of Lamborghinis. Flamboyant, bright and powerful, they’re everything you expect an exotic performance vehicle to be. And though the Huracan may be Lamborghini’s smallest supercar, it’s no different from any of the others. Spectacular inside and out, it’s every inch the quintessential supercar, and it’s offered in a choice of very different, but very appealing forms.

But under the skin, the Huracan hides a bit of a secret. You see, Lamborghini is part of the Volkswagen Group, so the Huracan is essentially a modified Audi R8 with a different body on top. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course – the R8 is a great car – but does that mean the Lamborghini lacks soul? Or should customers stick with the Audi to get better value from their hard-earned money?

At a Glance

There’s no questioning what the Huracan might be. From the smooth curve of the roofline to the sharp angles of the bumpers, it can only be a Lamborghini supercar. Low, aggressive and beautiful in an angry kind of way, it looks fast when it’s standing still, and that’s the whole point. And if anyone says it’s a bit too restrained, just get them to look at the madcap Sterrato off-road version (below).

Because while the Huracan is definitely a supercar, it comes in multiple flavours. There’s the open-top Evo Spyder, the purist Tecnica coupe and the race-bred STO, as well as the aforementioned Sterrato for dirt road use. Each has its own character, despite sharing much the same basic underpinnings.

Chief among those underpinnings is the 5.2-litre V10 engine, shared with Audi’s R8 and used to devastating effect in the Lamborghini. As sonorous as it is powerful, it’s low-tech in a lot of ways, but it’s still one of the best combustion engines fitted to any modern sports car. It’s an absolute sledgehammer.

And the Huracan is muscly enough to wield it. It doesn’t have the precision of a Ferrari or McLaren, it’s true, but the Huracan is still a joy to drive in its own right, with an incredible sense of meatiness and surprising agility.

But it has something else that some other supercars don’t have, and that’s a properly made interior. Whereas supercars are notorious for questionable quality, the Huracan has all the same brilliant cabin engineering as the R8, but with a hint of Lamborghini flair. The inclusion of a cage over the starter button is a particularly cool addition that makes the car feel even more like a fighter jet.

Key Features

Naturally, one of the best things about the Huracan is its engine. That V10 may be simple in that there’s no hybrid system, no supercharger and no turbocharger, but that doesn’t stop it being one of the best in the business. The sound it makes is utterly cacophonous, and the power it delivers to the Huracan’s wheels is suitably enormous. It may not be subtle – get too greedy with the throttle and the exhausts will bark loudly – but it’s aggressive and punchy and it screams supercar (literally) at every stab of the accelerator pedal.

And the way you start that engine is equally dramatic. Every other car on the market would ask you to press the brake and push a button, then let the engine do the talking, but not Lamborghini. To access the start button, you lift a little red cage over the hexagonal starter button, which gives it even more drama than it already produces. Obviously, it serves no real function other than that, aside from perhaps protecting the button from accidental knocks while driving. But really, we all know it’s there to make you feel like you've wandered onto the set of Top Gun. 

Performance & Drive

In essence, every version of the Huracan comes with the same fabulous 5.2-litre V10 engine, which doesn’t need any clever hybrid systems or turbochargers to produce mountainous amounts of power. But exactly how much power you get will depend on which version of the Huracan you lease. Pick the supposedly entry-level Evo (below), for example, and you get 640hp, which is split between the front and rear axles via seven-speed automatic gearbox and Lamborghini’s all-wheel-drive system. That means 0-62mph takes 3.1 seconds, and the top speed is just over 200mph.

To be honest, you don’t really need to go much faster, but being Lamborghini, the Italians will still offer ways of doing exactly that. Most obvious is the STO model (below), which is only fractionally faster from 0-62mph and slightly slower at full chat (it’ll ‘only’ do 193mph), but it’s faster on the race tracks where it belongs. Stripped out, more aerodynamic and lighter than the Evo, it uses the same 640hp engine and seven-speed automatic gearbox, but only sends its power to the rear wheels to save weight. That makes it more wayward if you take liberties, but faster on a warm, dry track.

The same theory has been applied to the Tecnica (below), which is supposed to bridge the gap between the Evo and the STO. It has the same engine and gearbox, but while the cabin feels more akin to the comparatively luxurious Evo, it has the rear-wheel-drive layout of the STO. That means it’s more fun when the mood takes you and it feels more pure, somehow, but it will bite if provoked. The only catch is that while the Tecnica has better balance and more poise in corners (more on that in a moment), rear-wheel-drive cars have less traction than their all-wheel-drive counterparts, and therefore aren’t as quick off the mark. That means the Tecnica takes 3.2 seconds to get from 0-62mph, although it will match the Evo’s top speed.

