Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato: Daily Driver Delight, Off-Road Ready?

I’ve spent a significant portion of my life driving in the dirt. From childhood weekends on three-wheelers and dune buggies in California deserts like Glamis and Johnson Valley to racing air-cooled VWs in the Baja 1000 and competing in navigation rallies like the Rebelle Rally as an adult. I even built, raced, and podiumed a lifted Miata.

Knowing how to handle a vehicle off-pavement and understanding its limits is second nature. So, imagine my frustration when Lamborghini offered the Huracan Sterrato Lamborghini for review but mandated it stay strictly on tarmac.

While I can’t provide a firsthand account of how this lifted supercar behaves when the pavement ends, this review will detail its performance as a daily driver and offer informed speculation on its off-road potential, based on its technical specifications and my experience.

Front three-quarter view of the matte green 2024 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato parked, showcasing its rugged cladding and roof rack.

Huracán Sterrato: Mannerly On-Road

Introduced last year as an off-road-oriented farewell to the Huracán line, all 1,499 units of the Sterrato are already sold. Despite the off-road restriction, I used it as my daily driver in my small desert town. The attention it draws is immense. While I’ve never been captivated by the standard Huracan’s angular design—it always struck me as a geometric pancake—the Sterrato’s matte green finish, black wheel arch cladding, and roof rack resonate with my rugged sensibilities. Every stoplight or trip to Chipotle results in stares. Some admirers approach enthusiastically, while others glare, their “Go Back to L.A.” bumper stickers telling a story (even though I’m a local).

Over a week of running daily errands, I found the seats surprisingly comfortable—neither rock hard nor overly constricting for my hips.

The Sterrato boasts a ride height nearly two inches higher than a standard Huracán, offering 6.4 inches of ground clearance. This added height significantly improves entry and exit; even my 81-year-old mother had no trouble getting in for a ride. While I did scrape the front end once or twice on exceptionally steep driveways, it wasn’t a frequent issue.

The front trunk (“frunk”) provides about four cubic feet of storage, sufficient for a couple of grocery bags. The roof rack offers potential for securing larger items if needed.

Side profile of the 2024 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato showing its increased ride height and Bridgestone Dueler A/T tires.

Close-up of the rear wheel and Bridgestone Dueler A/T tire on the Huracan Sterrato, highlighting the all-terrain tread pattern.

Rear view of the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato featuring the distinctive engine cover louvers and dual exhaust pipes.

However, rearward visibility is severely compromised. The Sterrato desperately needs a rear camera mirror. The standard rearview mirror primarily reflects the engine cover louvers—cool from the outside, but useless for seeing behind. Reliance on side mirrors is essential.

My favorite interior feature is the steering wheel. It’s perfectly sized, wrapped in suede for enhanced grip, and its flat bottom provides ample knee room. I initially expected to dislike the steering wheel-mounted turn signal switch, but found it allowed for a better grip while signaling—a feature I’d love in my own car.

The infotainment system, conversely, is underwhelming. It suffers from noticeable lag, and Apple CarPlay proved buggy, dropping connection multiple times. I couldn’t locate an efficiency calculator within the menus, so I can only rely on the EPA’s combined rating of 15 mpg. On a positive note for map enthusiasts like myself, the system can display latitude, longitude, and current heading.

Driving around town is effortless in Strada mode, which tames the 5.2-liter V-10. The 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission shifts smoothly and quickly. Cruising is generally stress-free, although the roof rack generates considerable wind noise, particularly at highway speeds. Combined with road noise from the Bridgestone Dueler A/T tires and the glorious V-10 soundtrack, listening to podcasts on the freeway becomes a challenge.

Interior view of the 2024 Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato cockpit, focusing on the suede steering wheel and central console.

Performance: V10 Power Meets All-Terrain Grip

This is a Lamborghini, after all, and experiencing its full 602 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque is essential. Using nearby flat, straight, paved roads, I performed a safety check before switching to Sport mode. Launching the car with the pedal floored resulted in… a slightly underwhelming initial response. There’s a brief pause before the power truly kicks in. Following a firm shift into second gear, however, the Sterrato awakens, and the excitement builds—moderately. Perhaps recent experiences with instant-torque electric vehicles have skewed my perception, but the claimed 0-62 mph time of 3.4 seconds feels almost leisurely now compared to something like a Lucid Air.

