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I've seen a few of these and I have to say, when you see them in the flesh - or metal, to be more accurate - they're a lot, lot nicer and very much more special looking than on any photograph I've ever seen. Colour choice plays a big role, too. Personally, if I were in the market for a large SUV (which I'm very definitely not) then this Maserati would absolutely be on my "try before you buy" list, 100%.
Agree colour and engine choice is so important for these models. Maserati is an old classy brand that has invested over the last 15 years regained ground on style and reliability. I had a GranTurismo for a few years and it was perfectly reliable and faultless. The dealerships were also brilliant so like you if I was in the market for an SUV it’d be on the list. Because it’s a bit rarer and commands respect more than a lot of the more common German equivalent
My friend´s dad had a V6 biturbo (430hp) and traded it in for the V8. After driving them both I can say this thing is unbeleivable. Shitty electronics and a car that lacks in safety and technology, but that absolutely makea up for it with the engine, the noise and the driving dynamics. What a machine!
Honestly if you look at any Maserati its had these little foibles and odd bits, but every single one has been almost indescribably desirable! With possible exception to the 80s square Maserati's, but nobody really talks about those...
Fantastic film Alex. Lovely to watch, even more lovely to hear! This wrrrrrruummmm rrrrrr.... V8... mmmmm... it fills my heart with joy. I hope many people will buy it. For the good of us all!
Maserati...... v8. Yup, got me. Still can't afford a quattroporte from years ago though, being a humble hospitality chap. Nice to hear those engines from the people who can though.
I drove a couple of Maseratis and a couple of Alfas prior to buying my new car last year and I just felt like all the extra crap that you get with a Maserati weighed the car down and made it less special. I bought the Alfa and have zero regrets
I really want Maserati to succeed. The history of the company is iconic, recently Maserati has had a few sub-par entries into the sports luxury market. The MC20 is a step in the right direction. I think this Levante Trofeo could appeal to those who want something with more eccentric personality and that's a strong reason to consider this Maserati. I imagine Volvo and the now gone Saab traded in eccentric appeal. Maserati deserves to get back it's glamour. Maybe redesign the Ghibli to invoke the spirit of the original Ghibli SS from the 70's....melancholy sigh.
My sister just bought a brand new Levante Trofeo V8 in the very same Magma Rosso paint. Performance, sound, stability and dominance. It is definitely a distinguished head turner on the streets! 🔱
I do own the only GTS in my country, same engine as the Trofeo but only 550 hp, and the car is amazing, sounds amazing. The real deal is how hard it pulls between 4,000 and 6,500. The surpasses are brutal, the shift of the gearbox feels so quick that you could guess it is double clutch, which is not. Lowering gears is sensational and the gearbox is so well tuned, it does whatever you asks. What is not true is the confort of the seats, they are on hard side. Really beautiful ones with the Pione Fiore leather but too stiff for long journeys. The air suspension is gift from heaven and the doublewish bone front suspension with multilink at the rear gives you a lot of confidence, although not close, for example, as my GLC43 AMG, which glues to the tarmac. Infotainment works really good and soft close doors is a must, with shades at the rear seats. Also heating at the rear seats is great. Spec it with climate control at the rear, if not, mediocre for rear passengers. The alcantara roof looks and feels premium and you better get the bowers and wilkins sound system, as harman kardon is just ok. I envy the corsa mode, specially for launches! This is the best car I ever had and I also currently have an e92 manual M3 and a X3 30i 2019. I completely recommend this SUV, it's fantastic and finally is such a looker! Everybody stares at it with it Blue Emozione and Orione wheels... saludos desde Colombia!
I like Maserati. I’m 63 and feel it suits my age. I couldn’t buy a Ferrari or Lamborghini, I’d look stupid. But Maserati is classy. I think I’d go for the Quattroporte Modena.
I agree with Manuel, but I also understand. Maserati is supposed to be classy and understated. I think the QP is a good choice. They look great on the road and the interior is much nicer than the Ghibli and Levante. Only possible downside is that the QP VI is S Class/A8/7 Series size rather than E Class/A6/5 Series size. Urus is pretty awesome, though, and you can get a conservative spec. But you could also get a conseravtive paint colour with a special two-tone interior that will make you feel like a million quid. Or just go the full monty. What the heck. Who cares what other people think?! You only live once! I think far too many people order Italian cars in Germanic spec. The world is full of colours. Go the full Italian.
I do believe that we need more videos from Alex, not just once in a while. Cool car, but not the best value for money, and not fit for that asking price, that is why they are not exactly popular.
You have reasonable complaints about the little niggles on this car. My ONLY counter and this goes along with your left hand drive remarks is recall what you said about seeing these in large numbers. In places like Miami, Atlanta, Houston, LA, and Las Vegas, they sell really well. While failing to fully adapt the car to the UK market is weird, it does seem that the Lavante (heated seat control, reverse opening compartment, & pedal box) is made for the market that it does well in.
I have seen one or two down under. Can't miss it's a Maserati. But in dark colours it looked like another SUV. Then I started singing in my head Joe Walsh of The Eagles' song. Life's been good to me. My Maserati does 185 I lost my licence now I can't drive. Nice in red though.
