Cupra Ateca vs Maserati Levante
What's the difference?

Cupra Ateca

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2025 price

View pricing & specs

Maserati Levante

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2021 price

View pricing & specs

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Summary

2025 Cupra Ateca

2021 Maserati Levante

By Laura Berry

By Stephen Corby

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Twin Turbo V8, 3.8L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

7.1L/100km (combined)

0.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

The 'mysterious' brand
Volkswagen quality and engineering
Lower price into the Ateca model

That engine
Surprisingly capable on track
Rear-biased AWD

Dislikes

Safety tech could be more cutting edge
Fuel economy on the high side
No head-up display

Not the prettiest Maserati
Seems strange to want to track one
Expensive

2025 Cupra Ateca Summary

Not many people even know what a Cupra Ateca V is… and this is the second best thing about this small SUV. The first best thing is that Cupra is owned by Volkswagen.

So, this means you can have your mysterious SUV not many other people drive while knowing it’s underpinned by one of the largest car manufacturers in the world which makes cars millions of people drive and one which also has a reputation for high quality vehicles.

The big news here is the Ateca model range has a new and lower entry fee with the arrival of this V grade. See, until now the only Ateca Australians could buy is the high-performance VZx which while really sporty also came with a pretty big price tag.

So, how much is the Ateca V and what do you get for the money? We found this out at the Australian launch along with how practical and safe it is and what it’s like to drive.

View full pricing & specs

2021 Maserati Levante Summary

Driving a whopping great SUV down the straight on a race track at more than 200km/h sounds like fun, but it actually feels a bit wrong, like entering a baby elephant in a dog show.

These are strange times, of course, and the Maserati Trofeo Levante is a suitably strange vehicle - stylish, classy, expensively appointed family hauler that also has the heart and soul of a race car.

Indeed, while performance SUVs are an increasingly commonplace vehicle, the Levante - which was actually getting along in the tooth as a model before this significant upgrade - has higher performance credibility than most.

That's because it has a big Ferrari V8 driving all four of its wheels and delivering a properly supercar-like 433kW and 730Nm.

It's not what you might call a typical Maserati buyer's car, but then only those who know what the Trofeo badge stands for - shouty insanity, basically - will be interested in this end of town. It is a lot of car, but is it worth the large load of money on the sticker ($330,000)?

View full pricing & specs

Deep dive comparison

2025 Cupra Ateca 2021 Maserati Levante

Verdict

The Cupra Ateca V is a much needed more affordable way into this small SUV while still offering a high-end feeling with plenty of standard features. Yes, the V isn't as high-powered as the VZx but it's still great to drive in the city and on the open road. Big on the inside and small on the outside the Cupra Ateca can perform urban and (small) family duties well.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

Verdict

Maseratis are built for a fairly specific niche buyer; someone with a lot of money, someone slightly older and certainly someone who likes the finer things in life and appreciates Italian style, quality and heritage.

They are not, typically, the kind of buyers who want to tear around race tracks like fiends in big, shouty SUVs. But apparently there is a niche within the niche of Maserati fans who do, and they are willing to invest big dollars in vehicles wearing the Trofeo badge, like this Levante.

It might seem a slightly strange creation, a track-mad SUV with a screaming Ferrari engine, but surprisingly, it really does work.

Cupra Ateca vs Maserati Levante What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Cupra Ateca vs Maserati Levante
What's the difference?