To be honest, we don't really care that Harry Metcalfe used to be the boss of Evo because the magazine isn't as popular as it was a decade ago. But the man has owned several Maseratis over the years the last of which was a GranTurismo S if we're not mistaken. Likewise, we don't care that Maserati use to be big 60 years ago because the Levante faces stiff competition today.
First, Harry talks about the small things, noticing how wide the gaps between the grille bars are, pointing out that they won't stop stones. He also points out that the Levante combines frameless windows at the top of the doors with incorporated door sills at the bottom, like a Range Rover.
This review was filmed in winter on a frozen hill outside Harry's estate in England, the point being to test the Maserati's off-road credentials. He tries to get it up a hill and it won't. But after trying it in a Range Rover and failing too, he notes that it's the ice's fault.
If you've come to see a Levante frolicking in a grassy field, you've come to the right place. Just scroll through the video to the 12-minute mark, and you'll get why Maserati fitted this SUV with a mechanical rear differential. If you want to drift around some sheep in a field, this might be the SUV for you.
The Maserati Levante being featured here is the 3.0-liter diesel, as the UK doesn't get the gas models. Running on the devil's fuel, the V6 SUV gets 275 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque (443 lb-ft), which is enough to get 2.2 tons to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.9 seconds and on to 230 km/h (143 mph).
Do you care about efficiency? Of course you do, that's why you've got a diesel. Harry says it's done 30 mpg UK in the two weeks he's had it, which is about 9.4 l/100km. That's nowhere near the official claims, but we still think it's a good number based on our experience with similarly sized vehicles.
To conclude, Metcalfe likes many things about the Levante, but he hates the sound of the engine and the fact that Maserati makes this to a price. He also mentions how the footwell is 3 inches narrower than in a Fiat Panda, putting a strain on the knees. But that's just a RHD market problem.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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