Quick Take: 2022 Maserati Levante Trofeo
During the Western Automotive Journalists Media Days event in Half Moon Bay last year, we managed to get behind the wheel of the Levante, Maserati’s best-selling vehicle in the United States. This year, Maserati brought a dedicated-performance version of its midsize SUV, the Levante Trofeo with a V-8 rather than a standard 6-cylinder engine. With the example we tested finished in a custom flashy shade of green (the color is called “Urban Green”), we got a taste of what happens when Maserati provides a high-level of performance in a practical wrapper.
Most noteworthy of the Levante Trofeo is the 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that generates 580 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Q4 all-wheel-drive, active air suspension, a limited-slip differential, and the Skyhook performance suspension with electronic damping all come standard, making the Trofeo deliver a high amount of speed both in a straight line as well as in the corners. The Trofeo handled like any of Maserati’s cars, a pleasant and welcome surprise, while the performance exhaust could make anyone in the driver’s seat smile with joy under hard acceleration.
On the comfort end of things, the Levante Trofeo fails to disappoint. 12-way heated and ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, full LED-matrix headlamps, surround-view camera, and a 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system come standard. In the appearance department, our Trofeo test vehicle had 21-inch staggered rims, a carbon fiber front splitter and rear diffuser, and 3D carbon fiber trim in the interior (a $1,500 option). With its “Urban Green” color (a $6,500 option) and the loud exhaust when in Corsa mode, the Trofeo turned heads wherever we went, something we think will be in the plus column for potential buyers.
In the end, we think the Levante Trofeo showcases the best of what Maserati can do with its popular midsize SUV. As SUVs that offer a comparable level of performance may not offer stylishness that the Levante Trofeo does, the Italian SUV may become a vehicle to watch in the ever-growing (and ever-more-expensive) dedicated performance SUV segment.
