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2023 Maserati Levante
Starting at $89.095
Highs Design flair to spare, exhaust sings operas, top models’ kick-ass V-8.
Lows Steep starting price, not as cargo friendly as German competition, some repurposed Stellantis interior switchgear.
Verdict Its high-fashion look and muscle-bound mechanicals are lust-worthy, but the Levante’s price tag makes a promise that its interior can’t quite keep.
Overview
Italy’s cultural influence reaches all corners of the globe thanks to, among other things, its iconic cuisine, exotic cars, and exquisite fashion. The 2023 Maserati Levante skips the marinara but delivers on the performance and the wardrobe. Open the Levante’s hood and you’ll find either a twin-turbo V-6 or twin-turbo V-8 engine, the latter of which pumps out as much as 580 horsepower. Climb inside and you’ll notice that Maserati has dressed the cabin with plenty of fineries, including optional leather-and-silk upholstery from famed fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna. Unfortunately, the Levante’s best apparel shares closet space with basic switchgear pulled from the Chrysler parts bin. Ignore that though, and the Levante thrills with punchy acceleration matched by a melodic soundtrack. Its special combination of style and brio is something you can’t get from an Acura or a Lincoln.
What's New for 2023?
The Levante’s position has been elevated from Maserati’s only SUV to Maserati’s halo SUV this year with the introduction of the smaller Grecale crossover to the lineup. Otherwise, nothing has changed for the Levante other than its price, which has increased by roughly $12,000 to avoid encroaching on its new little brother’s customer base.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
GT: $92,195
Modena: $102,895
Modena S: $129,095
Trofeo: $168,495
Although it adds a lot of coin to the bottom line, we'd spring for the Modena S model and its sexy-sounding 550-hp twin-turbo V-8. The Modena S also adds 20-inch wheels, a leather interior with stitched dashboard and door panels, and steering column-mounted paddle shifters. All Modena S models also come with red-painted brake calipers and the Nerissimo Pack appearance package, which adds darkened exterior trim for a more menacing look.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
While the Levante is not the quickest or the most powerful performance-oriented luxury crossover, it certainly plays one of the better soundtracks. Under the hood of most Levante models is a twin-turbocharged V-6 routing its 350 horsepower—or 430 horses in the Modena—to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic. In our testing, a 2017 V-6–powered Levante delivered a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.1 seconds, besting the Mercedes-AMG GLE53. The Modena S and Trofeo models come with a twin-turbo V-8 packing 550 and 580 horsepower, respectively. At the test track, a GTS (which is replaced by the Modena S for 2022) launched itself to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds, while a Trofeo did it in 3.6. With its adaptive shocks set in sport mode, the Levante's ride is jarring when driving over all but the smoothest road surfaces. In comfort mode the ride is much more agreeable, though the suspension is hardly supple with the shocks in their default setting.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
On paper, the Levante is no fuel-sipper. In fact, its EPA estimates for V-6 models—16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway—are closer to V-8–powered rivals than to other V-6s. In our real-world testing, however, the V-6 impressed us with a 24-mpg highway fuel-economy number, which is higher than its ratings suggested. The V-8–powered models earned ratings of 13 mpg city and 20 mpg highway and delivered 20 mpg in our testing. For more information about the Levante's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
At first glance, the inside of the Levante appears rich and well-appointed, especially in our test vehicle, which featured the full-leather treatment in a rich dark-brown hue. Open-pore wood trim, a leather-covered dashboard, tasteful chrome accents, and the traditional Maserati analog clock all give the Levante a classy, old-school luxury ambiance. Looking closer, however, reveals parts that are obviously shared with other Stellantis brands—for example, the window switches, wiper-control stalk, and ignition button are the same as the Jeep Cherokee's—which is a disappointment. The controls function intuitively, though, and better than some of the ergonomically questionable examples Maserati has come up with on its own over the years.
Read More https://www.caranddriver.com/maserati...
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