Maserati Levante first drive: Taking the luxe offroad

When you think Maserati, you probably think if its thoroughbred Italian racing heritage, the glamour and slick sports car lines. It was perhaps totally fitting, then, that the day we headed into the Cotswolds to test the new Maserati SUV, the UK issued 19 flood warnings. 

A stroke of luck, you might call it, that we were driving a four-wheel drive SUV, rather than a hunkered-down rear-wheel drive speed machine. Slipping into the cosseted interior of Maserati’s new luxury SUV, hitting the heated seat button and speeding off along flooded roads, we did wonder if we’d be better in one of Maserati’s sponsored racing yachts.

Maserati say that the Levante brings a completeness to the family of cars it offers, a luxury alternative, a lifestyle model, that through its SUV lines it offers wider appeal to a wider range of owners than some of its sports cars.

Maserati Levante: Design

Many will look at the way that Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini and others are producing SUVs and see that Maserati is very much following the trend. We’re seeing SUVs dragged out of the “utility” class and transformed into something all the more special, a bigger driving experience, a lifestyle choice without sacrificing the brand values that sit at the heart of some of our best-loved cars.

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For Maserati, retaining the visual identity at the front in a similar fashion to Bentley with Bentayga, gives that sort of toy car charm. The seriousness of Maserati’s GrandTurismo – its best looking model – is reflected but diluted as the Levante grows into its bigger body. The result is a rather long bonnet, scowling lights flanking a snarling grille on the front, centred on that Maserati trident. It’s an angry-looking car from the front, taking sporty over boxy design. 

The Levante is peppered with Maserati hallmarks, like those side gills, rear quarter badging and so on. With sporty in mind, the rear roofline drops and the rear side windows get smaller as you move back. The rear window itself, in keeping with those sporty lines ends up rather small.

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That, combined with a rear seat central headrest means that rear visibility is fairly poor. If you’re a sports car driver that’s par for the course, but the Levante loses the natural advantage towards the rear that SUVs often offer: it’s not actually that big.

But this isn’t about challenging the Discovery with a cavernous rear, it’s about providing a Maserati SUV.

Maserati Levante: On and offroad skills

Maserati’s aim was to produce a car that would drive like a Maserati on the road, but be happy wallowing in the mud too. It adopts the Ghibli’s four-wheel drive system, with a bias towards the rear wheels. In most driving conditions it will send the power to the rear, but with the ability to switch it through various steps of division up to a 50/50 split.

This works in tandem with driving modes from Maserati’s Skyhook system – normal, sport, offroad and increased control and efficiency (ICE). This system, like the sort of driving modes you’ll find in your average Audi, uses engine, gearing, stability and the AWD components to give you the best setup for the type of driving you’re doing.

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There’s also an air suspension system that offers a lot of travel, riding at 210mm high normally, but being able to drop the car down to 175mm in aero2, a special automatic mode reserved for when you’re driving at speeds over 170kph. This latter mode is automatic, you can’t decide to drop into this low-slung position, the car decides when to do it.

That’s something we didn’t get the chance to use, given the poor road conditions we faced when driving the Levante, but we did get to test the descent control, feeling the car brake and control downhill speed on some very muddy slopes. We were driving on standard winter tyres through some very slick mud across fields and through woodland. 

The Levante is perfectly comfortable in such conditions, with enough clearance to let you drive into the rough stuff without the worry that you’re going to catch a piece of the bodywork on the way. No one really expects this to be a rival to the Range Rover’s offroad skills and the likelihood is that the Levante won’t find itself being set to task in those conditions too often.

However, find yourself offroad and the Levante certainly offers enough to give you the control and handling that some softer crossover cars won’t, so if you do need to take your trident-badged luxe SUV through a muddy field to deliver your welly-wearing friends to a picnic, you shouldn’t have a problem.

