Maserati Levante 2019 review
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Maserati Levante 2019 review

Maserati. What do you think this name means to most people? Fast? Loud? Italian? Expensive? SUVs?

Well, maybe not the last one, but it likely will soon. See, with the Levante SUV accounting for half of all Maseratis now sold in Australia, shortly it’ll feel like SUVs are all Maserati makes. 

And that may happen even faster with the arrival of the most affordable Levante ever — the new entry-grade, simply called Levante.

So, if this new cheaper Levante isn't expensive (in Maserati terms), does that mean it's not fast, loud, or even Italian now? 

We drove this new, most affordable Levante during its launch in Australia to find out.

Maserati Levante 2019: Grandsport
Safety Rating-
engine's type3.0 L turbo
fuel typeDiesel
Fuel efficiency11.8l / 100km
Landing5 Places
Price from$131,200

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10


I suppose you want to know how much more affordable this Levante is compared to other classes in this line? Okay, the entry-level Levante is $125,000 before travel expenses.

It might sound expensive, but look at it this way: the entry-level Levante has the same Maserati-designed and Ferrari-built 3.0-liter twin-turbo petrol V6 as the $179,990 Levante S, and a nearly identical list of standard features. 

So how on this planet is there a $55 price difference and the cars are nearly the same? What is missing?

Both classes feature an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Horsepower is missing – the base grade Levante may have the same V6 as the Levante S but it doesn’t have as much grunt. But we’ll get to that in the engine section.

As for the other differences, there are few, almost none. The Levante S comes standard with a sunroof and front seats that adjust to more positions than the Levante, but both classes come with an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav, leather upholstery (the S does get more premium). leather), proximity key and 19-inch alloy wheels.

These standard features are also identical to those found in the Turbo-Diesel, which costs above the $159,990 Levante.

Aside from less power, the lack of a standard sunroof (like the S), and upholstery that isn't as good as the S, another downside to the base Levante is that the optional GranLusso and GranSport packages are expensive...really expensive.

Both classes are equipped with satellite navigation, leather upholstery, a proximity key and 19-inch alloy wheels.

The GranLusso adds luxury to the exterior in the form of metal trim on the roof rails, window frames and skid plates on the front bumper, while inside the cabin the three front seats are offered with Ermenegildo Zegna silk upholstery, Pieno Fiore (genuine leather) or premium Italian hide.

The GranSport enhances the look with a more aggressive body kit with black accents and adds 12-way power sports seats, matt chrome shift paddles and aluminum coated sport pedals.

The features offered by these packages are nice - for example, those silk and leather seats are luxurious, but each package costs $35,000. That's almost 30 percent off the list price of the entire car, extra. The same packages on the Levante S only cost $10,000.

While the Levante is the most affordable Levante as well as the cheapest Maserati you can buy, it is more expensive than its rival Porsche Cayenne (an entry-level petrol V6) which costs $116,000 while the Range Rover Sport is $3.0. The SC HSE is $130,000 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE Benz is $43.

So, should you buy the new entry-level Levante? Yes, for Maserati, if you don't choose packages, and yes, compared to most of its competitors.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 8/10


If you've just read the price and features section above, you're probably wondering just how much less powerful the Levante is compared to the Levante S.

The Levante is powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine and it sounds great. Yes, the entry-level Levante makes a Maserati squawk when you open the throttle, just like the S. It might sound the same as the S, but the Levante V6 has less horsepower. At 257kW/500Nm, the Levante has 59kW less power and 80Nm less torque.

The Levante is powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine and it sounds great.

Is there a noticeable difference? A little. Acceleration on the Levante isn't as fast: it takes six seconds to 0 km/h compared to 100 seconds on the Levante S.

Shifting gears is an eight-speed ZF-sorced automatic transmission which is super smooth, but a little slow.

Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10


The Levante looks exactly what a Maserati SUV should look like, with a long bonnet flanked by curved vented wheel arches leading to a grille that looks poised to gobble up slower cars. The heavily curved windshield and the profile of the rear of the cab are also very Maserati-specific, as are the ridges framing the rear wheels.

If only its bottom was smaller than the Maserati. It's a personal matter, but I find the rear of the Maserati lacks the drama of their faces, and the Levante's tailgate is no different in that it borders on simplicity.

Inside, the Levante looks premium, well thought out, although a closer look reveals that there are some elements that appear to be shared with other brands such as Maserati, owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). 

Power window and headlight switches, ignition button, air conditioning controls and even a display screen can all be found in Jeeps and other FCA vehicles.

There's no problem with functionality here, but in terms of design and style, they look a bit rustic and lack the sophistication that a customer might expect from a Maserati.

Inside, too, there is a lack of technological chic. For example, there is no head-up display or large virtual instrument panel like Levante competitors.

