Compare the2024 BMW X5VS 2024 Maserati Levante

The X5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Levante doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the X5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Levante doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The BMW X5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Levante doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The X5 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Levante doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The X5 offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Levante doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The X5’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Levante.

Both the X5 and Levante have rear cross-traffic warning, but the X5 has Cross Traffic Warning with Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Levante’s Rear Cross Path doesn’t automatically brake.

The X5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Levante doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the X5 and the Levante have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

The BMW X5 achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Levante has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The X5’s corrosion warranty is 8 years and unlimited miles longer than the Levante’s (12/unlimited vs. 4/50,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Maserati doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Levante.

There are over 3 times as many BMW dealers as there are Maserati dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X5’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the BMW X5 xDrive50e’s reliability 23 points higher than the Levante and the BMW X5 is rated 52 points higher than the Levante.

The X5 has more powerful engines than the Levante:

As tested in Car and Driver the X5 M60i xDrive 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid is faster than the Levante Modena 3.0 turbo V6:

On the EPA test cycle the X5 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Levante:

The X550e xDrive can travel with zero emissions for 40 miles. The Levante can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the X5’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Levante doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the BMW X5 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Maserati Levante (1 to 3). This means the X5 produces up to 47 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Levante every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the BMW X5 as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The Maserati Levante is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

For better stopping power the X5 M Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Levante:

For better traction, the X5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Levante (F:275/40R21 & R:315/35R21 vs. F:265/45R20 & R:295/45R20).

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the X5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Levante doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The X5 M60i offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Levante doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The X5 M60i xDrive offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Maserati doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Levante.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X5 is 2 inches wider in the front and .3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Levante.

For better maneuverability, the X5 M60i xDrive’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Levante’s (39.4 feet vs. 41.2 feet).

The X5 has .5 inches more front headroom, 4.2 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Levante.

The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Levante with its rear seat up (33.9 vs. 20.5 cubic feet). The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Levante with its rear seat folded (72.3 vs. 57.4 cubic feet).

The X5’s cargo area is larger than the Levante’s in almost every dimension:

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the X5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Levante doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The X5’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Levante’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Maximum trailer towing in the Maserati Levante is limited to 5952 pounds. The X5 offers up to a 7209 lbs. towing capacity.

While the Levante Modena S can only tow 3306, any X5 can tow a minimum of 5952 pounds.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Levante, the X5 M60i has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The X5 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Levante doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The X5’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Levante’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The X5’s LED headlights produce a white, bright light using less electricity than the Levante’s standard xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlights. HID headlights can be slow to reach full brightness or power cycle, causing issues when flashing them to signal other vehicles; LED headlights light instantly. LED lights also last about three to four times as long.

The X5 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Levante.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW X5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console. The Levante doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The X5’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Levante doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The X5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Levante doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® chose the BMW X5 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.