It is a lot of money. I don't think it looks as good as it should outside or inside. But it is the only SUV I can think of that has what I think of as a proper engine. I guess the W12 in the Bentayga and to an even lesser extent the V12 in the Cullinan are somewhat special. But, to me, the ubiquitous 4L V8 in the VAG/Posrche/Bentley/Lamborghini SUVs isn't very special, even if it is effective, and I'm also not that keen on AMG's favourite and equally effective 4L lump found in the DBX. And when you consider the price of the Cullinan, Urus, DBX, Bentayga, and even the similarly-priced Cayenne Turbo S, I think the Levante Trofeo starts to look reasonably good value. Then it starts to make sense. It's certainly way more special than the Audi RSQ8 that starts about 20K less. However, the Cayenne is more polished. The DBX is better engineered, is more special other than in the engine bay, but is ultimately most let down by AMG's previous generation tech. The Bentayga is more special inside. And the Urus successfully delivers Lamborghini drama on the outside and on the inside, and the engine is certainly tuned to deliver the performance promised by the looks. Consequently, the Levante Trofeo is a very niche product, and I don't think the Ferrari-derived engine is quite enough to do more than tempt you away from the Cayenne Turbo S. Thinking about a Top Gear sketch, I can see someone starting out on their way to the Maserati dealer to place an order, only to end up in the Porsche dealer next door. If it were RSQ8 money, or even half-way between RSQ8 and Cayenne Turbo S money, I think the Maserati would sell significantly better. But, as someone else said, there's the Alfa Stelvio Quadrifoglio at little more than half the price that probably gives you 85% of the Levante Trofeo.
@@charliefm826 IMO, very effective, but not very special. I forgot about the SVR, though, as I think it's is a more coherent, better value package. That said; I'd never buy one myself, because I really don't favour Jags supercharged lumps. Effective, but crude, IMO. Of course, YMMV.
Stelvio competes more with the new Maserati Grecale, which is actually even bigger than the Stelvio in interior volume, plus it has the Nettuno Maserati-engineered V6 with almost 600 hp and does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. It also has a much nicer interior than the Levante with almost everything you can see and touch covered in premium materials.
@@ARKAEA33 What things supposedly compete with is really irrelevant. As consumers we should be able to work things out for ourselves rather than be dictated to by automakers and their marketing teams. I am aware of the new Grecale V6. Reportedly, the V6 in the Grecale has discernible lag. Furthermore, the V6 Grecale sits above two four pots ala Alfa. It's an Alfa in drag. It's also very expensive. Other than that, it's still much of an unknown and unproven quantity. Personally, I very strongly oppose Maserati sharing Alfa platforms and offering four pot engines. As said, the Grecale is an Alfa in drag. It's bigger than a Stelvio, because it's exactly a stretched Stelvio. If I want an Alfa, I'll buy an Alfa. Several other people in the comments said they'd rather get a Stelvio Quadrifoglio than the Levante Trofeo and save a lot of money. I think that's a fair call. The Stelvio is a known quantity. Its V6 is good and has more than enough power. The Stelvio also drives exceptionally well. And the Levante is hardly a big and roomy car. The Levante sits in an ill-defined market sector. Maserati has ill-defined the Levante. What is it really supposed to compete with? Surely, it would struggle to compete with the Cayenne, which has a broad model range, and before the Trofeo came along, I don't think the Levante was a competitor with the Cayenne, but rather more of an ill-defined competitor against offerings from BMW and Audi. However, the Trofeo's most obvious competitor is the Cayenne Turbo S, while the rest of the Levante line-up is supposed to compete against what? It sits in-between two main model line-ups from BMW and Audi, and directly competes with none. Then Alfa introduced the Stelvio, which is smaller than the Levante, and powered mostly by a range of four pot engines versus the sixes in the Levante. But, they also introduced the Quadrifoglio, with a V6 far superior and far more powerful than the Maserati V6s in the Levante. Alfa made the Stelvio Quadrifoglio a competitor against the Levante, and the Giulia Quadrifoglio a competitor against the Ghibli. Much much later, Maserati decided to take the Ferrari-derived V8, previously only offered in the Quattroporte VI GTS, and put it in the Ghibli and Levante to extend their lives and provide a couple of cash cows. In so doing, Maserati blurs the lines even further, and also adds fuel to the argument that Maseratis are poor quality and poor value for money. Now, as you say, Maserati introduces the Grecale, offered with a version of the Nettuno V6 first introduced in the MC20 supercar. The Grecale sits below the Levante, but its V6 is far superior and far more powerful than the V6s in the Levante. In fact, it is the engine that is designed to replace the Ferrari-Maserati V8 in the Levante Trofeo! The Grecale is also offered with two four pot MHEVs ala Alfa on what is essentially an Alfa platform. Confused? IMO, it's all very confusing and very incoherent. But I do think it clearly informs us that Alfa doesn't know what to do with Maserati. It's like a headless chicken is running the show. I would argue most strongly that Maserati doesn't even know its competitors! Under Alfa, Maserati is barely recognizable. If not for the MC20, which started life as an Alfa project, not a Maserati one, being informed by Alfa's involvment in F1, Maserati would be completely dead in the water. Apart from the MC20, the GranTurismo replacement is further waylaid, and from what I've seen so far doesn't look anywhere near as good as the old one. Of course, when Ferrari was spun off it took the Alfieri and introduced it as the Roma. The new Grecale, another SUV, is a stretched Stelvio with four pot MHEVs. If this continues, Maserati could easily end up little more than an Alfa trim level, or at best, Alfa's Lexus, but nowhere near as good, and ultimately a fate like Infiniti...and Lancia. As Alex said, 2016, when Ferrari was spun-off from Fiat-Chrysler, was a disaster for Maserati. Being under Alfa is a disaster for Maserati. Alfa has done nothing but starve Maserati of the money it needs to be credible in its own right. There is no vision. There is no direction. There is no idea of what Maserati is, let alone what it stands for in the minds of Maserati aficionados...an ever-diminshing group, AFAICS.
