What will they cost?

While neither the Maserati Levante nor the Porsche Macan is what you’d call cheap, the latter costs £8000 less to buy outright before options, and it is also predicted to lose value far more slowly during the first three years of its life.

It’s the same story if you’re planning to buy on finance, as most customers will. Sign up to a three-year PCP contract – with a £10,000 deposit and a 12,000-mile annual limit – and you’ll pay £377 a month for the Macan and a whopping £694 per month for the Levante. The Macan is also around £150 a month cheaper to lease.

If you’re considering running one of these luxury SUVs as a company car, the Macan is again the cheaper option. The Levante has far higher CO2 emissions, which is largely why it will cost you £5000 more in benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax over a three-year period, assuming you’re a 40% taxpayer.

The expense doesn’t stop there with the Levante, either. It drinks more diesel than the Macan, it costs more in road tax and it's likely to cost you £1000 more in servicing bills over three years.

As standard, both cars come with cruise control, climate control, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, an electric tailgate and front and rear parking sensors. The Levante adds xenon lights, leather seats, sat-nav, keyless entry, air suspension and adjustable lumbar support to that kit list, all of which are pricey extras on the Macan.

As for safety, it’s disappointing that neither car comes with automatic emergency braking – and you can’t even add this important safety aid as an option. The Macan’s five-star Euro NCAP safety rating should provide some reassurance if you are unfortunate enough to have a crash; the Levante hasn’t been tested yet.