Maserati Levante practicality and boot space

• Impressively appointed with safety gear
• No Euro NCAP crash test score
• New driver assistance tech in 2017

The Maserati Levante hasn’t been crash-tested by Euro NCAP but this is a high-rise SUV with four-wheel drive so it should hang on to the road well and protect you in a crash.

There is also a wide range of driver assistance tech to help improve safety levels, including adaptive cruise control, blindspot alert, lane-departure warning, a collision alert system, surround-view camera, park assist and hill-holder.

In 2017 more advanced driver-assistance technology was added, including active lane-keeping and blindspot assist, traffic sign recognition and Highway Assist, which all but drives for you on the motorway.

However, we struggled with this system on test in Dubai. The lane-keeping system was holding the car too far over to the right-hand side of the road, which meant we quickly stopped using it and drove ourselves instead. 

• Will seat easily seat four in comfort
• Boot large enough for most buyers
• Powered tailgate makes life loads easier

There’s plenty of room inside with the ability to take three passengers in the back (though middle seat passengers have restricted legroom thanks to the centre console) and good head space wherever you sit.

You’ve also got a wide array of cubbies at your disposal including door pockets and a good-sized glovebox. 

A Levante is a large SUV so will need big parking spaces. Visibility is great thanks to the high driving position, and front and rear parking sensors are standard-fit. 

As you’d expect from a big car there’s an equally large 580-litre boot. There’s a 12-volt power socket in there for running a coolbox and three others around the cabin.

A powered tailgate is standard, with buttons on the keyfob and inside the car, to help you get in and out of the boot. This features an anti-pitching function to stop it moving when an obstacle is detected.