The crazed, Dakar-spec Sterrato, however, will not do that. That’s partly because it has less power than its siblings – ‘just’ 610hp – as well as a considerably less aerodynamic body. To cope with the rigours of Italy’s notorious strade bianche (the gravel ‘white roads’ that lace the country), the Sterrato’s suspension is raised, rugged body cladding and underfloor protection have been fitted, and there are all-terrain tyres. It has spotlights, too, and a massive air scoop on the roof, so it won’t swallow gravel as you drive. The catch is that all this, combined with the all-wheel-drive system, makes the Sterrato slower than its stablemates. Getting from 0-62mph takes a positively glacial 3.4 seconds, while the top speed is a mere 162mph. Hardly slow, is it?

As you can probably imagine, one of the Huracans on this list drives very differently from the others, although there are subtle differences between the four. They all, however, share some common characteristics, including a stunning soundtrack from a V10 engine that howls away behind your left ear, and a slight lack of visibility that makes manoeuvring tricky at times.

But there are differences, too. The Evo feels most like the Audi R8, with its all-wheel-drive stability and traction that marries up beautifully with the steering precision. Purists might find it a bit too secure and stable, but for the rest of us, this is a brilliant baseline against which all other Huracans are measured.

The problem is, other Huracans offer more appeal. Take the STO, for example, which is a bit too stiff (and too difficult to see out of) for regular road use, but it’s a master of its craft on the race track. Lighter and more agile than the Evo, it feels as though it has been unleashed to vent its savagery on the world. The engine sounds like pent-up fury and the extra directness and balance provided by the rear-drive layout makes this a stunning car for expert drivers to enjoy.

In between the two, and arguably occupying a sweet spot as a result, is the Tecnica. It shares a rear-drive layout with the STO, which means it has the same direct and precise feel, but less of the savagery. Of course, the engine is still a gloriously powerful thing, but the suspension is a little more pliant and the seats a little more comfortable. In the right specification, the Tecnica can feel like a luxury coupe that just so happens to drive like a fire-breathing supercar. Because like the STO, it will bite, despite its clever traction control systems.

The Sterrato, however, feels very different. Yes, it still has pretty much the same engine, so the soundtrack is similar to that of the Tecnica and the Evo, but there’s also a wooliness to the steering caused by the off-road tyres, and that’s quite disconcerting at high speeds. It is still nicely balanced, though, and it will become a bit playful if you fiddle with the driving modes. But what really sets the Sterrato apart is the comfort. Even on the most scarred of surfaces, the Sterrato rides with surprising suppleness, and there’s much less fear of scraping the nose on sleeping policemen.

Running Costs & Emissions

With only the 5.2-litre V10 petrol engine on offer, albeit in different power outputs, the Huracan is not exactly eco-friendly. Especially as there’s no hybrid assistance and there isn’t even a turbocharger. Simply put, Huracan customers aren’t usually too worried about fuel bills, and it’s a good job, too. Realistically, you’re looking at less than 20mpg from one of these cars on average, no matter which version you choose. And though you might escape the teens on a long run, you’ll be filling up with premium fuel, so costs are going to be high.

And if you’re thinking of leasing one of these cars through a company, the tax implications are huge. You’ll pay big money in Benefit-in-Kind tax, partly because the rate is based on emissions, and the Huracan emits gas like it’s going out of fashion, and partly because the Huracan is expensive to buy outright. Most customer cars will have a list price of well over £200,000.

Interior & Technology

Whichever version of the Huracan you choose, you’ll get roughly the same basic interior, and that’s a good thing, because while the Huracan is every inch the Italian supercar, it isn’t built like one. Instead, the cabin feels beautifully made, with engineering more commonly associated with the Germans than the Italians. All the switchgear feels robust, and the materials are fantastic.

Of course, there are subtle differences between the models. The Sterrato’s cabin feels more rally inspired than that of the comparatively luxurious Evo, and the STO’s interior (below) is much more pared-back than that of the Tecnica.

But each and every one has its own sense of drama that comes from Lamborghini’s styling division. The build quality might feel German, but the styling couldn’t come from anywhere other than Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata Bolognese factory. Hexagonal shapes dominate, including on the steering wheel rim, and the Lamborghini script across the dash reminds the passenger exactly where they are. As if any reminder were necessary.

Yet it’s the details that make the Huracan feel properly special. Take, for example, the cage under which the ignition button hides. A red blade of plastic that guards the button from accidental knocks, it sounds like an irritating gimmick, but it’s one that makes the Huracan feel even more dramatic. Starting up was already an event, but the fighter plane-style cage makes it that bit more special.

Special mention should also go to the in-car technology, which is an Achilles heel for many supercar manufacturers. Aston Martin, are you listening? To be fair, the Huracan’s touchscreen isn’t much to write home about — it’s functional and has plenty of features, but it doesn’t look all that impressive alongside systems from the likes of Audi — but the digital instrument cluster is far more impressive. It changes depending on which drive mode you’re in, and it provides a clear, sharp view of all the information you need. Opt for the Sterrato, and it’ll offer a few extra off-road functions, too.