The heated steering wheel isn’t on the passenger side of the display. It’s where the drivers meant to be lol. When you use parts bins from America that’s what you get.
Some say things really started crumbling when Tangerine became pres. Others say Harrambe was the harbinger. Either way the cracks started appearing well before 2020..🤔
I had a buddy that owned a Dodge Challenger (which had the same infotainment system) and had no idea that it had ventilated seats until I showed him. It's especially a huge deal since we live in Florida.
Good competitor, but I’d have the Alfa. I think it looks better, is built better and with a better interior. Also would be massively easier to get it looked after with the dealer networks.
I was given a Levante in 18 for six months it was the diesel ...and there I think is the problem...perception, it felt special however but not Better than X5 4D I had after, and Maserati should be better, or feel a Class above.. the FPace SVR I got in 2021 makes great noise and interior is better, and as it was a demonstrator with 2000 miles on it, Cost £72K how much is the Maserati......😱
It’s not better tho, It’s a sea of cheap plastic, tech 2 generation behind, and average performance…..it only appeal to snobs who wants the badge and whatever that still represents
For what you're getting, it's quite overpriced. Especially since most of the parts are shared throughout other Stellantis cars. But then again, Maserati's residual value falls like a crashing stock market. Buying used may be the way to go assuming you can afford to keep it running.
Hi Alex, another good video. The steering wheel heater is just another in the long list of minor ancillaries designed for left hand drive and not changed for righthand drive. My biggest annoyance is the volume control always on the left for easy access to left steer drivers. I haven't seen one in Australia.
Alfa will just keep it and use it to make the cars they want to make. As far as Alfa is concerned, it seems Maserati should be little more than a trim level.
They should have invested the money in a higher quality interior. I do like the traditional buttons in the current dashboard. Much better than cheap unreliable touchscreens.
This looks cheap inside, actually some nasty bits. Jaguar F-Pace SVR sounds better, looks better, has a higher quality interior and is £40k less than this…
Lols the Jaguar f pace quality is just as garbage as the Maserati. Cheap plastics everywhere and just nasty overall. You want build quality stick with the Germans. You clearly have never owned a Porsche or even a higher end BMW and merc. Don't kid yourself. Not even on the same level
@@robbyjaibought a brand new Boxster S, clutch master cylinder went after 4 days, roof rippled and there was a smooth dent in the bumper they refused to fix. Bought a brand new Audi TT and it broke down after 6 months with ignition coil fault. Owned a used A4, no problems so I suppose you’re saying 1 out of 3 ain’t bad? In contrast I also owned a used Range Rover 7yrs old and no bother, a used Jag XK in the heat of Dubai, no bother, an F-Pace 2 sensors have needed replacing in 4.5yrs one under warranty other was £250. Jag F-Type only a few months old but no bother so far. The new (2021 onwards) F-Pace is so much nicer than my 2018 one, they really have upped the quality beyond that of the everyday BMW/Merc/Audi German brands, I’d guess on a par with Porsche now. Sounds wrong doesn’t it, I was impressed beyond belief when I test drove the SVR, which still has a proper V8 not the V6 offerings which are all too common now in the Deutschland alternatives. So before you really dig in and double down on your opinion, just check out some reviews of it, or even better arrange a test drive, I think you’ll be amazed at how far they’ve come.
I wish when the presenter is talking instead of showing him the camera would show the cars interior. Nobody watches the videos to see a presenter, we all want to see the car.
I would forgive any car a lot if it looked and sounded good, so I don't have a problem with the Levante missing out an nth of a degree of efficiency to our German friends in lieu of those looks. What I struggle with is the price. I do not know how much an F-Pace is - my current favourite SUV - but I'm going to guess about half of what Maserati are asking...
People with that kind of money don't know that window switches and other stuff come from cheaper cars. Only journalists will drive expensive and cheap cars to notice and be able to compare.
I honestly don't understand why there aren't more of these on the road either. There's not a day that goes by that you don't see a Cayenne Turbo, the Audi whatever, and even the odd Alfa SUV. This falls into that price bracket, there's dealers around here (often on the same lot as the others), so what is it? The only thing that comes to mind is that the reputation of the road cars and somewhat debatable reliability track record taints this model as well.
Hold on, what's wrong with analog controls????? They're way better and safer to use while driving than touchscreen ones. Why aren't they everywhere?? Maybe because they cost so much?
