2023 Maserati Levante Trofeo Review Highlights:

• 2023 Maserati Levante: $90,700 – $167,000
• Pros: The 2023 Maserati Levante is buttery smooth, incredibly fast, and still manages to be easy to drive.
• Cons: The Trofeo’s $160,000 price tag is out of most price ranges, and the Levante has one of the highest starting prices in the luxury SUV segment.

For the top-of-the-line 2023 Maserati Levante SUV, 572 horsepower and a zero to 60 mph time of four seconds are just the start. This family-friendly SUV has five well-appointed seats and enough carbon fiber to make the $167,000 price tag make sense. Maybe it is the striking Giallo Modenese yellow color and the 22-inch forged aluminum wheels, but the Levante Trofeo looks excellent. Maserati offers it in other colors like Bianco (white), Nero Assoluto (black), Grigio Maratea (grey), and Blue Emozione (blue), but the yellow was made to stand out.

Typically, luxury performance SUVs have to check many boxes simultaneously, like excellent performance, comfortable interior, and even a sizable cargo area. The Maserati Levant delivers on all those, even if the cargo area isn’t class-leading. During testing, the Levante carried everything around without issue, and it’s kind of hard not to smile while driving it. Is it the right SUV for moving? Nope, but rent a U-haul and enjoy the Maserati SUV the other 364 days a year.

The Levante Trofeo is a beautiful example of what a performance SUV can look and sound like. We spent a week driving it around town, and here are some things that stood out.

How does the 2023 Maserati Levante SUV drive?

As one might expect, the 2023 Maserati Levante drives like a dream. Our test vehicle was the top-of-the-line Levante Trofeo with an impressive V8 engine in performance and sound. Beyond all that horsepower and noise, it remains a pretty outstanding SUV. It has comfortable seats and enough cargo room in the back to fulfill all SUV duties you might throw its way.

The Trofeo trim came with 22-inch wheels and an adaptive air suspension. It was a comfortable ride while driving in the Normal drive mode. Maserati has a few modes: Normal, I.C.E., Sport, Off-Road, and Corsa. You will only find Corsa mode on the Trofeo, and if there is one convincing reason to shell out $167,000, it might be Corsa mode.

When in Corsa mode, the Maserati SUV shifts faster, sits lower, and has optimized all-wheel drive settings. It also turns off traction control and other settings for a more spirited ride. Corsa mode was a welcome addition to the performance SUV, creating a more intense ride with the double-click of a button. You can only utilize Launch Control in this mode, another Trofeo feature. A Limited-Slip Differential at the rear axle adds better traction.

How much is the 2023 Maserati Levante SUV?

There are four trim 2023 Maserati Levante levels to choose from this year: GT, Modena, Modena S, and Trofeo. The base Levante GT is still $90,700 but has plenty of horsepower and pizazz. That GT trim and the Modena trim get the V6 engine with various horsepower, while the two higher trims get the famous Maserati V8. Do you need the Trofeo at $167,000? Maserati isn’t listed on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, but it sure is fun if you have the cash.

Soft-close doors and ventilated/heated front seats add to the allure. The driver’s seat was comfortable, and the ventilated seats made a big difference in the Florida summer heat. A quad-zone automatic climate control kept everyone cool, and the controls were easy to use. There is also no shortage of carbon fiber on the exterior and interior of the Maserati SUV. The center console, paddle shifters, front end, back end, and every applicable place in between was carbon fiber.

Does the Maserati SUV have a Ferrari engine?

The 2023 Levante does have Ferrari-built engines, both the V6 and V8. The V6 is a twin-turbo 3.0L V6 with either 345 or 424 hp, while the V8 is a twin-turbo 3.8L with 523 or 572 hp. All of the trim levels get the same eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. We found the engine smooth while riding around town and even under heavy acceleration. It is the fastest SUV in the brand’s lineup, so we had high expectations.

Our Trofeo tester had an impressive zero to 60 mph time of just four seconds. Cut your commute time in half if you want to; just break speed limit laws everywhere. As you might imagine, it isn’t the most fuel-efficient SUV. Since we had the V8 version, it got around 13 mpg in the city and is rated for 20 mpg on the highway. Our usual test route includes the highway, but we are pretty confident the Maserati SUV can get up to speed without issue.

It is rumored this is the last year the Maserati-Ferrari V8 is available, so don’t mull this over for too long. Powerful engines like this are on the chopping block and likely won’t see the inside of a 2024 Maserati.

Is it worth it to buy a Maserati Levante?

Heck yeah, it is. If you are considering the Maserati Levante already, you probably have high standards for luxury SUVs. There is no shortage of good options in that segment, but perhaps you want something different from the Porsche and BMW options you see everywhere. The Levante is comfortable and easy to drive, with plenty of horsepower to keep the daily drive entertaining.

The Levante does have one of the highest starting prices in the segment, which is a detriment to the SUV. It is meant to be driven and has helpful safety systems like traffic sign recognition and adaptive headlights, making it easier to live with. Even if it is not your daily driver, the Maserati Levante is a luxurious weekend vehicle that feels well-made. Could we drive it every day? Sure. Do we want to know how much a set of tires and an oil change costs? Nope.

One of the most significant drawbacks people have with the Levante line is related to the interior controls. These buttons are rumored to be from other Stellantis vehicles, but they didn’t bother us much during testing. Will these buttons stand the test of time? All buttons and dials show wear after time, but one might expect the finishings on a Maserati to last a little longer. If this is high on your cons list, sit inside the SUV and check it out. You might not even notice.

MotorBiscuit awards the 2023 Maserati Levante with a score of 9.5 out of 10

The editors at MotorBiscuit award the 2023 Maserati Levante with a 9.5 out of 10. The ultra-lux SUV passes with flying colors in the main exterior, interior, tech, handling, and performance categories. We docked a few points for the maintenance costs and potential reliability issues when the miles creep up, but that is to be expected with such a costly vehicle.

It is an expensive SUV, but there are a lot of shoppers out there who are looking for something in this $100k price range. Would we buy the Levante Trofeo if someone handed us a $167,000 gift card? Yes, we would. You could buy seven 2023 Kia Souls for that much money, but it wouldn’t be nearly as fun (unless Kia threw in some hamsters).

In conclusion, the 2023 Maserati Levante is an excellent example of a luxury SUV with performance at the top of the priority list. It has some quirks, but Maserati and performance SUV fans might be able to overlook those in favor of a thrilling ride.