Lamborghini Huracán
Lamborghini is my favourite brand, after McLaren. I even dedicated a tattoo to the Murci on my body - the firing order of the V12 in the LP640 (which also lives in the Countach and the Diablo). I’m ready to take Lamborghini with me to the other side, that’s how much I love this brand. Just like the pharaohs in ancient Egypt, who were buried with their gold, I imagine it to be my Lambo tattoos and my Rolex watches for me. Jokes aside, this is exactly the opposite of how I feel about Ferrari, so if you ask me “Ferrari or Lamborghini?”, you know the answer. Lamborghini! ALWAYS.
But this is what I feel for the V12 models. I have never experienced their entry level options. This is why the second car we rented out was the Huracán. It already has a serious track heritage with amateurs and pros alike citing it as one of the best track cars you can buy. Or is it one of the best cars you can buy, full stop?! If you read the Ferrari post you know I’ll judge the Huracán based on the 5 categories - good as a daily, performance, driver’s satisfaction, looks and value for money. Is the entry level Lambo the better deal out of the 2? Let’s embark on the journey to find out.
As the lease for the Ferrari expired, we had the F8 Tributo and the Huracán within 5 meters of each other. The Ferrari looked better, that’s for sure. I’m used to the big and impractical Murci, so the Huracán looked like a toy in my head. We also had to change the hotels that morning, so the first challenge began - we had to fit 2 small suitcases, 2 backpacks and 2 people in the Huracán. Well, it fit everything, besides the second person. The frunk is ridiculously small. It barely fits a small suitcase and the second one ended up on the passenger’s seat. Minus points from the daily category only for this.
And it was only fair to take it to a trip outside Dubai just like we did with the F8 Tributo. We went to Al Ain, the distance to which is roughly 150km. Most visitors stick to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and it was mind-blowing how much difference there is from one emirate to another. For example, people were taking photos of the Lambo in Al Ain, while in Dubai it was in a true incognito mode with very few exceptions.
The second we started the engine - crickets. Nothing happened - no big bangs, no loud “I’m a Lambo” noise, just nothing. It was so underwhelming that we felt a bit embarrassed we expected more from it. A Lambo is a Lambo when it sounds like a Lambo. The Murci sounds like it’ll bring hell to the universe. I didn't expect THIS level of presence, but give me something at least. The personality of the Huracán certainly wasn't in its roar.
The visibility was below average, you get used to it, but for an entry level approachable Lambo, it was bad. I’m used to bad visibility (my daily is a Mustang) and I always triple-check before I change lanes. I kind of had to trust my gut in this one and hope the other drivers around me notice the language of the car, because my triple-checking wasn’t enough. Luckily, no one wants to crash, especially into a Lamborghini. And as we are at it - good Lord, these blinkers are horrendous. I’ve never used more unusable blinkers. Legit, you’re supposed to go 200km/h while trying to find the tiny “nipple” on the wheel in order to signal your intentions. Ridiculous. Even in the city when your whole attention is on the heavy traffic. Just no, Lambo, just NO.
The light steering that is typical for modern Audis is unfortunately present in the Huracán. It was most obvious at low speed and there’s nothing I hate more in a car than light steering. It doesn't give you enough feedback. Combine that with somewhat average handling and bad visibility and you begin to struggle in a city driving. It wasn't confidence-inspiring, but we made it work.
The comfort level of the ride was very high, though. I was impressed by it truly. Everything in the cabin tries too hard to be as Italian as possible. I’ll tell you why is that at the end of this review. Besides the level of comfort, the interior felt cheap and not as exotic as the V12 models. Otherwise said - it felt too normal. If there were no raging bull logos here and there, I would never guess I’m in a Lamborghini. I liked the color combination and the fact they tried to make it look sporty. That’s the word for it - sporty and not exclusive. It’s not a bad thing, if this is your track car and you don’t spend hours commuting to work in it.
Another positive experience was the auto transmission. It was quicker that the one in the F8 Tributo and it was engaging in manual mode. Overall, I enjoyed driving it and just like with the F8 Tributo, after some 30 mins behind the wheel, it felt too ordinary. You just forget you’re driving a Lambo.
In terms of performance, we’re looking at the classic naturally aspirated V10, which produces 602hp. This engine was first developed by Lamborghini and Audi for the Gallardo in 2003 and also lives in a few Audi models. I can’t talk about the Huracán without mentioning Audi R8, which is based on the Gallardo, but shares the same platform as the Huracán. In terms of numbers, by 2019 the Huracán was the most successful Lamborghini (before getting dethroned by the Urus) - over 20000 cars carry the Huracán model name.
Overall with the Huracán you get what you paid for - entry level Lambo-tuned Audi. That’s not a bad thing, if you don’t want the full commitment of owning a Lamborghini. Parts are cheaper, the car is cheaper and approachable. You just have to live with the fact that there’s always a better one and it has scissor doors. It’s the right choice for the non-car people. The bull in the Huracán is rather tame. It’ll give you just a taste of the raging bull, but you’ll never feel it raging. That right is reserved only for the flagship model. If you want the full experience - you know where to find it.
Final scores:
good as a daily : 6.5/10
performance : 7/10
driver’s satisfaction : 6.5/10
looks : 7/10
value for money : 8/10