Maserati Levante Trofeo (2018 - )

When SUV’s became the ‘go-to’ models for active families, who could have imagined so many high-end carmakers would develop vehicles that ticked the practicality boxes but also added the excitement of lightning-quick pace and performance to the mix.
Porsche, Jaguar and Maserati are just a few premium manufactures that compete for sales in the luxury SUV sector and the numbers are growing constantly.
The Maserati Levante in Trofeo guise is the Italian company’s most powerful offering with five-door SUV styling and practicality. But it has an edge – a twin-turbo V8 petrol engine delivering a whopping 580hp and 730Nm of torque. That’s not exactly a school run car then!
 

With its signature front grille featuring the iconic Maserati Trident, there is no mistaking this model. The sculpted bonnet features the new Maserati oval logo as does the C-pillar. It has SUV proportions but boasts a muscular, aggressive styling as a hint to its dynamic performance. 

At the rear, the boomerang-shaped tail lights are inspired by historical models of years gone by like the 3200 GT. The look is completed by 22-inch alloy wheels with red painted brake calipers and quad exhausts.

The interior is pure class with a meticulously crafted layout featuring the finest leather and natural silk upholstery. The 12-way powered seats, along with the power-adjustable sport steering wheel, make getting comfy a simple process and then it’s a case of sitting back and enjoying the luxurious surroundings with brushed chrome gearshift paddles, aluminium pedals and carbon trim throughout. There is further Maserati and Trofeo badging too.

The cabin has a clear, quite simplistic layout, although looks a little dated in places. But there is plenty of tech to explore including a pitch perfect Bowers & Wilkins sound system, full smartphone connectivity, sat nav and an 8.4-inch touchscreen. All the climate control functions are accessed via a separate panel.

The Levante Trofeo is powered by a 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. With 580hp and 730Nm of torque, it powers from 0-62 in just 4.1 seconds and tops out at 187mph. Not bad for a family SUV that weighs in at 2,170kg. 

It certainly doesn’t feel bulky when its firing through the quieter country lanes and for the majority of the time, it is rear-wheel drive for added excitement. If the weather takes a turn for the worse, the grip is split 50:50 between the front and rear.

Drive modes called Normal, Ice (similar to Eco) and Sport change the driving characteristics. An Off-road mode offers added grip and there is a Corsa setting exclusive to the model to provide faster gear shifts, lower suspension and a sportier ride.

The gearbox is beautifully timed with massive paddles for added driver engagement. Refinement levels are sublime until you press hard on the throttle and that action is met with quite a roar from the exhausts. 

The Skyhook suspension adapts to each individual shock and air suspension offers the ideal ground clearance from off-roading to motorway cruising. Hit an unexpected bump though and you will feel the full force.

The Maserati Levante Trofeo may have the firepower of a super V8 model, but it is billed as an SUV so needs to deliver on the practicality front too. And it does just that. It stretches 5,020mm in length, is 2,158mm wide (with side mirrors), 1,698mm tall with a wheelbase of 3,004mm. 

The interior is spacious and there is bundles of room in the back for a trio of adults to fit comfortably. The rear seats can be heated and reclined for added convenience and even with the front seats pushed well back, rear leg space still impresses as does the headroom.

The boot has a 580-litre capacity, but the 60:40 split-folding rear seats can easily be folded forward and that increases the limit to 1,625 litres. There are lots of convenient storage compartments scattered throughout the car, including a deep glovebox, front and rear cup holders, trays, door bins, seat back nets and a central cubby box.

The elevated driving position results in excellent all-round driver visibility and wide-opening rear doors offer easy access to child seats with Isofix fittings to the outer rear seats.

Maserati is a premium brand so expect a premium price-tag and the shock won’t be too drastic. Our Levante Trofeo model cost £128,680 increasing to £132,550 with options included.

But there will be regular trips to top up with fuel too as, according to official figures under WLTP testing, the car can deliver a combined 17.7mpg with carbon emissions of 362g/km.

That CO2 figure would result in a first year road tax bill of £2,365 (the most expensive) which would drop to the standard fee of £165 after 12 months. But there is added expense because the vehicle is priced above £40k. That means it is subject to a premium car levy which adds £355 to the bill for five years.

Anyone thinking they might sign up for a business agreement will see the car fall into the worst Benefit in Kind tax bracket of 37 per cent and the insurance rating is also high at group 50.

While these costs may seem a tad extortionate, they would be similar for any rival models out there.

The Maserati Levante Trofeo is a little bit special. While we appreciate it is expensive to buy and expensive to run, the enjoyment that you get in return is worth every penny.

Surely when SUVs were designed, they were never meant to be this dynamic. It just goes to show that family cars can have all the thrills of your everyday hot hatch. They just cost a bit more along the way.