@@nickb3968 Have you owned a recent Maserati? Reliability issues are honestly a myth. You don't even have to own one to figure that out. Check out the forums which are an echo chamber for reliability issues. It's mostly minor gripes with stuff that's widely used in the industry (a/c switches, etc.).
Never been good looking enough, the interior trim is poor on the last decade of Maserati's , had a couple QP's in the motor trade Any other SUV be better , the Alfa is nice looking , stylish, and at least it's half price so can live with poor QE issues
6:05 just a sea of black plastic. Those buttons on the wheel look the same quality as those on the new Civic. Porsche Cayenne absolutely murders the Levante on the inside.
Another great review Alex! I think the heated steering wheel control is something that's slipped through rather than deliberately ignored! I'm sure if the'd noticed they'd have fixed the firmware for it. What an engine! I think Maserati are being positioned more in line with the likes of upper end of Audi rather than above and beyond. That area above is being kept for Ferrari. But it's also benefitting from being associated with Ferrari. Did I say what an engine?
And I'm pretty sure they didn't notice because they didn't care enough, and put all their effort elsewhere - into things like style, sound, feel etc. not mere practical details ;)
@@8Hshan As someone who has written apps, software, and firmware, you'd be surprised how these things get overlooked when you've got a thousand other things to deal with!
The association with Ferrari is essentially at an end. Ferrari won't be supplying engines much longer. Maserati has been dumped on Alfa, and instead of being a daily Ferrari, most models are looking increasingly like an upper trim level for Alfa. IMO, Fiat/Stellantis are ruining Maserati. If only Maserati was still under Ferrari, but then again, Ferrari took the Alfieri from Maserati and made it the Roma. Maybe someone will want to buy Maserati to save it and build upon the MC20, itself starting out as an Alfa project.
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Audi rsq8 or this
I've seen a few of these and I have to say, when you see them in the flesh - or metal, to be more accurate - they're a lot, lot nicer and very much more special looking than on any photograph I've ever seen. Colour choice plays a big role, too.
Personally, if I were in the market for a large SUV (which I'm very definitely not) then this Maserati would absolutely be on my "try before you buy" list, 100%.
Agree colour and engine choice is so important for these models. Maserati is an old classy brand that has invested over the last 15 years regained ground on style and reliability. I had a GranTurismo for a few years and it was perfectly reliable and faultless. The dealerships were also brilliant so like you if I was in the market for an SUV it’d be on the list. Because it’s a bit rarer and commands respect more than a lot of the more common German equivalent
My friend´s dad had a V6 biturbo (430hp) and traded it in for the V8. After driving them both I can say this thing is unbeleivable. Shitty electronics and a car that lacks in safety and technology, but that absolutely makea up for it with the engine, the noise and the driving dynamics. What a machine!
Honestly if you look at any Maserati its had these little foibles and odd bits, but every single one has been almost indescribably desirable! With possible exception to the 80s square Maserati's, but nobody really talks about those...
inserting your woke cancer garbage into auto "journalism"...what is this, jalopnik or some crap...unsubscribed
All good points, with exception of 80’s square models.. i think the the bi turbos and rest of 80’s models are sensational
Nice to see the sea wall between Ventnor and Bonchurch acting as a backdrop to the intro.👍
It's Newhaven harbour actually!
@@darylhickman7793 wow! I could have sworn he was driving around the downs on the IOW. My bad.
Fantastic film Alex. Lovely to watch, even more lovely to hear! This wrrrrrruummmm rrrrrr.... V8... mmmmm... it fills my heart with joy.
I hope many people will buy it. For the good of us all!
Maserati...... v8. Yup, got me. Still can't afford a quattroporte from years ago though, being a humble hospitality chap. Nice to hear those engines from the people who can though.
I drove a couple of Maseratis and a couple of Alfas prior to buying my new car last year and I just felt like all the extra crap that you get with a Maserati weighed the car down and made it less special. I bought the Alfa and have zero regrets
Lovely review, mate. "Helm-smithing funtimes" deserves to become a classic 👌
You forgot one major detail… Driving a V8 Maserati is a massive FLEX
Not this one
@@real-eyes-realise-real-lies it’s like seeing people in a CLAPPED out granturismo that’s got 6 digit miles and 25 previous owners 🥴🥴🥴😂
Not this soccer mum car
Speak English.
@@jep1912 Speak Italian
Another great video and review without getting to technical but more about sensations....
Sounds like heaven
I really want Maserati to succeed. The history of the company is iconic, recently Maserati has had a few sub-par entries into the sports luxury market.
The MC20 is a step in the right direction.
I think this Levante Trofeo could appeal to those who want something with more eccentric personality and that's a strong reason to consider this Maserati.
I imagine Volvo and the now gone Saab traded in eccentric appeal.
Maserati deserves to get back it's glamour.
Maybe redesign the Ghibli to invoke the spirit of the original Ghibli SS from the 70's....melancholy sigh.
So the takeaway is, if you want a great sounding, Ferrari inspired, red, sporty SUV buy an Alfa Stelvio QV.
But this one doesn’t have two cylinders missing 😉
Alfa is overpriced
@@askiff1415 it’s only overpriced if you can’t afford it.
@@stevep9041 Errr no!
V6? Hell no!
