The article was originally produced on January 17, 2019, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

All car brands with autonomous driving now have an SUV in their model range. Maserati is of course no exception and their model Levante has found the right place in the luxury SUV segment. Enliven test drove the model with the S extension at home in Italy. 

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was Maserati’s Levante SUV. Thirteen years to be exact, from the concept named Kubang shown at the 2003 Detroit Motor Show to the finished car rolling out of the factory. But the fact that the model took a long time to develop does not have to be a negative thing, on the contrary. But introducing an SUV model in a storied marque like Maserati (founded in 1914) is not something you do in the blink of an eye and is sure to upset many brand loyal customers and even make some turn in their graves. So when you do it, it’s important to do it right without looking at other brands that are part of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles ownership group, e.g. Jeep.

Speaking of the model name Levante, Maserati has for many years used the names of different winds in the Mediterranean area. It started back in 1963 with the Mistral and was then followed by the Bora, Merak, Ghibli and now the Levante. The latter originated in the Levant (the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean). This wind creates huge waves when it meets the Atlantic winds at Gibraltar and southern Portugal. Surf enthusiasts from all over the world make a pilgrimage here.

Since the reintroduction of the Ghibli model and the arrival of the new Quattroport, the new design of Maserati’s models has seriously left its mark. This design language can of course also be found in the Levante. A massive grill with a trident in the middle and narrow, aggressive headlights on the outer edges. On the side behind the wheel housing are the classic three air valves found on all Maserati models. Also on the c-pillar we find a trident just like on the other models. It is important to leave your mark and recognition factor on car models nowadays. Although the car’s round shapes can make it look small in pictures, the car is relatively large in reality. In terms of size, it rivals the Porsche Cayenne and Jaguar F-Pace to name a few. When you step into the Levante S, it breathes Italian sporty luxury with solid leather work and cool carbon fiber panels. The inner roof is, of course, covered in black alcantara. 

The trident in Maserati’s logo comes from the Roman god of the sea, Neptune. He is always depicted with a trident in his hand. A fishing tool that is also called ljuster. If Neptune drives a Maserati, however, we will leave it unsaid.

When you press the start button to the left of the steering wheel, the engine roars into action. The heart of the Levante S is a three-liter V6 engine with twin turbos and 430 horses. The sound this machine generates, and which comes out of the four pipes at the back, is magical and exactly what an Italian sports car should sound like. But to achieve the absolute optimum sound, you have to press the sport button and be at a slightly higher revs, then the engine howls in a phenomenal way and you can only say that Maserati knows this with Italian motor singing.

Since this is a luxury SUV, it has air suspension that makes the ride a joy. You float forward on clouds and the car decides itself what height above the ground it should ”float” forward depending on what speed you have. The normal wheelbase is 21 centimeters, but at higher speeds the car goes down to 17. Of course, the Levante can also be taken off-road and off-road, but how many customers will really use their Levante S in that way is probably easy to count. Despite its size and weight, the car behaves really sporty on curvy roads thanks to a steering that gives you a nice presence to what is happening under the tires. To get the power down from the engine to the tires, there is an eight-speed automatic transmission. During normal driving, all power is delegated to the rear wheels, but if necessary, 50 percent of the drive can be moved to the front wheels. 

The brand loyal customers who possibly planned to leave the brand or turn in their graves can rest easy, the Maserati Levante S lives up to its heritage and continues to deliver Italian sports car feeling in a classic yet modern way. 

Maserati Levante S

Basic price	From SEK 930,000
Engine	3-liter V6 engine with biturbo, 430 hp. Torque 580 Nm
Transmission	Front engine, 8-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Acceleration	0-100 in 5.2 seconds
Top speed	264 km/h
Fuel consumption mixed driving according to the manufacturer	1.09 l/mile
Weight	2,238 kg
Guarantees	New car 3 years, rust protection 8 years
Web	www.maserati.com