2020 Maserati Levante

The price of the Maserati Levante starts at $72,990 for the base Levante. Stepping up to the Levante GranLusso adds $6,000 for more luxury, with the sportier GranSport costing the same. The Levante S is a more powerful version of the same vehicle and goes on sale for $83,990. Here, stepping up the GranLusso or GranSport version of the S adds $5,000 to the sticker price. The most expensive model in the lineup is the Ferrari-powered Levante GTS. This model starts at $120,980, and a fully loaded version of this Maserati Levante can cost more than $135,000. These are MSRP prices and do not include tax, registration, licensing, or the $1,495 destination charge.

For an Italian automaker that is most renowned for producing soulful sports cars, customers will expect its SUV offering to perform well in the handling department too. To blend SUV comfort with sporty handling characteristics, all Levantes are fitted with adaptive air suspension as standard. In the more laid back comfort mode, the system does a respectable job of smoothing out bumps, although it's never akin to the ride quality of a Range Rover. Nevertheless, insulated glass adds to the perception that bad bumps are better than they feel, but in sport mode, any illusion of comfort is quickly dismissed. The benefit is a taut and smart-handling SUV that can take corners with aplomb, with body roll effectively minimized. The steering is sharper, and some may say busier, than most may be comfortable with, but when you're hustling, this helps the big bruiser turn in admirably. The brakes are good, with the GTS earning bigger six-piston Brembos at the front to counter the powerful mill over the front axle. The standard all-wheel-drive system, dubbed Q4, does a great job of maximizing grip, and in sport mode, the exhaust takes on a rorty note, although it can get annoying on long cruises. Switching back to comfort dulls it sufficiently that you can take the Levante on long drives in relative silence.

Competitively priced against larger US rivals like the Porsche Cayenne, the Levante falls short in areas like cargo space and outright handling dynamism. In addition, it's disappointing that with a base price in excess of $70,000, and the interior features parts scavenged from much cheaper FCA cars instead of bespoke items. The suspension is also a little too firm in sport mode for one to be able to enjoy taking advantage of it unless on glass-like surfaces. However, its character and toneful engines make owning one an experience that is nonetheless enjoyable. It looks like nothing else on the road, and there's a sort of knowing look that you get from enthusiasts who see you behind the wheel of a Maserati. Factor in the Ferrari-derived V8 and you've got something truly special. It's far from perfect, but as with most Italian vehicles, that's exactly what draws us to it. It's got charm, and bucketloads of it at that.

If you have the means to consider buying a brand-new Maserati Levante SUV, you can likely afford to splurge on a good one. We'd go for the GTS. Obviously, the Ferrari V8 and 550 horses make a compelling case, but the standard advanced driver aids and perforated leather are attractive too. This model also includes the Harman Kardon sound system as standard, and you get a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, as well as 20-inch wheels, a surround-view camera, and adaptive LED headlights. Features like ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel are also thrown in, making this the most complete Maserati SUV in the range. You can expect pricing for the Levante at this level to well exceed $120k.

The Porsche Cayenne is a large premium crossover from a similarly sporty performance marque. The base model, like the Levante, also features all-wheel-drive and a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, with a similar output of 335 hp versus the Maserati's 345. With leather everywhere, a sporty chassis, and a myriad of available options, the Porsche is more than a match for the Italian. However, it absolutely decimates the Maserati in almost every measurable way. The base price is more than ten grand lower, it has more cargo volume (27.1 cubes versus the Levante's 20.5), and its interior features an expansive 12.3-inch touchscreen display and touch-sensitive climate controls that make the cabin feel truly premium, whereas the Maserati's parts sharing lets it down with less than premium bits and pieces. Overall, the Cayenne is simply more car for far less money, and the only reason to consider the Maserati over it is emotion. A lust for Italian flair will sway the occasional individual, but your money would be better spent on the efficient and brilliant German.

Perhaps the larger cargo capacity of the Cayenne doesn't appeal to you. In that case, the Macan may be a better rival for the Levante. It starts at $50,900, severely undercutting the Maserati by over 20 grand. However, it is a smaller vehicle. The difference in size isn't all that obvious in the figures, though, as the Levante offers less than three cubic feet more volume. Powered by a 248-hp 2.0-liter turbo in base form, the Macan falls behind in the power stakes, but it's also a lighter vehicle, weighing almost 600 pounds less. As a result, it earns a combined mpg rating of 21 versus the Maserati's 17. Inside, the Macan boasts an interior almost as fantastic as the Cayenne and manages to outdo the Levante for quality feel and features, despite its price deficit. Essentially, the Levante is not a bad SUV, but the only part of you that will justify buying one is your heart.