So great to have Alex back
My sister just bought a brand new Levante Trofeo V8 in the very same Magma Rosso paint. Performance, sound, stability and dominance. It is definitely a distinguished head turner on the streets! 🔱
Great to see you back Alex , we have missed your style. Hope this is the first of many reviews to come.
King is back - Alex
My favourite car reviewer
I do own the only GTS in my country, same engine as the Trofeo but only 550 hp, and the car is amazing, sounds amazing. The real deal is how hard it pulls between 4,000 and 6,500. The surpasses are brutal, the shift of the gearbox feels so quick that you could guess it is double clutch, which is not. Lowering gears is sensational and the gearbox is so well tuned, it does whatever you asks. What is not true is the confort of the seats, they are on hard side. Really beautiful ones with the Pione Fiore leather but too stiff for long journeys. The air suspension is gift from heaven and the doublewish bone front suspension with multilink at the rear gives you a lot of confidence, although not close, for example, as my GLC43 AMG, which glues to the tarmac. Infotainment works really good and soft close doors is a must, with shades at the rear seats. Also heating at the rear seats is great. Spec it with climate control at the rear, if not, mediocre for rear passengers. The alcantara roof looks and feels premium and you better get the bowers and wilkins sound system, as harman kardon is just ok. I envy the corsa mode, specially for launches! This is the best car I ever had and I also currently have an e92 manual M3 and a X3 30i 2019. I completely recommend this SUV, it's fantastic and finally is such a looker! Everybody stares at it with it Blue Emozione and Orione wheels... saludos desde Colombia!
I believe we need a suv racing series. Formula SUV! All corsa. No drama.
Its called Dakar... proper offroaders
Hit the like as soon as I saw the trident 🔱 and my guy woo!!
I like Maserati. I’m 63 and feel it suits my age. I couldn’t buy a Ferrari or Lamborghini, I’d look stupid. But Maserati is classy. I think I’d go for the Quattroporte Modena.
If you want and can afford a Ferrari or Lamborghini, then go for it. Do not give attention of what others might think of you. You only live once!
You'd pull the birds in that Larry..
I agree with Manuel, but I also understand. Maserati is supposed to be classy and understated. I think the QP is a good choice. They look great on the road and the interior is much nicer than the Ghibli and Levante. Only possible downside is that the QP VI is S Class/A8/7 Series size rather than E Class/A6/5 Series size. Urus is pretty awesome, though, and you can get a conservative spec. But you could also get a conseravtive paint colour with a special two-tone interior that will make you feel like a million quid. Or just go the full monty. What the heck. Who cares what other people think?! You only live once! I think far too many people order Italian cars in Germanic spec. The world is full of colours. Go the full Italian.
Good to see Alex back
Stirling Watching 🏴📡🏴
I''ve missed you Alex, good you're back.
I do believe that we need more videos from Alex, not just once in a while. Cool car, but not the best value for money, and not fit for that asking price, that is why they are not exactly popular.
You have reasonable complaints about the little niggles on this car. My ONLY counter and this goes along with your left hand drive remarks is recall what you said about seeing these in large numbers. In places like Miami, Atlanta, Houston, LA, and Las Vegas, they sell really well. While failing to fully adapt the car to the UK market is weird, it does seem that the Lavante (heated seat control, reverse opening compartment, & pedal box) is made for the market that it does well in.
I love analog dials. Can't imagine buying a car with a TV behind the steering wheel.
Even with SUVs, Italian car brands still know how to make stunning cars 😃😎👍
I drove the top of the line model. Even though it was automatic it was very satisfying.
Filmed at Firle and Newhaven?
yes
I think I speek for everyone here, no body gives a s.... about the interior :D
I have seen one or two down under. Can't miss it's a Maserati. But in dark colours it looked like another SUV. Then I started singing in my head Joe Walsh of The Eagles' song. Life's been good to me. My Maserati does 185 I lost my licence now I can't drive. Nice in red though.
Love this car.
it was a quite enjoyable review
Brilliant video great car and that v8 is a masterpiece keep up the fantastic work
This guy is much better than the overrated big-eared mop-top.
Good to see young Phil collins back at it again!
Haha. Next he reviews the Genesis. Badly.
Haha. Next he reviews the Genesis.... badly.
Next he reviews the Genesis.
It is a lot of money. I don't think it looks as good as it should outside or inside. But it is the only SUV I can think of that has what I think of as a proper engine.
I guess the W12 in the Bentayga and to an even lesser extent the V12 in the Cullinan are somewhat special. But, to me, the ubiquitous 4L V8 in the VAG/Posrche/Bentley/Lamborghini SUVs isn't very special, even if it is effective, and I'm also not that keen on AMG's favourite and equally effective 4L lump found in the DBX.
And when you consider the price of the Cullinan, Urus, DBX, Bentayga, and even the similarly-priced Cayenne Turbo S, I think the Levante Trofeo starts to look reasonably good value. Then it starts to make sense. It's certainly way more special than the Audi RSQ8 that starts about 20K less.
However, the Cayenne is more polished. The DBX is better engineered, is more special other than in the engine bay, but is ultimately most let down by AMG's previous generation tech. The Bentayga is more special inside. And the Urus successfully delivers Lamborghini drama on the outside and on the inside, and the engine is certainly tuned to deliver the performance promised by the looks.