Practicality & Boot Space

Unsurprisingly, the Huracan doesn’t really focus on practicality. Which is why there’s a 100-litre luggage bay in the nose and a little shelf behind the seats, and that’s about all you get in terms of load-carrying capability. At least there’s plenty of space in the seats, with more than enough space for two tall adults to sit in comparative comfort.

Or, at least, that’s true of most Huracan models. If you choose the Evo Spyder, however, you get much less space thanks to the movement of the seats to make room for the roof mechanism. That makes it quite uncomfortable for those with longer legs, and headroom isn’t brilliant when the roof is up, but for slightly shorter drivers, it’ll be more than roomy enough.

Safety

Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised to find that nobody at Euro NCAP has been brave enough to crash-test the Huracan, given the organisation buys the vehicles it tests. In fact, no Lamborghini has ever been tested by Euro NCAP, so we don’t know exactly how well the Lamborghini will stand up to an accident, but there are some indicators. For a kick-off, we know the Huracan is based on the same platform as the Audi R8, and though that hasn’t been tested either, we can safely assume it would do pretty well. If nothing else, Audi’s record with safety tests is pretty solid, and most of its recent products received four or five stars.

And the Huracan comes with most of the kit you expect from a modern car, although safety isn’t necessarily the car’s raison d’etre. You get airbags, stability control and traction control systems, as well as seatbelt warnings and all the things the car has to have. There’s cruise control, too, as well as a reversing camera. But some of the clever tech found on luxury saloons, family cars and even the Urus SUV is missing. That isn’t entirely surprising, though, given the Huracan’s architecture is getting old and the car is really designed for driver focus, rather than assistance.

Options

What you get with your Huracan will largely depend on which version you choose. These days, the ‘basic’ Evo Coupe is no longer available, so the Evo Spyder sits at the foot of the range. All the stuff you expect – the touchscreen, digital instrument cluster and big alloys – are all thrown in, but nobody will buy a standard one. Any examples you’re likely to see will probably have a few thousand pounds’ worth of extras installed, either for greater comfort or customisation. Moving up the range, the Tecnica is the purest version of the Huracan, with its slightly tweaked aesthetics and better aerodynamics as a result, but the interior specification isn’t all that different from that of the Evo.

The two madcap options, however, are very different indeed. The most obvious of the two is the STO – the track-orientated Huracan that sacrifices some comfort and luxury in favour of performance. Lighter materials, bucket seats and the like all feature, while the design is entirely focussed on aerodynamics. There’s even a dorsal fin over what would normally be the rear window, were it not covered with special vents.

Otherwise, you can go for the Sterrato, which is the off-road version. Offered in limited numbers, it’s a rarity, but it’s one that uses the Huracan’s all-wheel-drive system to its fullest extent, raising the suspension, fitting rugged body cladding and all-terrain tyres. Spotlights are fitted, too, and there’s a central air scoop to feed the engine, keeping the intake out of the dust and water found lower down. It’s all a bit ‘Mad Max’.

Rival Cars

Though supercars may not be a particularly common sight on UK roads, the Huracan has a healthy cohort of rivals with which it must do battle. Perhaps the most important of these is the R8, the car with which the Huracan shares an engine and plenty of other components. Yet despite the similarities, the R8 feels very different. Sure, it’s great to drive and it’s beautifully made, but so too is the Huracan. And the Lamborghini has this sense of joy and fire that’s missing from the staid R8 (below) – a car that feels a bit like an overgrown TT.

But there are some other supercars that also go toe-to-toe with the Lambo. Take, for example, the Ferrari 296 GTB, which will be the company car drivers’ choice thanks to its plug-in hybrid system, but also drives absolutely superbly. It’s very different from the Lamborghini – it’s more precise and more finely tuned, yet less muscular and less bold – but it’s a great car nonetheless. As is the McLaren 720S, which is soon to be replaced by the even more eye-opening 750S. Then there’s the Mercedes-AMG GT, the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Maserati MC20, a car for which we have an enormous amount of time. It’s the car that exemplifies Maserati’s renaissance, proving a fantastically beautiful and brilliant alternative to the Ferrari 296 GTB.

In short, there are plenty of other ways to spend four figures every month, and some of them are utterly show-stopping, but none of them has the character and the muscle of the Lambo.

Verdict & Next Steps

Plenty of modern supercars can do what the Lamborghini Huracan does on paper. They’re great to drive, they look stunning and they’re well made. But few others have the Lamborghini badge, heritage and design that makes them such a standout option, and only one other can claim to be powered by the Huracan’s magnificent V10 engine. But while the Audi R8 is commendable, it doesn’t have the sense of drama you get from the Huracan, particularly if you choose one of the more outrageous versions. But for our money, the Tecnica is the best bet, offering the sweetest balance of performance, handling and style. It’s a masterpiece.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Lamborghini Huracan.