2022 Maserati Levante

The luxury performance SUV segment wasn't as busy when the Maserati Levante entered it back in 2017. It was the first Italian supercar manufacturer to pull the trigger, and we expected great things. What we got was a mediocre brisk SUV, equipped with the infotainment system from a soccer-mom wagon. For something wearing that coveted Trident logo, the Levante just wasn't good enough - a perfect example of parts-sharing gone wrong.

Over time Maserati added more models to the range. The power delivered by the twin-turbo V6 was dialed up to 424 hp, and a Ferrari-derived twin-turbo V8 with 550 hp was added to the lineup. Is the Levante still a bit 'meh', or does it combine an SUV's practicality with the exhilarating soul of an Italian supercar? And is it enough to win buyers over from German rivals like the Porsche Cayenne?

The Levante certainly looks distinctive. The edgy headlights and taillights make a big visual impact and we especially like how the daytime running lights work with the chrome grille surround to form a line that almost runs the width of the SUV.

From the side, you'll notice the concave line over the wheel arches, emphasizing the supercar-like hips from certain angles. The rear is finished off with quad tailpipes, so you know it means business. GT models are equipped with 20-inch Efesto Platinum wheels as standard. Oddly, for such an expensive car, the Levante doesn't have LED lights as standard, with the GT and Modena models relying on bi-xenon headlights and only the Modena S getting LEDs as standard. The GT and Modena get chrome exterior accents such as the window surrounds, door handles, and fender vents. The Modena gets black side badging and the Modena S gets all-black treatment for the exterior styling elements, including the wheels, grille, window surrounds, side badging, mirrors, brake calipers, and grille. The F Tributo comes with model-specific badging on the fenders, 21-inch wheels with yellow embellishments, and yellow brake calipers. A dual-pane sunroof is standard on all models.

Dimensions for the 2022 Maserati Levante are well within the segment standards. It has a total length of 197 inches (197.6 inches on Levante Modena S), and a width of 77.5 inches without the mirrors - and 85 inches with them. The wheelbase is 118.3 inches. It's convincingly larger than the other Italian performance SUV in the Stellantis lineup, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The Levante is also longer than the Porsche Cayenne (194 inches), but the German car is an inch longer in the wheelbase. An entry-level Levante weighs 4,650 pounds, while the top-spec twin-turbo V8 weighs 5,070 lbs.

The base color palette consists of only one no-cost option this year - Bianco (white) - with Nero (black) having been dropped. From there, you get four metallic options, each retailing for $1,200. These options are Nero Ribelle, Grigio Maratea, Grigio, Rame, and Blu Emozione - with last year's Blue Passione discontinued. Bianco Alpi and Blu Nobile retail for $2,700.

All of the colors are available on all models, except for the F Tributo trim, which is available only in Rosso (red) or Azzurro Tributo (blue). For more customization, you need to add more striking wheels and painted brake calipers. Maserati charges an additional $500 to paint the calipers blue, red, or black, with yellow also added to the list this year - yellow calipers are standard fare on F Tributo models. GT models come with unpainted silver brake calipers, while black (with white Maserati script) is standard on the Modena and Modena S.

For the most performance-oriented Levante, you want the Trofeo, which we review separately. In the normal range, the Modena S also packs a powerful punch. This particular model is powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8, good for 550 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to an eight-speed automatic that sends the power to an all-wheel-drive system. The added traction and smooth shifting allow the Modena S to sprint to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and on to a top speed of 181 mph. Although the manufacturer doesn't stipulate an official towing capacity, owners should be able to hitch up to 5,952 lbs with the Trailer Tow package installed.

Lesser models are equipped with a twin-turbocharged V6. In the base Levante GT, it delivers a disappointing 345 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The relatively low power output is reflected in the sedate 5.8 seconds 0 to 60 mph sprint and a top speed of 156 mph. The mid-range Levante Modena and F Tributo are equipped with the same engine, but with power boosted to 424 hp and 428 lb-ft. These models have a 0-60 mph time of five seconds dead and a top speed of 164 mph.

