Maserati Levante

Maserati Levante Overview

Maserati Levante Exterior

Your attention is immediately drawn to the massive and menacing hexagonal ‘shark-nose’ grille with vertical slats which also houses the iconic Trident emblem. Paired with the slim headlight design, the striking front end exudes a commanding road presence.

In the GranSport trim, the Maserati Levante S gets a new front and rear bumpers inspired by the more aggressive GTS and the Trofeo, featuring Black Piano inserts, GranSport badges on the front fenders and red colour brake calipers. The more luxury-oriented GranLusso trim comes fitted with chrome trims, metallic front and rear skid plates, a body-coloured rear spoiler, silver-painted brake calipers and GranLusso badges on the fenders.

Styling cues like the distinctive triple air vent apertures on the front fenders and the iconic Saetta logo on the triangular C-pillar are also present on the SUV, making it unmistakably Maserati. Viewing from the side, the Levante has a profile of a sleek coupé with pronounced wheel arches and broad shoulder haunches. 

The rear design is reminiscence of the back of the Infinity QX70, appearing more understated in contrast to the rest of the exterior design. To put things in perspective, compared to the more conventional SUV, the Maserati Levante is larger than the BMW X5 but smaller than the Mercedes-Benz GLS.

Maserati Levante Interior

Interior design of the SUV has been largely retained with a few noticeable changes and enhancement. The leather-clad dual-tone dashboard with contrast stitching provide an atmosphere of opulence while the new 8.4-inch infotainment display takes centre stage along with controls for the climate control and infotainment systems.

Other highlight to the interior changes includes the redesigned two-lane gear shift lever featuring enhanced operation. Buttons on the transmission panel has also been tweaked. Gone is the M Button and in its place is an Off-Road mode selector.

Up front, the SUV shares the same instrument panel as Maserati’s flagship, the Maserati Quattroporte, featuring analog speedometer and rev counter separated by a 7-inch TFT screen. The classic Maserati egg-shaped analog clock is also present. The GranSport interior is accented with High Gloss Metal Weave inserts while the GranLusso trim offers the choice of full premium Italian leather, Pieno Fiore natural leather or Ermenegildo Zegna silk upholstery.

Maserati Levante Features

The Maserati Levante shares the new 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system found in the latest Maserati GranTurismo, featuring Maserati Touch Control Plus (MTC+) and i-Drive-like rotary dial that controls a wide range of function from the audio system to the steering-wheel heating.

Active Air Suspension raises or lowers the vehicle according to driver’s preference. With six settings to choose from (5 ride height and 1 entry mode), the driver can select the height appropriate for the prevailing driving condition, from maximum clearance for off-roading to a low setting for motorway driving.

Q4 Intelligence all-wheel Drive System aims to deliver the optimum traction without compromising the hallmark Maserati rear wheel drive experience. In normal conditions, the Q4 system sends all torque to the rear wheels. If loss of traction is detected on the rear axle, the Q4 AWD system alters the torque split from 100 percent RWD to a 50-50 split between the front and rear wheels in just 150 milliseconds.

Also available is torque vectoring and a mechanical Limited-Slip Differential at the rear axle that is unique for this class of vehicle. It greatly enhances the overall driving dynamic and stability. Other standard features include the Bi-Xenon headlights with Adaptive Front Lighting System, power sunroof, dual-zone climate control with Air Quality Sensor, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon Premium Sound System.

Safety wise, the SUV is equipped with six airbags, Maserati Stability Program that comprises of Acceleration Slip Regulation, ABS with EBD and Maserati Drag Torque Control (MSR). It is also equipped with a range of Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) which include Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Forward Collison Warning and Traffic Sign Assist.

Maserati Levante Powertrain Performance

Powering the Maserati Levante S is a Ferrari-built 3.0 litre twin turbo V6 petrol engine, developing 436 PS at 5,750 RPM and 580 Nm of torque from 4,500 RPM, hauling the over 2 ton car from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds before maxing out at a top speed of 264 km/h.

Designed by Maserati Powertrain and built at Ferrari’s Maranello plant, the V6 engine features advanced technology like the high-pressure direct-injection system and the two parallel-mounted, low-inertia turbochargers which help reduce any discernible turbo lag and offer greater elasticity and a faster engine response.

In manual Sport Mode, valves in the exhaust open up giving it an even more aggressive engine note, accompanied by a more aggressive accelerator pedal mapping and the engine can be pushed right to the red line without the system intervening, allowing the driver full control of the power plant.

Power is sent to all four wheels via the ZF 8-speed automatic transmission. Maserati claims the new transmission delivers improved comfort, faster gear shifting, better fuel consumption and increased refinement. Four driving mode available are Normal, Sport, Off-Road and Increase Control and Efficiency (ICE). Auto Mode strike a balance between comfort and sportiness while Sport Mode offers faster gear changes at higher rev. ESP is less intrusive and the overboost function is activated.

In Off-Road Mode, the car is raised by 25mm from the normal height and the ESP mapping adapts to the off-road terrain. This mode also changes the map for engine, transmission, and accelerator pedal to best suit the prevailing terrain condition.

Maserati Levante Fuel Consumption

Maserati Levante Ride Comfort

The Maserati SUV comes equipped as standard with Active Air Suspension and Skyhook system with electronically variable active-damping. The basic setting prioritises comfort, whereas for a more dynamic drive, the shock absorbers stiffen, and the car assumes a sportier character.

At higher speeds, the high-riding Levante is stable and quiet while the suspension soaks up all the road imperfections with ease. In terms of handling, you will discover that it is reasonably crisp and agile in the corners. Perhaps not as taut as a Porsche Cayenne, but the steering and handling inspires great confidence and certainly puts a smile on your face.

Maserati Levante Conclusion

The Maserati Levante S is not your typical everyday SUV that usually serves as a daily driver for your everyday soccer moms. While it may not be as practical as a BMW X5 or as dynamic as the Porsche Cayenne, the Levante certainly knocks it out of the park when it comes to style and looks, right up there alongside the gorgeous Aston Martin DBX. It is arguably one of the best looking SUV money can buy today, and it helps too that it sounds good, handles well, comfortable to ride in and reasonably practical too.