The Levante is what Maserati does when it builds an SUV: the same Ferrari-built engine family as the saloons, air suspension instead of a firm sports setup, and a body that is unmistakably Italian rather than another tall German box. It rides higher than the Ghibli and it is more comfortable for it — the air springs take the edge off Los Angeles's patched surfaces and drop the car at speed so it does not feel tall on the freeway.
Inside it is a genuinely large car. Five seats, a deep boot, and a cabin that is quieter than the exhaust note suggests. All-wheel drive means it is unbothered by a wet morning on the PCH or a gravel turnout above Malibu, and the raised ride height makes hotel ramps and steep driveways non-events.
Honest hook: it is a big SUV that drives like a big SUV. It is more comfortable than the Porsche Cayenne in the fleet and less sharp than it — pick the Levante for the ride and the badge, the Cayenne for the corners.
- Air suspension — supple where a sports SUV is firm
- All-wheel drive, raised ride height, five full seats
- Ferrari-built engine family, with the exhaust to match
- Deep metallic blue over silver multi-spoke wheels · $279