Despite the resemblance to a Jeep, the Levante is truly Italian. Chief designer Giovanni Ribotta is Italian, and the Levante is produced at the FCA Mirafiori plant in Turin.

What are the dimensions of Levante? The Levante is 5.0m long, 2.0m wide and 1.7m high. So the space inside is huge, right? Um...let's talk about that in the next section, shall we? 

How practical is the interior space? 7/10


Do you know the Tardis from Doctor Who? A time machine police phone booth that's a lot bigger inside than it looks from the outside? The cockpit of the Levante is an inverted Tardis (Sidrat?) in the sense that even at five meters long and two meters wide, second-row legroom is cramped, and at 191 cm tall, I can only sit behind my driver's seat.

Overhead also becomes crowded due to the sloping roofline. These aren't major issues, but if you're thinking about using the Levante as a sort of SUV limousine, then the limited space in the back won't be enough for your taller passengers to stretch out comfortably.

Also, in my opinion, excluding it as a car with a driver, is the experience of driving in the second row. I will cover this in the driving section below.

The Levante's cargo capacity is 580 liters (with the second row seats up), which is slightly less than the 770-liter luggage compartment of the Porsche Cayenne.

Interior storage space is pretty good, with a giant trash can on the center console at the front with two cup holders inside. There are two more cup holders near the gear selector and two more in the fold-out rear armrest. However, door pockets are smaller.




How much fuel does it consume? 7/10


Even if you drive your Levante conservatively, Maserati says you can expect it to use 11.6L/100km at best when combined with city and open roads, the Levante S is slightly more gluttonous at its official 11.8L/100km. 

In fact, you can expect the twin-turbocharged V6 petrol to want more - just driving on the open road showed the trip computer reporting 12.3L/100km. beautiful voice of Levante.

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10


Levante has yet to test ANCAP. However, the Levante has six airbags and is equipped with advanced safety equipment such as AEB, lane keeping assist and lane departure warning, steering assisted blind spot warning, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control. control.

The puncture repair kit is located under the boot floor.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

3 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10


The Levante is covered by a three-year Maserati unlimited mileage warranty. Service is recommended every two years or 20,000 km. More brands are moving to longer warranties and it would be nice if Maserati offered their customers longer coverage.

What is it like to drive? 8/10


When I reviewed the Levante S at its launch in 2017, I liked its good handling and comfortable ride. But, despite the fact that I was impressed with the performance of the engine, I felt that the car could be faster.

So how would a less powerful version of the same car feel then? Actually not much different. The base Levante sprints to 0.8 km/h just 100 seconds slower than the S (XNUMX seconds). The air suspension is the same as the S's for a comfortable and smooth ride, and the hard-set handling is impressive for a two-ton, five-meter car.

The Levante and Levante S offer moderate power and better handling than the average large SUV.

The front brakes in the base Levante are smaller (345 x 32mm) than in the S (380 x 34mm) and the tires don't wobble: 265/50 R19 all around.

The variable-ratio electric power steering is well-weighted, but too fast. I found the car turning too far, too fast, and making regular mid-corner adjustments tedious.

It makes no sense to me to choose the S on the assumption that it will be a much more powerful car. The Levante and Levante S offer moderate power and better handling than the average large SUV.

If you want a true high-performance Maserati SUV, you might be better off waiting for the Levante GTS, which arrives in 2020 with an 404kW V8 engine.

The base Levante sprints to 0.8 km/h just 100 seconds slower than the S (XNUMX seconds).

The base Levante V6 sounds just as good as the S, but there's one place where it's not very nice. Backseat.

When I launched the Levante S in 2017, I didn't get the chance to ride in the back seats. This time I let my co-driver steer for half an hour while I sat on the left rear. 

First, it's louder in the back - the exhaust sound is almost too loud to be pleasant. Also, the seats are not supportive or comfortable. 

The second row also has a slightly cavernous, claustrophobic feel, largely due to the accentuated roof slope towards the rear. This, in my opinion, almost completely excludes the possibility of convenient accommodation for guests.

Verdict

The entry-level Levante is the top choice in the current lineup (Levante, Levante Turbo Diesel and Levante S) because it's nearly identical in performance and features to the more expensive S. 

I would skip the GranLusso and GranSport packages on this base Levante, but would consider them on the S, where they are possibly worth an extra $10,000 rather than the $35k asking price for the entry car.

The Levante does a lot right: sound, safety and looks. But the quality of the interior, with its common FCA parts, reduces the feeling of prestige.

And rear-seat comfort could be better, Maserati are grand tourers, and the brand's SUV should seat at least four adults in superb comfort, which this one can't.

If you had a choice and around $130K, would you choose a Porsche Cayenne or a Maserati Levante? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

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