2021 Maserati Levante - Exterior and interior Details (Magnificent)(720P_HD)
- 3 years ago
2021 Maserati Levante
Starting at: $75,985
Highs Seductive exterior styling, growling exhaust note, quick acceleration times.
Lows Second-class interior switches, not as cargo-friendly as the competition, expensive pricing.
Verdict It might not be as polished as its rivals, but the Maserati Levante offers an intoxicating combination of style and substance.
Overview
There's something about the 2021 Maserati Levante that just screams Italian exclusivity. Perhaps it’s the SUV's seductive bodywork or it distinctive trident logo in the grille. More likely, it's the Levante's hot-blooded powertrains, which emit intoxicating sounds through its exhaust pipes. While many of its rivals start with a turbocharged four-cylinder and graduate to a V-6, the Levante skips the four, offers a twin-turbo V-6 as standard, and allows buyers to opt for a 590-hp twin-turbo V-8. Maserati also offers traditional Italian luxury inside, including optional leather-and-silk upholstery courtesy of Ermenegildo Zegna. But, due to some unfortunate parts sharing with more common Jeep models, the Levante's luxury cabin isn't fully realized. Still, its boutique nature and head-turning styling makes it a desirable choice for buyers whose neighborhoods are already filled to the brim with SUVs from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
What's New for 2021?
The Levante receives Maserati's new infotainment interface for 2021, but unlike its sedan siblings—the Ghibli and Quattroporte—it sticks with an 8.4-inch display. The new software is based on Google's Android Automotive and offers a voice-activated virtual assistant, in-dash navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto; a wireless charging pad is also new this year.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Base: $75,985
GranLusso: $81,985
GranSport: $81,985
S: $86,985
GTS: $123,585
Trofeo: $151,485
Although it adds more than $10,000 to the bottom line, we'd spring for the S model and its more powerful twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. The S also adds 19-inch wheels with a staggered setup, a leather interior with stitched dashboard and door panels, and steering column-mounted paddle shifters.
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 345 horsepower—or 424 horses in the S—to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic. In our testing of a Levante S, it delivered a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.1 seconds, besting the Mercedes-AMG GLE53. The GTS and Trofeo models come with a twin-turbo V-8 making 550 and 590 horsepower, respectively. In our testing, the GTS launched itself to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds, while the 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. Comfort levels are much more agreeable,
Starting at: $75,985
Highs Seductive exterior styling, growling exhaust note, quick acceleration times.
Lows Second-class interior switches, not as cargo-friendly as the competition, expensive pricing.
Verdict It might not be as polished as its rivals, but the Maserati Levante offers an intoxicating combination of style and substance.
Overview
There's something about the 2021 Maserati Levante that just screams Italian exclusivity. Perhaps it’s the SUV's seductive bodywork or it distinctive trident logo in the grille. More likely, it's the Levante's hot-blooded powertrains, which emit intoxicating sounds through its exhaust pipes. While many of its rivals start with a turbocharged four-cylinder and graduate to a V-6, the Levante skips the four, offers a twin-turbo V-6 as standard, and allows buyers to opt for a 590-hp twin-turbo V-8. Maserati also offers traditional Italian luxury inside, including optional leather-and-silk upholstery courtesy of Ermenegildo Zegna. But, due to some unfortunate parts sharing with more common Jeep models, the Levante's luxury cabin isn't fully realized. Still, its boutique nature and head-turning styling makes it a desirable choice for buyers whose neighborhoods are already filled to the brim with SUVs from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
What's New for 2021?
The Levante receives Maserati's new infotainment interface for 2021, but unlike its sedan siblings—the Ghibli and Quattroporte—it sticks with an 8.4-inch display. The new software is based on Google's Android Automotive and offers a voice-activated virtual assistant, in-dash navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto; a wireless charging pad is also new this year.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Base: $75,985
GranLusso: $81,985
GranSport: $81,985
S: $86,985
GTS: $123,585
Trofeo: $151,485
Although it adds more than $10,000 to the bottom line, we'd spring for the S model and its more powerful twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. The S also adds 19-inch wheels with a staggered setup, a leather interior with stitched dashboard and door panels, and steering column-mounted paddle shifters.
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 345 horsepower—or 424 horses in the S—to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic. In our testing of a Levante S, it delivered a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.1 seconds, besting the Mercedes-AMG GLE53. The GTS and Trofeo models come with a twin-turbo V-8 making 550 and 590 horsepower, respectively. In our testing, the GTS launched itself to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds, while the 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. Comfort levels are much more agreeable,