Comparison - Maserati Levante S 2017 - vs - Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML63 AMG 2015

Bored with other automakers' luxury crossover SUVs? Check out the new 2017 Maserati Levante. The iconic Maserati trident on the grille is a badge you certainly won't see every day, and the Levante backs it up with turbocharged V6 power, sport-focused handling, and a slew of luxury and technology features.

The 2017 Maserati Levante is the Italian automaker's first foray into the popular world of crossover SUVs. This sort of thing used to be a big deal; just ask Porsche, which faced a strong backlash from sports car fans in the mid-2000s when it brought out the Cayenne. But these days every luxury automaker has one, and we're glad that Maserati is following suit. If you're unmoved by the usual crossover suspects, the stylish Levante could be just what il dottore ordered.

Based on specs alone, the Levante looks competitive enough. Power comes from a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine in either 345-horsepower or 424-hp tune, while the Quattroporte-derived body structure uses adaptive suspension dampers to boost its athletic pedigree without losing out on ride comfort on rough pavement. Of course, exclusivity is always a bonus, and it's standard here, fueled by Maserati's exotic brand image and minimal presence in the American market. Inside, the Levante manages to transcend its Chrysler/Fiat-sourced switchgear thanks to high-end materials, an inspired dashboard design and an extensive list of customization options.

Pros
Stands out from the sea of lookalike luxury crossovers
Turbocharged V6 engines provide quick acceleration
Advanced suspension enhances ride comfort and handling around turns
Highly customizable interior with numerous upscale touches

Cons
Some downmarket Chrysler-sourced buttons and switches
Fuel economy lags behind that of other luxury crossovers
No ultra-high-performance version offered at this time.

The 2017 Maserati Levante SUV is an extremely hard vehicle to review. It has so much potential, some of which it lives up to with full marks, some of which it fails at miserably. The early adopters in Australia who want one, of which there are over 200 already, have already purchased it, so for those that are still contemplating the idea, let us explore the confusion.

Firstly, as pioneered by Porsche and its Cayenne in the ultra-high end segment so many years ago, SUVs from such marquees are becoming more and more common place. Jaguar, Bentley, and now Maserati are already there. Soon Lamborghini and even Rolls Royce will join the SUV party. So, if your first point is that ‘Maserati shouldn’t make an SUV’, you’re wrong. It should, and its existence as a luxury carmaker relies on it.

Perhaps most obvious for the Levante is the length. Like any true Maserati, this is a grand car and as such, it’s longer and wider than the Porsche Cayenne, yet it sits lower so it almost looks like an extended hatchback. There is great deal of travel in the standard air suspension system which can climb from 162mm ride height to 240mm with six steps in between. This allows a rather customised look of the car depending on your mood or road requirements.

Pros
Uniqueness
Love it or hate it exterior design
Reasonably practical interior space
Sporty dynamics befitting of the Maserati badge
Good engine note for a diesel

Cons
Interior not up to Maserati standards
Too many noticeably common parts from Fiat-Chrysler family inside
Needs a petrol engine for full Maserati character
Active safety features need better tuning

In the last two decades, every luxury brand decided it needed an SUV to remain relevant in a market gone bonkers for tall wagonoids. (Well, almost every one; Ferrari says there’s no way it will commit to any truck that we know of, although it would almost certainly be, as the Donald says, yuge!) The influx is because buyers have shown no squeamishness toward SUVs from traditional luxury and sporting brands, and the only real trick is translating an exotic label’s core values into a four-door hatchback mall-crawler.

Maserati unabashedly declares victory in that effort by calling its new Levante “the Maserati of SUVs.” And now that we’ve pounded some of northern Italy’s pavement in what is likely to be the closest thing to a Ferrari off-roader that we’ll ever get, at least for a while, we’re buying the sales pitch. The gleaming silvery trident has been thrust into the truck genre in a way that stays true to the Modenese boutique’s strongest selling points. Taking the Ghibli sedan for its guts, the Levante both improves on that vehicle and offers character that is distinct from every SUV that has preceded it. No small accomplishment, but as Maserati CEO Harald Wester says, “It should be good, we’ve been working on it for 13 years,” a reference to the original 2003 Maserati Kubang concept.
Hence, the Levante also comes standard with Q4, Maserati’s permanent all-wheel drive. A computer-controlled multiplate clutch attached to the transmission engages drive to the front axle when desired; the rear axle is always engaged. At Fiat-Chrysler’s old Balocco test track, we were pointed down a trail through the woods that included some fairly serious grades, a water trough, and a few suspension-twisting obstacles. Between the extra ground-clearance modes, the seamless forward torque transfer, a limited-slip rear diff, and some surprisingly generous ramp angles, the Levante acquitted itself as a decent mud puppy.