Consequently, the Levante Trofeo is a very niche product, and I don't think the Ferrari-derived engine is quite enough to do more than tempt you away from the Cayenne Turbo S.
Thinking about a Top Gear sketch, I can see someone starting out on their way to the Maserati dealer to place an order, only to end up in the Porsche dealer next door.
If it were RSQ8 money, or even half-way between RSQ8 and Cayenne Turbo S money, I think the Maserati would sell significantly better.
But, as someone else said, there's the Alfa Stelvio Quadrifoglio at little more than half the price that probably gives you 85% of the Levante Trofeo.
F pace SVR with a big supercharged V8 definitely has a proper engine
@@charliefm826 Land Rover uses the same engines too
@@charliefm826 IMO, very effective, but not very special. I forgot about the SVR, though, as I think it's is a more coherent, better value package. That said; I'd never buy one myself, because I really don't favour Jags supercharged lumps. Effective, but crude, IMO. Of course, YMMV.
Stelvio competes more with the new Maserati Grecale, which is actually even bigger than the Stelvio in interior volume, plus it has the Nettuno Maserati-engineered V6 with almost 600 hp and does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. It also has a much nicer interior than the Levante with almost everything you can see and touch covered in premium materials.
@@ARKAEA33 What things supposedly compete with is really irrelevant. As consumers we should be able to work things out for ourselves rather than be dictated to by automakers and their marketing teams. I am aware of the new Grecale V6. Reportedly, the V6 in the Grecale has discernible lag. Furthermore, the V6 Grecale sits above two four pots ala Alfa. It's an Alfa in drag. It's also very expensive. Other than that, it's still much of an unknown and unproven quantity.
Personally, I very strongly oppose Maserati sharing Alfa platforms and offering four pot engines. As said, the Grecale is an Alfa in drag. It's bigger than a Stelvio, because it's exactly a stretched Stelvio. If I want an Alfa, I'll buy an Alfa.
Several other people in the comments said they'd rather get a Stelvio Quadrifoglio than the Levante Trofeo and save a lot of money. I think that's a fair call. The Stelvio is a known quantity. Its V6 is good and has more than enough power. The Stelvio also drives exceptionally well. And the Levante is hardly a big and roomy car.
The Levante sits in an ill-defined market sector. Maserati has ill-defined the Levante. What is it really supposed to compete with? Surely, it would struggle to compete with the Cayenne, which has a broad model range, and before the Trofeo came along, I don't think the Levante was a competitor with the Cayenne, but rather more of an ill-defined competitor against offerings from BMW and Audi. However, the Trofeo's most obvious competitor is the Cayenne Turbo S, while the rest of the Levante line-up is supposed to compete against what? It sits in-between two main model line-ups from BMW and Audi, and directly competes with none.
Then Alfa introduced the Stelvio, which is smaller than the Levante, and powered mostly by a range of four pot engines versus the sixes in the Levante. But, they also introduced the Quadrifoglio, with a V6 far superior and far more powerful than the Maserati V6s in the Levante.
Alfa made the Stelvio Quadrifoglio a competitor against the Levante, and the Giulia Quadrifoglio a competitor against the Ghibli.
Much much later, Maserati decided to take the Ferrari-derived V8, previously only offered in the Quattroporte VI GTS, and put it in the Ghibli and Levante to extend their lives and provide a couple of cash cows. In so doing, Maserati blurs the lines even further, and also adds fuel to the argument that Maseratis are poor quality and poor value for money.
Now, as you say, Maserati introduces the Grecale, offered with a version of the Nettuno V6 first introduced in the MC20 supercar. The Grecale sits below the Levante, but its V6 is far superior and far more powerful than the V6s in the Levante. In fact, it is the engine that is designed to replace the Ferrari-Maserati V8 in the Levante Trofeo! The Grecale is also offered with two four pot MHEVs ala Alfa on what is essentially an Alfa platform.
Confused? IMO, it's all very confusing and very incoherent. But I do think it clearly informs us that Alfa doesn't know what to do with Maserati. It's like a headless chicken is running the show.
I would argue most strongly that Maserati doesn't even know its competitors! Under Alfa, Maserati is barely recognizable. If not for the MC20, which started life as an Alfa project, not a Maserati one, being informed by Alfa's involvment in F1, Maserati would be completely dead in the water. Apart from the MC20, the GranTurismo replacement is further waylaid, and from what I've seen so far doesn't look anywhere near as good as the old one. Of course, when Ferrari was spun off it took the Alfieri and introduced it as the Roma. The new Grecale, another SUV, is a stretched Stelvio with four pot MHEVs. If this continues, Maserati could easily end up little more than an Alfa trim level, or at best, Alfa's Lexus, but nowhere near as good, and ultimately a fate like Infiniti...and Lancia.
As Alex said, 2016, when Ferrari was spun-off from Fiat-Chrysler, was a disaster for Maserati. Being under Alfa is a disaster for Maserati. Alfa has done nothing but starve Maserati of the money it needs to be credible in its own right. There is no vision. There is no direction. There is no idea of what Maserati is, let alone what it stands for in the minds of Maserati aficionados...an ever-diminshing group, AFAICS.