Spec for spec, the Levante runs it close with the Porsche Cayenne, long regarded as the segment leader. But it is weak when non-performance variants of the BMW X5 thoroughly trounce your supposed performance SUV. The 40i models will easily outsprint the base model, while the 523 hp M50i will obliterate a Levante Modena. And even though it's $20,000 cheaper, the X5M will run rings around the Levante Modena S and its Ferrari sourced twin-turbo V8.

The base engine is a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that produces 345 hp and 369 lb-ft. Output-wise, it's just not good enough, and the eight-speed gearbox has to work extra hard to get any sort of reasonable performance out of it. As hard as the magnificent gearbox tries, even it can't overcome the relatively low power output and high curb weight. It wouldn't be as bad if it weren't for the high price. Imagine paying $81,200 for a Maserati SUV, only to be trounced by a soccer dad in his Dodge Durango SRT. That's going to sting.

The same can be said of the Levante Modena, even though it ups the power to 424 hp and 428 lb-ft. These figures would have been impressive ten years ago, but we now live in a world where a $47,000 Ford Explorer ST packs a 400-hp punch.

Maserati's Levante had to soldier on with these two engines (and a short-lived diesel elsewhere in the world) for three years before a twin-turbo V8 was introduced. The Modena S has the kind of power output we've come to expect from performance SUVs, providing 550 hp and 538 lb-ft. This bad boy has enough grunt to embarrass some sports cars, unlike the entry-level models, which would likely be humiliated by something as mundane as a well-driven Audi A6 allroad.

The Levante has a lot going on in this department. An adaptive air suspension is standard, as are various driving modes. Most of the time, the 2022 Levante SUV will be stuck in Comfort, and it does an adequate job. The system isn't as well sorted as the unit you'll find in the Range Rover Sport, but for its first-ever SUV, we reckon Maserati did a splendid job with the new Levante. The ride is comfortable, and the cabin is well-insulated.

In Sport mode, the suspension stiffens up to minimize body roll. It does so very well, but it sacrifices all comfort. Couple that with steering that provides a reasonable amount of feedback, and you have a smooth handler. To some, the fast steering rack may be troublesome, which is something we noticed in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio as well. It's something you have to get used to, but once you get there, you'll never want to go back. The Levante turns in willingly, egging you on to push a bit harder. That's part of the reason why the V6 Levantes felt so disappointing. We always knew the chassis could handle more, and we had to wait for the Modena S and Trofeo to prove it. The brakes on the V6 models are good, but the Modena S gets bigger six-piston Brembo brakes to scrub speed more effectively.

There isn't a single performance SUV known for having impressive gas mileage figures - other than the Tesla Model X, if you want to be technical about it. The Maserati doesn't disappoint, then, consuming copious amounts of fuel from the base model upwards. The EPA claims the same consumption figures for both the GT and the Modena at 16/22/18 mpg city/highway/combined. The twin-turbo V8 of the Modena S naturally fares much worse, with EPA estimates of 13/20/16 mpg.

Thanks to a sizeable 21.1-gallon tank, the V8 should be able to do 338 miles between refills, while the V6 should manage 380 miles, at least.

The interior of a luxury performance SUV like the 2022 Maserati Levante should feel special, and in many ways, it does. Climb in, sit there for a second, and you'll undoubtedly appreciate the leather and wood, or carbon fiber, depending on what you choose. It's lovely, but it's just shy of what we expect in this segment in terms of build quality. We do love the Maserati clock on top of the center console, however.

Upon closer investigation, you'll notice some familiar switchgear and an infotainment system shared with various Jeeps and Dodges. Maserati claims the operating software is unique, which is true to an extent. The screen may show "Maserati" when it starts up, but the shortcuts and such are inexcusably similar to those in a Jeep Gladiator. If Genesis can create an entirely different interface using Hyundai parts, surely Maserati should do the same. While we appreciate the cost-saving aspect of parts-sharing, we can't get over the fact that the Levante has almost the same interface as the $25,000 Jeep Renegade.

