2017 Maserati Levante Review

The base Levante Q4 comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights with LED accents, an adaptive air suspension with five selectable ride heights, auto-dimming mirrors, a power liftgate, a rearview camera, keyless entry and ignition (though there's no foot or proximity sensor for liftgate operation as on some rivals), dual-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable steering wheel, leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats with power lumbar, driver memory settings, Bluetooth connectivity, an eight-speaker audio system, and an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a navigation system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone app integration, satellite radio, an SD-card reader and a USB port.

The Levante S adds more horsepower, staggered-width 19-inch wheels, upgraded brakes, a panoramic sunroof, a blind-spot monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, remote engine start, shift paddles and upgraded leather upholstery.

The Levante offers an extensive collection of options that can be added either individually or in conjunction with two main packages: the Sport package (including 20- or 21-inch wheels, red brake calipers, a rear spoiler, front sport seats and sport pedals) or the Luxury package (which trades the Sport's edginess for a more relaxed ambiance). The base Q4 can be optionally outfitted with most of the S trim's extra standard features, while other notable extras, depending on specification, include heated windshield washer nozzles, painted brake calipers, chrome or gloss-black roof rails and skid plates, more than two dozen interior color schemes, various wood or carbon-fiber inlays, ventilated front seats, a wood-trimmed or sport steering wheel with available heating, heated rear seats, a 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, a 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system and Zegna Edition interior appointments (Luxury package only) that include premium leather, silk trim and contrast stitching.

There's also an Advanced Driver Assistance Plus package that adds adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic braking, lane departure warning and a surround-view parking camera system.

All 2017 Levante models come with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 comes in two different states of tune. The base Levante Q4 gets a 345-horsepower version (369 lb-ft of torque), while the Levante S gets the more powerful version with 424 hp (and 428 lb-ft of torque). Properly equipped, the Levante can tow about 6,000 pounds.

According to Maserati, the Q4 can sprint to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, while the S cuts that down to 5.1 seconds. These are quick times for a crossover SUV, but not exceptionally so; a handful of rivals are quicker still.

The EPA says to expect 16 mpg in combined driving (14 city/20 highway) for the Q4. The S version rates 1 fewer mpg on the highway but is otherwise the same. Either way, this is below-average fuel economy for a luxury crossover.