Maserati Levante S 2017 Review

The Maserati Levante may be bringing new customers to the brand but its introduction with a diesel-only engine has not resonated quite so well with its existing customers who expected more performance from the Italian sports car brand’s first SUV.

Maserati Australia is therefore thrilled to have secured production of the Levante S performance model in right-hand drive. Featuring a twin-turbocharged petrol V6 sourced from the Ferrari factory at Maranello, the S is the Maserati SUV for performance car lovers.

The Levante’s first petrol engine is paired with the same eight-speed automatic transmission fitted as standard with the diesel. Generating 316kW, the engine offers a significant improvement in power over the diesel unit, however, it loses a smidge of torque with a slightly lower 580Nm on tap in the S compared to the diesel’s 600Nm.

While pricing and specification levels for the new Levante S are yet to be confirmed ahead of its arrival by the end of this year, most core features carry over from the 2017 Levante diesel.

The main updates for the 2018 models will be in the availability of the petrol V6 and the addition of electric power steering, enabling additional driver assistance technologies. However, it is unlikely that all of these features will be available across all levels.

We’ve previously covered the cabin fit and finish as well as luggage capacity, which can be read at our previous Maserati Levante review, so for this preview we’ll focus on the performance of the updated model.

We headed to Dubai, where the Levante S is already available as a left-hand drive vehicle, to put a 2017 version the test. Our drive route took us on a solid variety of roads, running the gauntlet on the freeway with Dubai’s entertaining drivers and out of town, via the stunning Jabel Jais mountain pass which, like so many things in Dubai, is so new that it’s not quite finished yet.

Far from being a show-pony for city slickers, the Levante promises on- and off-road credibility that combines exhilarating performance with a strong dose of fun factor. It comes with Maserati’s new Q4 all-wheel drive system and is also equipped as standard with advanced active air suspension to deliver five heights which span a difference of 85mm between the lowest parking mode and the highest, ‘Off-road 2’ mode giving the vehicle up to 240mm of ground clearance.

Selectable drive modes include normal, sport and off-road as well as ICE, an ‘in-control and efficiency’ setting essentially to deliver maximum economy.

The Levante boasts a 50/50 weight distribution and the lowest centre of gravity in its class. Combined with its rear-biased all-wheel drive system the Levante feels composed on the freeway in normal mode but it comes into its own during dynamic driving.

Sport mode lowers the suspension and sharpens throttle response to deliver a thrilling driving experience. In cornering, the Levante S feels settled and surprisingly lithe with less body roll than should be expected. The vehicle we drove sat on 20-inch wheels shod with wide Pirelli PZero tyres – 265/45 on the front and 295/40 on the rear. The wide tyres delivered excellent grip on hot roads – with ambient temperature up to 48 degrees centigrade.

One of the stand-out features of the Levante S is its sports exhaust system which generates a unique and compelling soundtrack. Around town in normal mode it generates a gentle rumble, but flick it into sport mode and the note is elevated, the vehicle positively singing once the loud pedal is engaged.

While the cabin is whisper-quiet thanks to the Levante’s double-glazed windows, there’s still a good connection with the sound under the bonnet, but it is passers-by who will get the most benefit. When the Levante S drives past, it is on song.

The V6, while offering an impressive power output, has to be worked pretty hard to get the most out of it. Peak torque is generated high in the rev band between 4500 and 5000rpm so it really only gets cranking with some heavy application of the throttle.

In normal or ICE mode, it is slow to accelerate and reacts poorly to a sudden application of the accelerator, for instance when making an overtaking manoeuvre. On more than one occasion, my co-driver and I experienced significant lag on take-off, requiring the right foot to be held flat to the floor before any sense of urgency was detected.

In sport mode, the acceleration issue goes away, but to drive in sport mode 100 per cent of the time would make for truly appalling fuel economy.

During the Levante’s early development, Maserati engineers tested its all-wheel drive system in the Dubai desert, under the body shell of a Ghibli mule, so we too headed to the dunes to put it through its paces.

Activities don’t get much more challenging for a vehicle than the soft sand dunes of Dubai’s harsh desert. While the dunes don’t offer technical craggy rock sections, they do test a vehicle’s durability and traction, and in 48-degree heat it’s a brave company that puts its SUVs up to media scrutiny here.

We hit the desert in standard cars with standard road tyres. The only concession made to the extreme conditions was to reduce the tyre pressures to give us a larger, softer footprint on the deep sand.

With tyre pressures lowered and ESC switched off, off-road 2 mode was engaged to give the car’s maximum ride height. While there’s no 4WD low mode, the transmission is largely held in second gear, revving hard but delivering power confidently.

The trick to driving on sand is to keep momentum up over softer sand and on inclines, stopping only on flat ground or, pointing down. After being too tentative early on and wedging myself in the sand, confidence in the Levante’s ability soon built and I learned that constant application of the throttle to access its power was the best way to proceed.

Despite the heat and the lack of any specialist equipment the Levante acquitted itself surprisingly well, but after a long morning in the desert, the Levante S vehicles became a bit hot and bothered, our car refusing to go back into off-road mode until it had had a breather.

In standard road cars in such extreme conditions that’s probably not too much of a surprise but the Levante soon settled itself and even after seeing its temperature gauge climb well into the red during our adventure, the ride back into town was uneventful, the Levante S living to see another day.

In reality there’s little chance that a Levante will ever be asked to tackle such extreme conditions, but this vehicle really isn’t about off-road prowess, even though the capability is there. No, for owners, this vehicle will be all about performance, presence and prestige and in those areas, it largely delivers.

2017 Maserati Levante S pricing and specifications:
On sale: Late 2017
Price: From $180,000 plus ORCs (estimated)
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6
Output: 316kW/580Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: TBC
CO2: TBC
Safety rating: TBC