Maserati doesn't claim specific figures for legroom and headroom, but five passengers can manage just fine. Given the ample wheelbase, space was never going to be an issue. Like most of its rivals, the Levante can easily accommodate five people, though the middle seat on the rear bench might feel tight for adults on a long journey. Getting in and out is easy, as is the case with most SUVs. Visibility is also good, but the rear window is on the small side. Thankfully, blind-spot alert is included as standard. There is ample adjustment offered on the front seats and the driver will easily be able to find a prime driving position.

Leather seats are standard across the range, with color options including Nero, Cuoio, Sabbia, Nero with Grigio/Cuoio/Rosso stitching, Marrone with Grigio stitching, and Rosso with Nero stitching. You only get Nero (black) leather on the dashboard this year, but you can choose from Nero, Sabbia, and Grigio for the headliner, depending on trim level. Maserati also offers an Extended Full Leather Upholstery for $1,000, a Full Premium Perforated Leather Upholstery for $3,500, and - on the GT only - the Luxury Zegna Package of silk and leather in three color schemes (Nero/Grigio, Cuoio/Grigio, or Rosso/Grigio). The two Modena trims give access to the Zegna Pelletessuta leather in Cuoio/Nero, Nero/Grigio, or Marrone for $8,000, as well as Pieno Fiore natural leather for $5,000. Black PienoFiore leather with red or yellow contrast stitching is standard on F Tributo models.

Interior trims range from Gloss Dark Composite, Open Pore Radica Wood, normal or 3D carbon-fiber, Metal Net, and high Gloss Ebano, with various prices attached, depending on the trim level. The carbon-fiber options become available from the Modena upwards, ranging in price from $2,500 for the normal to $3,000 for the 3D carbon fiber. High Gloss Metal Net is a $1,500 option on all trims. The 3D carbon fiber is exclusive to the Modena trims, and high gloss carbon fiber is standard on F Tributo models.

The Levante has 20.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity with all the seats in place. Porsche's Cayenne offers 27.2 cubes, and the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 has 33.3. While it may not be class-leading, the trunk is big enough for four full-size suitcases. On those odd occasions where you need more, the rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split. This increases the cargo capacity to 57.4 cubic feet.

Interior storage is ample. Up front, you get a smartphone-sized slot beneath the climate control, a set of cupholders next to the gear lever, average door pockets, and a glove box. The storage bin in the center armrest is ventilated, keeping drinks cool on longer trips.

With a base price over $80,000, one would expect a lot of features as standard. Maserati includes 12-way power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, a refrigerated compartment under the center armrests, and a dash-top clock. Other niceties include keyless entry, remote start, a power liftgate, and parking sensors. From the base model, there's heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, the latter with power tilting/telescoping adjustment, as well as a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, and a dual-pane panoramic sunroof.

Everything else requires you to fork over more money. Neither front-seat ventilation nor rear seat heaters are standard on any trim this year and ticking these options requires additional options or packages. Soft-close doors are optionally available too as part of the Comfort & Convenience Package. If you want aluminum column-mounted paddle shifters, it's $550 extra. Sports pedals are now part of an optional package. The biggest disappointment is the lack of driver assistance features. Manufacturers like Ford, Honda, and Mazda are offering advanced driver-assistance features as standard on their mid-size SUVs, so why does Maserati charge an additional $1,700 for adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian recognition, and autonomous emergency braking on the GT and Modena?

As mentioned earlier, the Levante uses the same 8.4-inch touchscreen interface as many other Stellantis products. While this is one of the main gripes we have with the Levante, we have to admit that it's an above-average infotainment system. It's easy to understand and comes with Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. An eight-speaker sound system is standard on the GT and Modena, but the Modena S adds a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. A 1,280-watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system is also available.

During its first year on sale in 2017, the Levante was recalled twice. Maserati worked through these teething issues efficiently and kept subsequent recalls to a minimum. However, the 2021 model was recalled for a malfunctioning automatic seat-belt locking retractor and a fuel-line sensor that might leak fuel, potentially leading to a stall and increasing the risk of a fire. At the time of writing, the fuel-line problem has been the only carryover to the 2022 model so far.

