2018 Maserati Levante

The 2018 Levante comes in four trims: base, S, GranLusso, and GranSport. The SUV looks bold and aggressive with a prominent hexagonal grille with chrome bars and Trident badge, narrow two-part headlamps, arching front wings, and vented hood with character lines. A sloping roofline gives it a sporty side profile. The Levante's dynamic character can be enhanced with the available GranSport package, which includes a blacked-out grille, blue badging inserts, roof rails, skid plates, and 20-inch alloy wheels. Available on the base and GranSport trims, the Nerissimo package makes the vehicle look stealthier with blacked-out and dark chrome trim.

The new Levante gets its power from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that produces 345 hp for the base trim and 424 hp for the higher-performance S. Both versions of the engine work with an intelligent AWD system and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The advanced AWD system automatically transfers the right amounts of torque to the wheels to achieve optimal performance and traction under different circumstances. The SUV can sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 164 mph. As for fuel efficiency, it gets 14 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway.

The 2018 Levante delivers excellent handling and ride comfort, thanks to its new electronic power steering system. Its strong brakes, excellent grip, and powerful acceleration enable it to handle all kinds of situations with ease, from cruising on the highway to navigating twisty mountain roads. While it's not an off-road-focused vehicle, it can perform relatively well on dirt trails and difficult terrain. It features a multi-level air suspension system and four drive modes to provide customized performance on different types of terrain.

The Levante has a comfortable and refined cabin with supportive seats, leather upholstery, wood trim, and plenty of headroom and legroom. The luxury-oriented GranLusso comes with 12-way power-adjustable front seats, wood-finished power-adjustable steering wheel, Harman Kardon audio system, and optional Ermenegildo Zegna silk upholstery. The sport-oriented GranSport offers body-hugging front sport seats with 12-way power adjustment, firmly-bolstered powered steering wheel, chrome gearshift pedals, and aluminum-finished power foot pedals. All Levante trims are fitted with an 8.4-inch Touch Control Plus infotainment system.

Similar to other new Maserati vehicles, the 2018 Levante receives the advanced Maserati Stability Program. This system monitors driving status and deploys different performance and safety systems to keep the vehicle stable in all situations. Additionally, the SUV comes standard with blind-spot assist and front and rear parking sensors. Optional features include forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, surround-view camera, and others.