Hi Alex. Although I liked a lot Henry's review of the GT4 RS, I would really like to watch and particularly listen to your review of that unicorn.
He speaks a bit like Hammond
The heated steering wheel isn’t on the passenger side of the display. It’s where the drivers meant to be lol. When you use parts bins from America that’s what you get.
What happaned in 2016 that made the world to start falling apart?
🤔🤔🤔
Ferrari was split from Fiat and Maserati was put under Alfa.
Some say things really started crumbling when Tangerine became pres. Others say Harrambe was the harbinger. Either way the cracks started appearing well before 2020..🤔
I had a buddy that owned a Dodge Challenger (which had the same infotainment system) and had no idea that it had ventilated seats until I showed him. It's especially a huge deal since we live in Florida.
Love it love it love it!!!!! ❤ 🇮🇹
I love it. Simple as that.
I prefer the look of the Stelvio QF, best looking SUV
Why does it look like I can see the exhaust pipes from a regular view?
Seems like fun.
Would like to see a comparo between this and a Stelvio QV
Good competitor, but I’d have the Alfa. I think it looks better, is built better and with a better interior. Also would be massively easier to get it looked after with the dealer networks.
Stelvio is way cheaper, and probably a much better way to go.
I was given a Levante in 18 for six months it was the diesel ...and there I think is the problem...perception, it felt special however but not Better than X5 4D I had after, and Maserati should be better, or feel a Class above.. the FPace SVR I got in 2021 makes great noise and interior is better, and as it was a demonstrator with 2000 miles on it, Cost £72K how much is the Maserati......😱
Maserati should be better, but probably won't be as long as it remains effectively under Alfa.
@@nigel.w what you mean 'under Alfa'?
It’s not better tho, It’s a sea of cheap plastic, tech 2 generation behind, and average performance…..it only appeal to snobs who wants the badge and whatever that still represents
You’re perceived a better human being driving the Maserati rather than a BMW - Fact
@@deividasnavickas I mean what I said.
It is great seeing alex more regularly again
car looks best under the hood
Alex is always great. For a itailan kit car it seems ok
I see a lot of these here in Florida. More than I see Alfa Romeos.
For what you're getting, it's quite overpriced. Especially since most of the parts are shared throughout other Stellantis cars. But then again, Maserati's residual value falls like a crashing stock market. Buying used may be the way to go assuming you can afford to keep it running.
Assuming anyone will actually buy it new
Precovid in the US they were easily 20%+ off after sitting unsold on the lot.
The best car on the market for storing and running illegal substances;) just make sure to order it in white, and don't worry about oil changes
Front and Interior = yes, but the back and sideline = no
That arse looks like like 100lb of chewed bubble gum!
It’s a 2016 car and it doesn’t look special from any angle.
Hi Alex, another good video. The steering wheel heater is just another in the long list of minor ancillaries designed for left hand drive and not changed for righthand drive. My biggest annoyance is the volume control always on the left for easy access to left steer drivers. I haven't seen one in Australia.
Go on everybody! Buy one, so Maserati has enough money to develop cars they want to make!
Alfa will just keep it and use it to make the cars they want to make. As far as Alfa is concerned, it seems Maserati should be little more than a trim level.
2.33 'helmsmithing fun times'
They should have invested the money in a higher quality interior. I do like the traditional buttons in the current dashboard. Much better than cheap unreliable touchscreens.
This looks cheap inside, actually some nasty bits.
Jaguar F-Pace SVR sounds better, looks better, has a higher quality interior and is £40k less than this…
Lols the Jaguar f pace quality is just as garbage as the Maserati. Cheap plastics everywhere and just nasty overall. You want build quality stick with the Germans. You clearly have never owned a Porsche or even a higher end BMW and merc. Don't kid yourself. Not even on the same level
@@robbyjaibought a brand new Boxster S, clutch master cylinder went after 4 days, roof rippled and there was a smooth dent in the bumper they refused to fix. Bought a brand new Audi TT and it broke down after 6 months with ignition coil fault. Owned a used A4, no problems so I suppose you’re saying 1 out of 3 ain’t bad?
In contrast I also owned a used Range Rover 7yrs old and no bother, a used Jag XK in the heat of Dubai, no bother, an F-Pace 2 sensors have needed replacing in 4.5yrs one under warranty other was £250. Jag F-Type only a few months old but no bother so far.
The new (2021 onwards) F-Pace is so much nicer than my 2018 one, they really have upped the quality beyond that of the everyday BMW/Merc/Audi German brands, I’d guess on a par with Porsche now. Sounds wrong doesn’t it, I was impressed beyond belief when I test drove the SVR, which still has a proper V8 not the V6 offerings which are all too common now in the Deutschland alternatives. So before you really dig in and double down on your opinion, just check out some reviews of it, or even better arrange a test drive, I think you’ll be amazed at how far they’ve come.
Same cost cutting on the heated steering as the French do with their fuse boxes/glove boxes.
Great review, as always! 👌
The plasticky bits are such a letdown… but it does look amazing.
I am confused, is it worse to use leather than plastics and vinyl which are oil products. We eat beef so leather is just a byproduct.