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Sitting under the hood is a 275bhp V6 diesel engine, the same you’ll find in Ghibli and Quattroporte, that will whisk you to 62mph in 6.9 seconds. Maserati says this is the most powerful engine of its size in this segment, but it’s not the most powerful SUV out there, and will be left in the exhaust fumes of some of the more flighty models. Put your foot down and there’s that reassuring purr, but this isn’t a noisy drive, it’s mostly quiet and refined, save for that moment you put your foot down and everything wakes up to remind you you’re driving a pumped-up sports car.

There’s plenty of weight to the steering, but we found the column-mounted shifters to be a little too big: the left shifter pretty much blocks access to the indicator stalk and we’re pretty sure that you’ll be using that more regularly than you will be manually dropping gears.

There’s a distinct lack of choices available, and that’s perhaps the problem that the Maserati Quartoporte faces: the competition is so widely varied and with companies like Audi churning out S and RS Q models, Porsche pushing its Cayenne and a widening selection of Range Rovers, there’s a lot of choices, some higher quality, some higher performance and some more practical in this highly fluid SUV category. 

What the Maserati succeeds in doing is making an alternative choice: there will likely never be a shortage of Audi Q5 or BMW X5s on the road, and this Maserati is there for people who want something different.

Maserati Levante: Everyday tech

With that in mind, the Levante interior finds itself filled with familiar technologies, many that haven’t been offered on a Maserati so readily. There’s an effective blind spot warning and lane departure system. There’s collision warning, emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and so on. Dealing with that slight lack of visibility, there’s also 360-degree cameras and parking sensors, to make sure you don’t drive into that low wall in the Waitrose carpark, as well as the option for a kick sensor for the boot so you can easily get your shopping in.

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There’s also a central touchscreen controller for your media, satnav and other car systems. It’s been designed to be familiar for users coming from other systems, offering both touch and rotary dials, although we don’t quite have the confidence in its user interface that we do for BMW or Audi systems. It’s easy enough to use, but doesn’t quite have the sophistication and maturity of some of its bigger brand rivals. It is responsive to the touch, but you sometimes have to dig a little deep to get to something, like the passenger’s heated seat for example.

There are choices for a range of interior packages, with a leaning towards luxe or sport, and we found the interior to be comfortable and reasonably quiet when underway – despite all the water on the roads. The seats are comfortable and there’s enough space in the rear, although the centre rear might be a bit of a squeeze for a fully grown adult.

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Choosing the Luxury pack (£5,950) brings some cost advantages over the individual elements it offers, as well has giving you some upgrades that can’t be found on the options list and offers you a higher quality finish in the interior, while the Sport pack gives you things like the shifters and aluminium pedals for more of a racing look and feel. 

First Impressions

But with all that said, the Maserati Levante does elevate itself above many other SUVs that it rivals. As wonderful or as technically proficient as many of them might be, some are getting very commonplace.

If nothing else, then that’s what the Maserati Levante offers. It’s an alternative that sits in the luxury segment, flying the flag for a smaller brand with heritage. It’s a car that, on first impressions, does have a few quirks, but it is interesting, and if you’re looking at spending £55k on an SUV, that’s important. 

Our time with the Maserati Levante was a little limited and we can’t profess to having driven it in anger on the road. What we can say is that as much as we don’t think the Levante will worry the luxe SUV segment’s leaders, we can’t help liking it.

The world of Nintendo is coming to Universal theme parks

Universal and Nintendo have just delivered some bombshell news. Nintendo themed attractions will be built at all three Universal theme parks around the world, in Osaka, Japan, Hollywood, California and Orlando, Florida.

Nintendo is working collaboratively with Universal’s park designers to help create the attractions, that will be targeted at all ages, so older visitors can get their nostalgia fix, while youngsters can begin to learn about Nintendo’s illustrious history.

• Nintendo games consoles from the 1980s to now: Which is your favourite?

The two companies have said the attractions will make you feel as if you’re playing inside your favourite video games, only in real life. There’s no word just yet on what games will be made into attractions, although Mario is mentioned in the press release. And besides, what Nintendo themed park would be complete without everyone’s favourite Italian plumber?

