This is not the electrified Maserati you’ve been waiting for, sorry. That’d probably be the MC20 EV, which we’re assured will arrive at some point in the next few years. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, this is the new Levante Hybrid – Maserati’s only SUV (for now) with a slightly updated look and the powertrain from the recently unveiled Ghibli Hybrid. That means an Alfa Romeo sourced 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine combined with a 48V mild-hybrid system for 330bhp and 332lb ft of torque.

There’s no electric motor and only a small battery, with the hybrid system consisting of an eBooster that fills in for the turbo at low revs and a belt starter generator that acts as an alternator. Maserati says the four-cylinder is 24kg lighter than its V6, but that the mild-hybrid assist means it offers the same feel and performance.

Unlike the Ghibli the Levante is four-wheel drive, although 100 per cent of the torque can be sent to the rear wheels, with 50 per cent available up front when needed. The 0-62mph sprint is dispatched in 6.0 seconds flat and there’s a claimed 20 per cent drop in emissions when compared to the V6. Strong. Oh, and Maserati is at pains to point out that the Levante Hybrid doesn’t have any form of artificial sound enhancement.

The mild facelift for 2021 brings with it a new grille, new boomerang rear lights and a new infotainment system with an 8.4-inch display. There’s also a new GT trim with plenty of chrome, and new Hybrid models will get blue accents and stitching.

What do we think folks?

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