The first main swing comes from merely wanting on the Levante Trofeo. It’s a really engaging SUV, with muscular fenders, a sharply creased hood and the company grille that appears higher right here than on both of Maserati’s sedans. This SUV seems to be particularly menacing in my tester’s Rosso Magma paint (a $17,000 choice!), which performs the aggression observe properly alongside blacked-out trim and 22-inch anthracite-finished alloy wheels. Hints of carbon fiber peek by on the decrease bumper, however the automobile is usually devoid of the stuff — a optimistic private observe, as a result of I believe it is getting fairly performed out. The rear finish retains issues attention-grabbing with a sloping roofline that provides this ute a hatchback-ish look, and you will by no means hear me complain a few large set of tailpipes.Open the Levante Trofeo’s pillarless door, although, and the pendulum begins its return journey. The leather-based is supple, the shift paddles are distinguished and the Alcantara microfiber on the headliner provides a premium contact, however that is the place the visible love affair ends. The high-gloss carbon-fiber trim seems to be and feels chintzy, and the satin-finish plastic across the middle console controls is even cheaper. But essentially the most unacceptable a part of the Trofeo, which begins at $157,695 together with vacation spot, is the window and headlight switchgear. The windshield wiper stalk, begin button and headlight toggle may be discovered on almost each different Stellantis automobile, and regardless of flicking a little bit of chrome onto them, there isn’t any ignoring that the window switches had been designed within the DaimlerChrysler period. Those elements really feel about as low-cost as you’ll be able to think about.Thankfully, the Levante Trofeo has a ample quantity of practicality. The door-panel cubbies are on the small facet, however they’re deep sufficient to carry a water bottle. There’s a storage tray forward of the cup holders, in addition to a large spot beneath the middle armrest atop that large transmission tunnel. Even with that sloping roof, the rear seats are greater than comfy sufficient for 2 adults. The solely sore spot right here is the trunk, which provides simply 20.5 cubic ft of storage behind the second row, a far cry from the BMW X5 M (33.9 cu. ft.), Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S (33.3) and Porsche Cayenne (27.2).
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Many elements of the inside are good, however can we please transfer previous shiny carbon fiber? It’s somewhat performed out. Andrew Krok/CNETInitial driving impressions of the 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo ship the pendulum again towards the good things at full velocity. Its engine is an absolute peach. This twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 places out 580 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque, sufficient to shoot this ute to 60 mph in simply 3.8 seconds. The sounds coming from the tailpipes are merely wonderful, whether or not it is in the usual Strada or the brand new balls-to-the-wall Corsa mode. Even when I’m not being variety to it, the V8 is clean and freed from any undesirable harshness. The eight-speed automated transmission swaps gears with the identical diploma of silkiness, to the purpose the place I by no means really feel the necessity to take issues into my very own arms by way of these fixed-position paddles.Taking the Levante Trofeo out to my favourite native driving roads reveals extra pleasure. No matter the drive mode, the Maserati is pleased to be tossed into corners. There’s a good bit of physique roll, even in Sport and Corsa modes, however I favor it; limits are communicated properly earlier than they’re reached, and in a 580-hp SUV weighing a hair underneath 5,000 kilos, that is for one of the best. The 265/35R22 Continental CrossContact all-season tires present the Levante with ample grip, the steering is exact and the throttle packs the correct quantity of sensitivity.
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Not solely does this engine rip, it additionally seems to be fairly good. Andrew Krok/CNETBut for each motion on this Maserati, there’s an equal and reverse response. Overall, the Levante’s air suspension is somewhat confounding. In its default setting, the journey is concurrently wishy-washy and stiff, feeling too delicate over gentle undulations and too harsh over inconsistencies. Move to a sportier setting and the floaty bits are changed with extra on-road ruthlessness, which is not enjoyable except I’m on a freshly paved highway. The brake pedal is extraordinarily delicate, a sport-SUV aberration, which makes clean stops tough. The entrance seats are constructed for the Rubenesque (one other Stellantis-wide phenomenon), so my torso slips and slaps in opposition to the edges with every successive switchback. Fuel financial system leaves rather a lot to be desired, too, at an EPA-estimated 13 mpg metropolis and 20 mpg freeway.The ultimate high-water mark for the Levante Trofeo would not even come from Maserati. Living on an 8.4-inch touchscreen, the automobile runs a reskinned model of Stellantis’ Uconnect, referred to as Maserati Touch Control Plus. This system is superb, with above-average responsiveness and a menu format that’s simple to grasp. Safety tech is spectacular for an costly efficiency automobile, too, with normal equipment together with automated emergency braking, parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, a surround-view digital camera, lane-keep help and adaptive cruise management. Active Driving Assist combines the final two options to carry the Levante in its lane on the freeway, however I discover its microcorrections to be somewhat too apparent; it is smoother once I do it myself.
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Maserati’s reskinned Uconnect infotainment system is one company part that should not obtain a single grievance. It’s fairly good. Andrew Krok/CNETSome of the 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo’s sins can be forgivable if it weren’t priced like a limited-run watch. While the Levante lineup begins at $83,295 (together with $1,495 for vacation spot), the Trofeo requires almost double that quantity. Throw in fripperies like $450 for carbon-fiber paddle shifters, $400 for upgraded alloy wheels, $500 for gloss-black brake calipers and the virtually prison $17,000 coat of pink paint, and my tester waters the eyes at $173,550. That’s tens of 1000’s of {dollars} greater than you’d spend on a BMW X5 M or a Porsche Cayenne Turbo; each might make much less energy, however each are additionally vastly higher vehicles for extra causes than I’ve ink.Buying a automobile on this phase, at this value, is a extremely emotional buy. And in that vein, there are a lot of causes to contemplate the 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo. The powertrain is pleasant, and it is partaking when the driving will get spirited. But a deeper look previous the preliminary luster reveals its fair proportion of points. The Levante Trofeo is a sport SUV that may elicit every kind of feelings. Too unhealthy they don’t seem to be all optimistic.