The attractions are said to be opening separately over the next several years, with each individual park announcing its Nintendo plans soon.

• $350m Nintendo Land theme park attraction to bring Mario to life

We’ve already heard that a Nintendo-themed area would be built at Universal Studios in Osaka, but now there’s confirmation the US sites will benefit too.

Sky Mobile will let you roll over your unused data for up to 3 years

Sky has officially announced its entry into the mobile network market with Sky Mobile, its first 4G service.

It is initially offered with 12-month contracts and SIM only, although phones, such as Samsung devices and iPhones, will become available in 2017. It is also designed to be simple to understand, with three different price points for data.

There are also simple prices for calls and texts. If you opt to “pay as you use” it will cost you 10p per call minute or 10p per text. Or you can pay £10 per month for unlimited calls and texts.

Sky TV customers, however, get the latter for free. And it applies for up to five SIMs per household.

They will only pay for the data, which is offered at £10 for 1GB per month, £15 for 3GB per month or £20 for 5GB per month.

• What is Sky Mobile, how much does it cost and what is roll over data?
• What is Sky Q, how much does it cost and how can I get it?
• Now TV vs Now TV Smart Box vs Sky+HD vs Sky Q: Which Sky package is right for you?
• Sky Q review: The future of multi-room television?

Where the Sky Mobile deal differs from plans from other providers is that if you do not use all of your allotted data allowance, it rolls over. Some do roll over data to the following month, but Sky’s will be available for use for up to three years.

It is also cumulative, so you tot up more in reserve every month you use less. You can cash in your reserve data 1GB at a time.

Sky is offering other incentives too. Even though its plans are contracted for 12-months, you are free to change your plan up or down each month, so you can opt for more or less data allowance depending on how much you use.

The final incentive, called Sync, allows Sky TV customers to sync their home TV planner with their phones through Sky Go, to watch anywhere they like – over Wi-Fi, 4G or downloaded for offline viewing. It effectively gives Sky TV customers free access to Sky Go Extra.

This will be limited to Sky+ subscribers only at first, but Sky Q customers will also get it in the new year.

Sky Mobile is now available for pre-registration, with the first customers receiving their SIMs before Christmas. A more general release will start in mid-January.

What is Sky Mobile, how much does it cost and what is roll over data?

Sky has decided to join BT and Virgin Media in offering its own mobile network service alongside TV, landline and broadband.

Sky Mobile will be available for general sign-up from January 2017 and offers a few features you might not find anywhere else.

That’s why we’ve decided to give you a low down on the new network, what it costs and what you get for your money.

What is Sky Mobile?

In addition to its TV, broadband and landline services, Sky now offers a 4G mobile network service too. Sky Mobile is for existing Sky subscribers and new, non-Sky customers. There are benefits to having Sky TV too, but it is not necessary.

At present, it offers SIM only 12-month contracts, but that is likely to change at some point in 2017. Sky told Pocket-lint that it also plans to offer phones, such as those by Samsung and Apple’s iPhones, later next year.

It isn’t likely to add many other price plans though, as the aim of Sky Mobile is to be as simple and transparent as possible.

How much does Sky Mobile cost?

Sky mobile has a simple structure. There are three data plans and two options for calls and texts. You pick one of the plans, then choose how you want to pay for your calls and texts.

Data plans

• 1GB of data: £10 per month
• 3GB of data: £15 per month
• 5GB of data: £20 per month

Calls and texts

• Pay as you use: 10p a minute or talk time, 10p a text
• Unlimited calls and texts: £10 per month for non-Sky TV customers, free for Sky TV subscribers

For example, if you want 1GB of data a month and unlimited calls and texts, it’ll cost you £20 per month if you don’t also subscribe to Sky TV.

A Sky TV household can have up to five SIMs so a whole family can make use of free unlimited calls and texts on individual phones.

What network does Sky Mobile use?

