Test Car Specifications
Model: 2023 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato
Price: £232,820
Engine: 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 petrol
Transmission: seven-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power: 610hp
Torque: 560Nm
Emissions: 337g/km
Economy: 18.9mpg
0-62mph: 3.4 seconds
Top speed: 162mph
Boot space: 100 litres
Styling
Nobody was ever likely to describe the Huracan as reserved, but this Sterrato version really takes it to a new level. Sitting 44mm further from the ground than the standard car, the Sterrato also gets body cladding, a wider track and a central air scoop on the roof, not to mention roof rails for carrying a roof box. There are LED spotlights, too, and there’s a panel over what would normally be the rear window – not that you can see much thanks to that air scoop, anyway. Combine that with big off-road tyres and the Lamborghini looks every inch the Forza Horizon creation, but this is the real world, and it’s a head-turner of epic proportions.
Interior
While the external changes might be striking, the Sterrato looks and feels much the same as any other Huracan inside. You get the same steering wheel, instrument display and central touchscreen, although some of the buttons and displays are a bit different. The nose lift button, for example, is replaced with a button for the spotlights, and there’s a new inclinometer to show the car’s pitch and roll while off-roading. There’s a compass, too, and you get a steering angle indicator and something that tells you your coordinates. Useless? Probably. Cool? Definitely.
Aside from that, it’s much like any other Lamborghini, but that’s no insult. You still get the engine start button hidden under a red cage for extra drama, and the hexagonal design favoured by the brand is found everywhere. But Audi’s influence on Lamborghini has been positive, and it means the cabin is at least built properly. A few things work counter-intuitively – that’s the Lambo way – but at least everything works. And the dashboard feels really solid and premium in a way you might not expect from an Italian supercar.
Practicality
In many ways, the Sterrato is the most practical of all the Huracans, but that's a bit like describing a convict as the kindest murderer in the prison. No Huracan is spacious in any way, with just 100 litres of boot space and a small shelf behind the seats for stowage. Even the door bins are pretty useless, and the glovebox isn't much to write home about. But the Sterrato can conquer roads on which other Huracans would be beached, and it can carry a roof box, so it's ahead of the curve, albeit only slightly. In truth, a 911 Dakar will be more useful.
Performance
Like a ‘standard’ Huracan EVO, the Sterrato gets a 5.2-litre V10 petrol engine that has to be one of the best powerplants on sale today. With no turbocharging and an automatic gearbox, it can feel almost lethargic at times, but once it’s into its stride it unleashes 610hp and a wave of torque, which is enough to get even the Sterrato, with its nobbly tyres, from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds. It may be an off-roader, but the Sterrato is still a supercar.
It sounds like one, too. That V10’s riot of noise is fabulous in any form, and it gives the Sterrato this fantastic howl that complements the unhinged insanity of this car perfectly. The top speed, however, is less supercar-ish. At 162mph, it’s barely quicker than a mid-range BMW saloon, but with these tyres on board, you really don’t want to go much faster. Off-road traction may be impressive – in fact, the Sterrato is remarkably good off-road considering it’s a supercar – but on-road grip is less plentiful.
Ride & Handling
Because of those tyres, the Sterrato drives quite differently from any other Huracan. What feels like play in the normally brilliant steering is, in fact, the tread blocks moving as you corner, and it creates this jelly-like sensation between the road and the steering wheel. It's quite disconcerting when you're trying to pilot this wide supercar at speed.
But that and an understandable reduction in body control, is the only real downside of the Sterrato on the road. Because the suspension is longer, it's more comfortable, and the extra ground clearance means you stop worrying about the potholes and speed bumps that could damage a conventional Huracan's underside.
Then there's the off-road capability. Where a normal Huracan would struggle on anything other than a fairly smooth road, the Sterrato hoovers up almost any surface to make untroubled progress. You could take this car skiing, or to a desert. In fact, for long-distance touring, this is the Huracan that will give you the fewest headaches in any situation.
But that doesn't mean it's immune from the elements. Though it may look like one, it's no Ford Ranger Raptor, and while a bit of mucking about in the snow or dirt is an option, Baja-buggy hi-jinks are not on the menu. You can still scrape the underside more easily than you think, and this is an expensive and rare car to damage.
Value
No Huracan is ever going to give Dacia sleepless nights in terms of value. You’re likely to spend well over £230,000 on one of these cars, even if you’re pretty restrained with the options list. So if you have to ask about money, you probably can’t afford it. But the Sterrato isn’t some stripped-out rally car – you get a touchscreen, digital instrument cluster and reversing camera. You get the off-road tyres, too, and you get all the off-road body accoutrements as standard. It isn’t Spartan. And you get exclusivity, because just 900 will be built.
Verdict
The Huracan Sterrato is ridiculous, and perhaps that makes it the most Lamborghini-ish of the Huracan models, but we'd stop short of calling it the ultimate Huracan. That title goes to the sublime Tecnica. Nevertheless, the Sterrato is a surprisingly usable supercar that does more than just offer a bit of dune-buggy toughness to the Huracan recipe. It has a real sense of fun, and it's remarkably useful on the road, as well as off it.
