There is an obvious hierarchy when it comes to V.A.G’s subsidiary companies. Both Porsche and Lamborghini are, brands recognized for their capable sports cars. That said, over the last two decades the two performance automakers have branched out into other formats. This is especially true for Porsche, which introduced its first SUV model – the Cayenne – way back in 2002. Lamborghini was late to the SUV bandwagon (unless you’re talking Rambo Lambo, a.k.a, the LM002), albeit not as late as its main rival, Ferrari. The Italian marque from Sant’Agata Bolognese introduced the Urus for the 2018 model year, and in 2024, it became a hybrid-only model.

Like Porsche, the Italian (but German-owned) brand too, is now putting more emphasis on electrification. It is no surprise that the Cayenne and Urus are very similar underneath, especially when it comes to the platform and powertrain. Nevertheless, there are a few noteworthy differences that set these two all-wheel-drive behemoths apart. We decided to explore these dissimilarities and see which is the better high-performance SUV for the money.

Key differences: Porsche Cayenne Turbo E Hybrid Vs Lamborghini Urus SE Hybrid

The Porsche Cayenne and Lamborghini Urus are, both, underpinned by the Volkswagen-Audi Group’s MLB, modular platform that was first introduced in 2007 as an Audi-exclusive platform. It later evolved and branched out to other V.A.G. brands. The MLB platform was specifically designed for a front, longitudinal engine configuration with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. In its latest iteration, the MLB Evo C/D underpins all SUV models under the V.A.G. banner, including the Audi Q7, Q8, Bentley Bentayga, and of course, the Porsche Cayenne and Lamborghini Urus.

To be fair, there are a lot more similarities than differences between the Porsche Cayenne Turbo E Hybrid and Lamborghini Urus SE. Obviously, the design of both is where the most notable difference lies, but the hardware underneath and the software operating it are, for the most part, identical.

Performance Comparison: Porsche Cayenne Turbo E Hybrid Vs Lamborghini Urus SE Hybrid

Considering they share the same "bones” and overall architecture, it is hardly a surprise the Porsche Cayenne Turbo E Hybrid and Lamborghini Urus SE Hybrid share a very similar hybrid setup. The two PHEVs feature a setup revolving around the same, V-8 engine, found across a wide variety of V.A.G’s higher-end model lineup. These include not just the Porsche Cayenne Turbo variants or the Lamborghini Urus, but also the Bentley Bentayga, Audi RS7, Porsche Panamera Turbo, and Audi Q8, to name a few.

The twin-turbo, V-8 TFSI engine features a 90-degree V-angle, with a "hot V", which means the parallel twin-turbochargers are placed in the "V” between the cylinder heads. While this helps with cramming the engine in tight engine bays, it is also one of the things that make these cars a mechanic’s nightmare when they, inevitably, require any maintenance. The same, "hot V” setup can also be seen on V.A.G’s new, 2.9-liter, twin-turbo V-6, which is based on the EA825, 4.0-liter V-8. Another car that features a similar setup is the heavyweight, Porsche Panamera Turbo Hybrid.

Needless to say, Porsche’s E hybrid setup is not nearly as lightweight as the T-Hybrid system, featured in the new Porsche 911. The good news is the engine responds very well to basic modifications, resulting in easy power gains. Although the engines in the Cayenne Turbo E Hybrid and Lamborghini Urus SE Hybrid are identical, engineers have played around with the software to ensure they produce different outputs, in factory state. There are also minor differences in the electric motor output and the electric range, which we have listed in the table below.

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