As an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) Sky leases mobile spectrum from O2, so anywhere there is an O2 4G signal you will be able to use 4G data on your Sky Mobile service too.

You can check 3G and 4G coverage for your area in the UK here: http://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker

What’s different about Sky Mobile?

With so many other network providers, you might wonder why you should consider Sky Mobile over a rival, especially if the prices are similar? Sky has included a few interesting additional incentives to make its service a little different.

Roll

Unlike most, if not all, other providers Sky Mobile allows you to roll over your data allowance to use at a later date. What’s more, you have up to three years to use it.

At the end of every month, any leftover data is stored in a virtual piggy bank and you can cash in each 1GB you have acquired, which is then added to that month’s allowance. All rolled over data is also cumulative, so you can pile it up for when you need it most.

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Although Sky Mobile contracts are locked to 12-months, you have the option each month to change your plan. You can opt to either go up or down in data allowance and pay for than band from then on. Or you can switch from unlimited calls and texts to pay as you use and vice versa.

Sync

Sky+ customers with Sky Mobile can create playlists of their favourite content and stream or download them to their phones, over Wi-Fi or 4G. It also gives every Sky Mobile customer free Sky Go Extra (which usually costs £5 per month), and they can each use Sync on up to four devices.

The feature will also be coming for Sky Q customers later in 2017.

Are there any Sky Mobile add-ons?

If you run out of data or know you will need more in a specific month, you will be able to buy 1GB of extra data. We’re still waiting on pricing for add-ons.

What are Sky Mobile’s data roaming costs?

You will be able to use your Sky Mobile SIM when travelling around the world. Prices are yet to be revealed, but will be the same as rivals in Europe especially – considering that EU pricing throughout member states is capped. From June 2017 all data and mobile roaming throughout EU countries will be the same cost as at home.

We’re still waiting for pricing for roaming in places such as the US and Australia.

How do I get Sky Mobile?

Sky Mobile will be officially available from January 2017, with some customers who pre-registered early possibly getting it before Christmas. You can pre-register for your Sky Mobile SIM, whether you are an existing Sky customer or not, at sky.com/getmobile.

Blu Vivo 6 preview: Hands-on with an affordable metal alternative

Blu might be a familiar name in the US, but its venture into the UK is only just starting. It’s starting from an interesting position too.

Launching on Amazon.co.uk, the phone immediately offered a Black Friday deal dropping from its regular price of £239.99, to a pocket-satisfying £184.99. That’s not a lot of money for a 5.5-inch metal phone, but sadly that offer has now passed and we’re back to the still rather affordable £240.

Blu Vivo 6 preview: Design

• Metal unibody design
• 153 x 75.3 x 7.6mm, 170g

Metal is becoming a common thing in smartphones. What was once the artistry of HTC, now seems to be the defacto standard. It’s something that brands like Huawei and OnePlus have picked up on, drawing down metal from a £600 phone, to a £400 phone. Now Blu pulls it down under £300, into a price band where you’ll usually be looking at plastics.

The cool metal is nicely finished, with neat chamfering to the edges that give the phone a look we find reminiscent of Huawei’s devices, like the Mate S. The Blu Vivo 6 measures 153 x 75.3 x 7.6mm and weighs 170g.

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A soft rear curve and body-coloured antenna bands are the order of the day and despite the price point, it’s difficult to pick many faults with this design on first glance. It feels solid and good quality, even if the finishing around the display might not be quite as exciting as you’ll find on some more expensive models. 

Blu Vivo 6 preview: Hardware and specs

• MediaTek octo-core chipset, 4GB RAM
• 64GB storage with microSD
• 3130mAh battery with rapid charging

Sitting at the core of the Vivo 6 is a MediaTek octo-core chipset with 4GB RAM. There’s also 64GB of internal storage, with support for microSD, if you want to expand this further.

We’ve not had the chance to fully test the performance, but that’s a good loadout. The choice of MediaTek is typical of more affordable phones, but the 64GB of storage is generous, as is the RAM.