For added peace of mind regarding reliability, the Maserati Levante has a four-year/50,000-mile all-inclusive warranty.

The IIHS has not conducted a safety review of the Maserati Levante. The closest thing we have as a baseline is the Maserati Ghibli, which uses the same platform. The IIHS gave the Ghibli a good rating for a front and side crash, so we know the structure is sound. The NHTSA has not published a safety review of the Levante either.

Standard safety kit on the Levante includes parking sensors front and rear, blind-spot monitoring, hill-descent control, and a rearview camera with parking lines. Front, front-side, and curtain airbags are standard.

For driver assistance features like forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, active blind-spot monitoring, and a surround-view camera, you have to pay extra on the two base trims, but the Modena S gets them all as standard.

This is a tough call. We do like the idea of an Italian luxury performance SUV. We can't deny that the Levante has loads of character, especially with the Ferrari-sourced V8 under the hood. It's also competitively priced when compared to the Porsche Cayenne. The styling is epic, the interior looks good, and it is more engaging than most performance SUVs.

The competition is stiff. Less expensive SUVs easily trounce the GT and Modena. The Modena S model is a special car, but at nearly $120,000, it's too costly. German rivals like the X5M and RS Q8 are quicker and retail for less (BMW) or only slightly more (Audi). When parting with more than $80,000, you expect something exceptional, and the Levante just isn't. We're sorry to say this, but Alfa Romeo did a much better job building an Italian performance SUV.

The base Maserati Levante GT has a price of $81,200. The Modena starts at $92,200, while F Tributo trims cost around $106,590. The twin-turbo V8 Modena S only comes in one trim and has an MSRP of $117,500. This excludes Maserati's delivery and destination charge of $1,495.

The normal Maserati Levante lineup has been pared down to three trims for 2022: GT, Modena, and Modena S. The flagship Trofeo is reviewed separately. All models make use of an eight-speed automatic transmission transmitting their engines' power to an intelligent all-wheel-drive system. The GT and Modena use a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in two states of tune: 345 hp / 369 lb-ft in the GT and 424 hp / 428 lb-ft in the Modena. The Modena S uses a Ferrari-derived 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 550 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque.

The Levante GT runs on 20-inch Efesto Platinum silver-painted alloy wheels and has bi-xenon headlights, LED tail lights, a dual-pane sunroof, a power liftgate, chrome door handles, and chrome on the grille's vertical slats, side badging, and fog-light bezels. Inside, it has keyless entry, remote start, leather on the seats and dashboard, 12-way electrically and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, an air-conditioned compartment under the center armrest, a dashtop clock, a leather-trimmed and heated steering wheel, a black headliner, gloss-dark composite trim, and a power tilting/telescoping steering column. The infotainment system includes an 8.4-inch touchschreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth streaming, SiriusXM, and an eight-speaker audio system. Safety features include six airbags, automatic headlights with auto high beams, rain-sensing wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, parking sensors front and rear, hill-descent control, a backup camera, and blind-spot monitoring.

Besides the more powerful engine, the Modena adds to these features matte-black and silver 20-inch Nereo alloy wheels, sportier front and rear fascias with larger and more aggressive air intakes in the front bumper, black side badging, and a black grille. Inside, it gets a gray headliner and access to more packages. F Tributo trims share all of the Modena's features, but are only available in red or blue exterior paint, and ride on 21-inch wheels with yellow accents and yellow brake calipers. Inside, these limited-run models get black PienoFiore leather upholstery with red or yellow contrast stitching and loads of carbon fiber accents.

The Modena S gets the twin-turbo V8 engine, the Modena's sporty bumpers, body-color door handles, adaptive LED headlights with cornering lights, and blacked out exterior elements such as the 20-inch Efesto Miron alloy wheels, the mirrors and side badging, window surrounds, and fog-light bezels. Inside, it gets extended full-leather upholstery, front sport seats, and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. It gets the driver assists the base models lack, notably adaptive cruise control with stop and go, active blind-spot assist, forward-collision alert with automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and a surround-view camera.