Anticipation builds for the Huracán’s successor, the Temerario, which Lamborghini promises will feature electrification, over 900 hp, and a 0-62 mph time of 2.7 seconds.

Nevertheless, pushing the Sterrato to triple-digit speeds reveals a confident and planted feel, with no unsettling behavior from the rear when braking hard. On winding roads, the A/T tires provide noticeably less pavement grip than one would expect from a standard Huracán, yet the Sterrato confidently holds its line on mountain passes at speeds of 70-80 mph.

The Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato driving on a paved road, showcasing its dynamic capabilities despite off-road tires.

Close-up action shot of the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato cornering, highlighting wheel design and body control.

Overhead view of the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato emphasizing its unique roof rack and overall proportions.

Built for Dirt? Analyzing the Off-Road Specs

While well-mannered on the road, the Huracán Sterrato incorporates numerous off-road components. It wears Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires (235/40/R19 front, 285/40/R19 rear) with a tread pattern designed as a compromise for both on- and off-road use. While smaller wheels would allow for more tire sidewall (beneficial off-road), the Sterrato’s substantial brakes necessitate the 19-inch minimum wheel size.

Critically, the Sterrato does not come with a spare tire. This is a significant oversight, as tire damage is the most common issue encountered off-pavement. Although the Bridgestones are run-flats, theoretically capable of driving 50 miles at 50 mph after a puncture, sidewall gashes (more common off-road than simple punctures) may render them useless. My strong recommendation would be to secure a full-size spare to the roof rack—its intended purpose.

Don’t expect to conquer the Rubicon Trail in this Lamborghini. While lifted to 6.4 inches of ground clearance, this is less than many standard crossover SUVs. The off-road geometry remains compromised, with approach, breakover, and departure angles of 10.4, 14.7, and 26.5 degrees, respectively. The departure angle is surprisingly decent (slightly better than a Ford Ranger Raptor), but the approach and breakover angles mean you’ll likely scrape the car on anything but minor obstacles. Some underbody protection exists, but it’s not robust.

A visit to a local garage allowed for an underbody inspection. Lamborghini added metal protection to the front and mid-sections, but it’s only about ⅛-inch thick. Hard plastic is used elsewhere, and the engine cover appears particularly flimsy. The exhaust system remains completely exposed.

Regarding suspension, there’s no indication that the Sterrato’s magnetic dampers offer increased travel, nor do the control arms appear longer. While Lamborghini hasn’t confirmed, it’s unlikely the Sterrato has significantly more wheel travel than the standard road-going Huracán. Considering the geometry and likely limited suspension travel, this car seems best suited for relatively flat, graded rally roads, perhaps with minor washboarding, rather than high-speed runs through whoops sections.

Underside view of the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato, showing limited underbody protection and suspension components.

However, sand dunes could be a viable playground. By airing down the tires and utilizing the all-wheel-drive system and automatic rear locking differential, the Sterrato should perform well. Sand is less likely to damage the undercarriage, and careful throttle control when cresting dunes would prevent launching the car. Scraping the nose on steep descents might still occur, but approaching dunes at an angle could mitigate this. My original plan to capture epic photos hooning the Sterrato in the soft sand at Pismo Beach was unfortunately vetoed by Lamborghini’s legal team.

As mentioned, securing a new Sterrato is no longer possible since all units are sold. The starting price was nearly $280,000, including a $2,100 gas guzzler tax and a $3,695 destination charge. This doesn’t account for options like the striking matte green paint ($16,500), sport seats ($7,600), forged wheels ($6,000), or the auxiliary front LED rally lights ($2,600) that admittedly look somewhat aftermarket. The total price of my test vehicle reached $360,349.

Despite the inability to test its core premise, I can confidently say the Sterrato is the most daily-drivable Lamborghini Huracán variant. The increased ride height alleviates concerns about speed bumps during town driving, and Strada mode makes the power manageable at lower speeds. It would likely be tremendous fun on a smooth dirt road too. But alas, based on my restricted test drive, how would I truly know?