That rear end is absolutely Porsche cayenne
From the rear, they do have an air of last seasons Mazda cx 9 about them…
Quirky Italian car
0:58 a lot of you live in gulf countries where a lot of v8s are sold there, not in UK of course, "like you thought"
Italians don’t care about ergonomics for RHD cars. Don’t know why this is such a surprise
Ah, the contrast: "...who doesn't like looking down a nostril." followed by "Here's where it gets weird..."
If you have to ask why the car has analogue gauges.... oh, I give up.
Great refresh, but just begs for more tire.
I wish when the presenter is talking instead of showing him the camera would show the cars interior. Nobody watches the videos to see a presenter, we all want to see the car.
we see a lot of them here in northern Italy
I would forgive any car a lot if it looked and sounded good, so I don't have a problem with the Levante missing out an nth of a degree of efficiency to our German friends in lieu of those looks. What I struggle with is the price. I do not know how much an F-Pace is - my current favourite SUV - but I'm going to guess about half of what Maserati are asking...
An SVR would be about 3/4 the price.
People with that kind of money don't know that window switches and other stuff come from cheaper cars. Only journalists will drive expensive and cheap cars to notice and be able to compare.
6:32 Bizarre to have the steering wheel on the right...Right!?
I honestly don't understand why there aren't more of these on the road either. There's not a day that goes by that you don't see a Cayenne Turbo, the Audi whatever, and even the odd Alfa SUV. This falls into that price bracket, there's dealers around here (often on the same lot as the others), so what is it?
The only thing that comes to mind is that the reputation of the road cars and somewhat debatable reliability track record taints this model as well.
Less of these are produced, I believe.
It is all about dealerships and what is trendy.
It could be the exact same car underneath, it doesn’t matter. Too many Ferrari buyers buy a badge not a car.
£150k?! Acceptable at about £75k max
Alex...just my .02 cents worth and that's all it's worth but keep politics out of the reviews, THANK YOU🙏😇
Hold on, what's wrong with analog controls????? They're way better and safer to use while driving than touchscreen ones. Why aren't they everywhere?? Maybe because they cost so much?
BONNET, not hood. You're British.
I'm buying a used Ferrari FF for that kind of money instead.
Don't. Most reports slam its unreliability
@@paulmcadam6825 If we're comparing a Maserati to a Ferrari in terms of reliability I think there's no real winner
@@nickb3968 Have you owned a recent Maserati? Reliability issues are honestly a myth. You don't even have to own one to figure that out. Check out the forums which are an echo chamber for reliability issues. It's mostly minor gripes with stuff that's widely used in the industry (a/c switches, etc.).
I missed Alex!
2016 was when the US had one of the best presidents in history. Trump 2024!!
Shouldn't you be running the 400m?
Never been good looking enough, the interior trim is poor on the last decade of Maserati's , had a couple QP's in the motor trade
Any other SUV be better , the Alfa is nice looking , stylish, and at least it's half price so can live with poor QE issues
Needs to be something worse than a thumbs down for nonsense like calling this a Ferrari
I keep telling Ferrari to not ruin their century old brand/heritage by just naming their suv: Maserati XxX engineered by Ferrari
6:05 just a sea of black plastic. Those buttons on the wheel look the same quality as those on the new Civic. Porsche Cayenne absolutely murders the Levante on the inside.
Another great review Alex! I think the heated steering wheel control is something that's slipped through rather than deliberately ignored! I'm sure if the'd noticed they'd have fixed the firmware for it. What an engine! I think Maserati are being positioned more in line with the likes of upper end of Audi rather than above and beyond. That area above is being kept for Ferrari. But it's also benefitting from being associated with Ferrari. Did I say what an engine?
And I'm pretty sure they didn't notice because they didn't care enough, and put all their effort elsewhere - into things like style, sound, feel etc. not mere practical details ;)
@@8Hshan As someone who has written apps, software, and firmware, you'd be surprised how these things get overlooked when you've got a thousand other things to deal with!
@@johnsim3722 As someone who tests software at work, I'd believe ;)
The association with Ferrari is essentially at an end. Ferrari won't be supplying engines much longer. Maserati has been dumped on Alfa, and instead of being a daily Ferrari, most models are looking increasingly like an upper trim level for Alfa. IMO, Fiat/Stellantis are ruining Maserati. If only Maserati was still under Ferrari, but then again, Ferrari took the Alfieri from Maserati and made it the Roma. Maybe someone will want to buy Maserati to save it and build upon the MC20, itself starting out as an Alfa project.
I love your reviews. I hope the next gen cars get back to the days of feeling special rather than a Chrysler/fiat mongrel
Bello 🔱
I intended to buy one precisely because there not on every street corner…
Cool motor and good looks but it’s got Dodge / Chrystler bits on the inside. Just stating facts
2016 was when the world started falling apart? ORLY?
nah man it was in 2020
When Ferrari was spun off and Maserati was put under Alfa.
@@nigel.w more like both were put under Fiat.
@@Roadjull Both were already under Fiat, so no change in 2016 under that argument.
Maserati likes to introduce cars without any promotion whatsoever, same with the new MC20. So, they do not sell.
This is my favorite carfection presenter. He used to look like a boy, now he looks like a man.
Stunning car but those side vents look so cheap