Road Test: 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo
*Un SUV Da Guida
*A driver’s SUV.
In any language it is the same for the muscular, attractive, powerful, unique and rare 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo. Rare because not many are sold in the United States and, unless you are in a major market, they will be hard to spot in the wild. This, of course, is too bad as the more people that have the opportunity to own a Levante Trofeo, the better.
Italian Power
The 2022 Maserati Levante is offered in four models—GT, Modena, S and Trofeo—with either a V6 or V8 engine, all with all-wheel drive. Clean Fleet Report drove the Levante Trofeo with the Ferrari-built twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 that pumped-out 580 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque. Maserati says this engine has high-turbulence cylinder heads that sound awesome, but I needed some research to really gather-in their benefit. The Levante Hybrid is not available in the United States or Canada, but in select countries outside of North America.
The 8-speed automatic has a manual shift mode, paddle shifters and driver-selectable drive modes. When at the dealer, make sure to lift the hood and get a look at the beautiful Trofeo red and black engine with its carbon fiber bits, which by far is the most attractive you will see.
With paddle shifters and five driver-selectable drive modes, including Corsa with launch control, the 8-speed automatic with a manual mode smoothly goes through the gears in a 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds. The automatic transmission evenly distributes power to all four wheels on an as-needed basis. Maserati says the top speed is 187 mph, making this luxury SUV a fast grocery-getter. The EPA rates fuel economy to be 13 city/20 highway/16 combined while running on 91 octane.
Five-Seat Speedster
The Levante Trofeo emits a wonderful sound, emanating from twin pipes, a rich grumble that is ever-so-satisfying. For a true driving experience, turn off the radio, roll down the windows and listen to the growl. Clicking into a lesser drive mode of Normal or I.C.E. (Increased Control and Efficiency) reduces the sound level when creeping home late at night.
Acceleration is strong and builds as you glide through the gears with a good throttle pedal feel. The twin turbo V8 pulled strong and was responsive at any speed, making for a very satisfying driving experience. The automatic transmission was silky smooth and never tempted me to use the manual mode and paddle shifters.
The well-distributed 4,784-pound weight gave the Levante Trofeo a solid and confident ride. The staggered Continental Sport Contact 6 265/40 front and 295/35 rear all-season tires, mounted on 21-inch forged aluminum wheels provided excellent grip, even when pushing corners to their limit, which is what we assume the designers and engineers had in mind. There was acceptable body roll with ample warning when being pushed too far.
The Levante Trofeo comes standard with a Skyhook performance suspension with electronic damping and a limited-slip differential, a stiff suspension that was not harsh. The Skyhook suspension utilizes electronic sensors to control the body and wheel reactions to bumps and other road nuisances. This semi-active suspension means shock absorber dampening is taking place for each wheel separately, within milliseconds, to maximize traction and ride comfort. The air suspension has different settings that affect how stiff or soft the ride will be. There are many variables when going through the drive and the air suspension modes, which are something drivers will need to experiment with to find their ideal feel.
The electronically-assisted steering was direct, quick and sharp, and the anodized red 6-piston caliper Brembo ventilated and drilled disc brakes progressively provided a good feel with straight and true, no fade stops.
To sum-up the handling: the Levante Trofeo was grippy, confident and predictable, even when exceeding the posted corner speed limit. The steering was quick enough to find a way out of a late turn-in without losing control. Simply put, we were impressed.
Dynamic Presence
The Maserati Levante Trofeo is unique, even in Southern California, where every luxury car sold runs free on the highways and can be found in the most exclusive neighborhoods. Ours was painted in Urban Green with a premium price of $6,500; other custom colors ranged from $6,500 to $17,000.
The design is just different enough that it is easily differentiated from its closest competitors—the BMW X5, Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S and the Porsche Cayenne. Its design, which debuted in 2016, went through a refresh in 2021 with revised front and rear fascias. The concave grille, sporting the bold Maserati Trident badge, is bordered by fog lights and adaptive LED headlights that sneer down from wide on the fenders.
Sans chrome, the sides are smooth save for a character line running along the lower doors. The color-keyed door handles would be more attractive if they retracted flush, but the frame less doors with dark tinted windows are a great look, as are the three black and red front fender portholes, the Italian flag colors, with the script “Trofeo” on the B pillar and the Trident badge on the C-pillars. Those gloss red Brembo brake calipers peeking-out from the machine polished wheels looked great.
The gently sloping roof, with a dual-pane panoramic power sunroof, sports a small integrated spoiler before dropping to a power “kick-to-open” hatch with a short overhang. The LED boomerang-shaped tail lights sit high above the twin, rectangular tailpipes where that wonderful exhaust note escapes.
Leather and Carbon Fiber Interior
The interior looked and smelled great, with leather almost everywhere. The 12-way heated and ventilated power sport seats were embossed with the Trofeo logo stitched on the front and rear headrests. The red top stitching and the Alcantara-covered headliner and pillars were a nice touch, as were the aluminum power sport pedals and black color scheme throughout the cabin. The carbon fiber, piano black and satin-finished accents were okay, but it seemed like Maserati was trying too hard without actually trying too hard. It all seemed too similar to cars and SUVs we see costing many thousands less. For a vehicle of this price, the interior could have looked better attended.
The soft touch dash had two large round analog gauges in the instrument cluster with brushed aluminum trim. Maserati is part of the family that also makes Dodge, Chrysler, Ram and Jeep, so there are some shared bits and pieces in the cabin, specifically the infotainment system. I personally have always like this system’s controls, look and ease-of-use. It resides in the 8.4-inch LCD touchscreen that houses the navigation system and the Bowers & Wilkens premium audio system. The 1,300-watt, 17-speaker system will amplify SiriusXM, AM/FM/HD radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and Alexa. Through the Maserati Connected Services there are Bluetooth voice commands for the radio and telephone by just saying “Hey Maserati.”
The access to the heated and folding rear seat was good; the seat comfort was soft, and head and legroom good for three adults. Air vents and ventilation controls are found in the rear of the center console, with cup holders in the fold down armrest.
Other interior features are a leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel with controls for audio, telephone and adaptive cruise control; Homelink, wireless phone charging, keyless entry with remote start, dual zone automatic climate control and soft close doors.
Safety
The Levante Trofeo comes with an extensive list of standard advanced driver assistant systems (ADAS), including adaptive cruise control with lane keeping assist, full front, head, side, and driver knee airbags. There is a surround view camera and front and rear parking sensors, blind spot detection and assist, forward collision warning with autonomous braking, pedestrian warning, a tire pressure monitoring system and a security alarm.
The Levante has 4-year and 50,000-mile warranties for the powertrain, new vehicle (bumper-to-bumper), roadside assistance and corrosion perforation.
Pricing
The 2022 Levante comes in four trims—GT, Modena, S and Trofeo—ranging in base prices, including the mandatory $1,495 destination fee, of $92,195, $102,895, $129,095 and $168,495. With options, Clean Fleet Report’s 2022 Levante Trofeo had a MSRP of $170,395.
Observations: 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo
Trofeo means trophy in Italian. A good name for the highest trim level for the 2022 Maserati Levante. The Ferrari-built twin-turbo V8 sounds sweet as it powers through mountain and country roads with impressive linear acceleration and no turbo lag. Driving the Levante Trofeo was a wonderful experience.
In its top trim level, the Levante is not inexpensive. But if driving is your passion and occasionally inviting a couple friends along for a long weekend in the mountains, it is an investment in performance and pleasure. It seems none of us can get enough of those.
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Story and photos by John Faulkner.
Disclosure:
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.
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