The Levante is a crucial car for Maserati, which means that it needs to genuinely convince buyers to go for the Trident instead of something with a Porsche or Mercedes-Benz badge.

When competing against the likes of the Cayenne, GLE Coupe and so on, you need to bring your A-game, which thankfully for the Italian automaker, is something that they’ve done when it comes to the Levante’s interior.

The Levante features a high-quality spacious cabin, full of the latest gadgets and gizmos, though it does fall a little short of the competition when it comes to its infotainment system.

On the road, the 275 PS 3.0-liter diesel version looks quite capable, and apparently sounds pretty good as well. On paper it’s supposed to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.9 seconds, making it quicker than the Cayenne Diesel, which packs around 12 fewer horses and is lighter by roughly 20 kg (44 lbs).

Overall, the Maserati Levante received a big thumbs up in this review, though certain shortcomings should keep it from claiming the segment’s crown.

VIDEO