On the Levante GT, you can add one of three style packages. The GT Sport Package retails for $3,790 and adds GranSport front and rear fascias, 21-inch Helios wheels, gloss-dark composite trim, and gloss-red brake calipers. The GT Nerissimo Package is essentially a black-out package, adding black exterior accents and 20-inch black Nereo wheels - it costs $1,500. The GT Nerissimo Sport Package basically combines the previous two but equips 21-inch Anteo alloy wheels. There is also a Driver Assistance Package with the advanced safety systems including adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera, traffic sign recognition, active driving assist, and pedestrian recognition, for $1,700. The $1,290 Comfort & Convenience Package adds heated rear seats, a heated windshield, power-adjustable foot pedals, soft-close doors, an a memory function for the front seats.

The Comfort & Convenience and Driver Assistance packages are available on the Levante Modena as well. This trim's Nerissimo Modena Package's price drops to $1,100 compared to the GT Nerissimo Package, as the S already comes with some of the darker exterior features as standard. The Modena also gets the optional Sportivo Package with its memory front seats, Alcantara headliner and pillars, aluminum shift paddles, Inox sport pedals, and adaptive LED headlights. On the fully equipped Modena S, you can add only the Comfort & Convenience Package.

Base Models can have an upgraded Harman Kardon sound setup for $1,100, while heated rear seats are no longer available as a standalone extra, but only as part of the Comfort & Convenience Package on all trims. From this year, you can add the top-spec Bowers & Wilkins sound system for $2,500 on any of the trims. Four-zone automatic climate control costs $1,100 and is only available for the Modena trims.

To avoid disappointment, we'd advise you to stay away from the V6 models. The performance simply doesn't match the price. We'd go for the Modena S for that full Italian effect. That Ferrari-sourced twin-turbo V8 makes a big difference, and you get to say that you've got Ferrari power in your SUV. The Modena S also comes standard with the Harman Kardon sound system, the extended leather package, adaptive LED headlights, and a suite of driver-assistance features that costs extra on the V6s.

Mercedes-AMG was the first manufacturer to shoehorn a powerful engine into the front of an SUV. This was back in the year 2000 when a 342 hp naturally-aspirated V8 was considered impressive. Porsche basically copied Merc's homework and built the Cayenne, and it has been the standard in the segment ever since. With nearly two decades worth of experience in building such things, the Cayenne is hard to beat.

The base Cayenne is down ten hp compared to the base Levante, but that's the only department where Maserati can claim a win. The Porsche is more spacious, better built and comes with a vastly superior interior with better technology. The driving experience in the Porsche is sublime. In this department, Porsche's long history in building high-riding, tarmac-shredding cars shines through.

The only criticism we can level against the Cayenne is that it feels a bit clinical. It's so good at covering ground at high-speed that it feels rather undramatic. The Levante has more flair, and each drive feels more like an occasion. In our opinion, your money is better spent on the superior, brilliant, and less expensive Cayenne.

It seems odd to compare it to two Porsches, but there's an excellent reason for that. The Macan may appear smaller, but the size difference isn't that big when you look at the figures. The trunk is only three cubic feet smaller than the Levante's. The good news is that most of the Macan range undercuts the Levante when it comes to price. The new Macan GTS is $1,300 cheaper than the base model, but its 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 produces 434 hp and 405 lb-ft, closer to the Modena's output.

The base Macan is powered by a turbocharged four-pot, but the car is much lighter, so it has no problems keeping up with the base Levante. Retailing for $54,900, it's an absolute bargain in comparison. But the Macan show's real star remains the GTS, which is cheaper than the base Levante. In this Macan, you'll find the same twin-turbo engine than in the Turbo it replaces. The power output is 10 hp more than that of the Levante Modena and with the Porsche's much lower weight, its 0-60 time of 4.3 seconds is perilously close to that of the V8-powered Modena S. If anything, the Macan handles even better than its bigger brother, making an even more compelling argument against the Maserati.