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There’s USB Type-C on the bottom of the handset, used to power the 3130mAh battery within. We’ve also not had the chance to test the endurance of the battery, but we’ll report back fully once we’ve spent some time with the phone.

There’s a fingerprint scanner on the front, flanked by touch dots. The fingerprint scanner offers unlocking as you’d expect, like the Samsung Galaxy S7, also doubling as a home button. The dots to either side offer your other Android navigation controls – back and recent apps – and the advantage of not using icons is that the functionality can be reversed according to your preference.

Blu Vivo 6 preview: Display

• 5.5-inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 401ppi

There’s a 5.5-inch display on the front of the Vivo 6. This isn’t the highest spec display that you’ll find at that this size, but the 1920 x 1080 pixels results in a pixel density of 401ppi. That’s a common figure, as many devices a step down from flagship spec offer this – from the Moto G4 to the OnePlus 3T.

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The display looks to be full of colour and vibrancy and for this price of handset, we’re impressed with its performance. We’ve seen better full HD displays at this size, especially some of those using AMOLED, but we’re happy with what we’ve seen so far. 

• OnePlus 3T review: Three cheers for the best mid-price phone

Blu Vivo 6 preview: Software

• Android Marshmallow
• Bundled Amazon and other apps

The Vivo 6 launches on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but gives it a reworking in a similar fashion to brands like Huawei. The aim is often to enhance the experience as well as provide some degree of uniqueness to help the phone standout against rival devices.

Sitting on an Android core, however, there’s always the argument that the software doesn’t need changing or altering as it’s a solid base. The biggest changes around the home screen environment include a swipe up to access shortcuts and settings – a little like the iPhone – with the swipe down only offering access to notifications.

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That doesn’t make a huge difference to use once you’re familiar with it, but in some ways to steps away from features that are perfect good or useful in stock Android. There’s no Do not Disturb access through the shortcuts, or the volume settings, although it still exists in the menu, making access a little harder, so it’s a feature you might never use to its full potential.

There’s also a range of bundled apps. These include Amazon apps – which we’d install anyway – and seeing as you’re likely to be buying this from Amazon, we’re not so offended. Then you have the addition of Opera as an alternative browser. If you’re a Google user, Chrome is likely your best bet and it’s also included, so the choice is yours. 

Aside from some tweaks and changes – and bear in mind that there’s no apps tray either – there are some other apps that are fun, like the Chameleon app that will let you select a colour using the camera and create a theme. That means you can theme your phone after the outfit you’re wearing, or to match your shoes, bag, car or whatever.

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There’s some duplication of other apps for entertainment, like music, video a gallery, in addition to the standard Android offering, which, as we’ve said, is now pretty sophisticated. 

But overall it’s difficult to be offended by the changes made in this phone. It’s a nip and a tuck and first impressions don’t ring any alarm bells for us. 

Blu Vivo 6 preview: Cameras

• 13-megapixel rear camera
• 8-megapixel front camera

The Vivo 6 packs in a 13-megapixel rear camera with phase detection autofocus and a flash. The pixels are small at 1.12µm, which might mean it’s less happy with low light conditions compared to some of the latest models out there.

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The app is heavily customised and again as a Huawei feeling about it, with plenty of options, like HDR, a pro mode to give you manual controls, timelapse, slowmo and so on. One minor limitation on the video front is that it only offers up to 1080p video capture, missing out on the latest 4K richness.

The front camera is 8-megapixels offering beauty mode and a range of themes you can apply. 

We’ve not had the chance to fully test the cameras, but we will report back with a full performance low down, once we do.

First Impressions

First impressions of the Blu Vivo 6 are good. This is a solidly designed and built Android handset that hits a number of important spec points with that big display, metal body, fingerprint scanner and ample storage and does so for not a lot of money.

We’ll be giving the Blu Vivo 6 a full workup as soon as we’ve had the chance to spend a little more time with this handset.

The Blu Vivo 6 is currently on sale unlocked at Amazon.co.uk.