Maserati Grecale review

The Maserati Grecale follows the Maserati tradition of naming cars on a weather theme (a Grecale is a strong Mediterranean wind). Yet despite sticking with that trend, it's unlike any previous model.

You see, to broaden the Grecale’s appeal, the Italian brand gives you the choice of two mild-hybrid engines, a performance-focused 3.0-litre V6 plus an all-electric version, called the Folgore.

The Grecale is one of two SUVs in the Maserati line-up (alongside the bigger Maserati Levante) and its combination of plenty of pace and relatively compact dimensions has worked well for rival models. They include the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 while the Folgore competes with the Porsche Macan Electric.

So is the Maserati Grecale a worthy competitor to the best sports SUVs – and indeed, can the Folgore compete with the best electric SUVs? Read on to find out...

If you choose one of the petrol versions, the engine in the front of the Maserati Grecale – and the amount of power you have – depends on the trim you go for.

The least powerful version is the Grecale GT. The 296bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with mild-hybrid assistance allows it to sprint from 0-62mph in a punchy 5.6 seconds (the exhaust sounds good during spirited driving too). That’s more than enough for everyday journeys and is quicker than all versions of the Audi Q5. We think the GT is the best choice.

The Grecale Modena gets a 325bhp version of the GT’s engine and a 5.3 seconds 0-62mph time, while the performance-focused Trofeo has 523bhp – enough to get to 62mph in just 3.8 seconds, which matches the quickest Alfa Romeo Stelvio (the Quadrifoglio).

Then there’s the Grecale Folgore, Maserati’s first electric SUV. With two electric motors and 550bhp, it has more power than the Trofeo but is not quite as fast, managing a 0-62mph sprint in 4.1 seconds. The instant hit of torque off the line means it feels more than fast enough but a Porsche Macan Turbo Electric is even quicker (3.3 seconds).

The Folgore’s 97kWh (usable capacity) battery will officially take it 310 miles on a full charge, which is slightly less than the Tesla Model Y Performance and quite a long way behind the Macan Turbo Electric (367 miles). As with all electric cars, the real range will be less.

Adaptive air suspension is standard on Trofeo and Folgore versions. It's also available as an option on GT and Modena cars, but we don’t think the difference in softness between settings when dealing with rougher surfaces justifies the extra cost.

The ride in the GT has the best balance of comfort and body control, while the sportier Modena version is noticeably firmer and will have occupants moving around in their seat over bumps more than they would in a BMW X3. No Grecale ever really crosses the line into discomfort but rivals are more comfortable.

Despite the extra weight from its battery, the Folgore’s suspension absorbs bumps well and it's far more forgiving than a Tesla Model Y – although it can't match the body control of a BMW iX3. It pitches around enough to subject occupants to a minor amount of head toss.

More importantly for a sports SUV, the petrol versions of the Grecale are pretty handy on a twisty road. It’s very easy to drive quickly, with all-wheel drive as standard across the range giving you loads of grip through corners. Better still, the steering is weighted really well, giving you plenty of feedback about what the front end is doing.

Meanwhile, the Grecale Folgore is more fun to drive than a Model Y Performance. Its rear-biased power delivery helps it feel balanced when powering out of corners and the steering has a more natural response when turning in to bends. Still, we wouldn’t call it agile, and if you push it, the suspension struggles to contain body lean and mid-corner bumps at the same time.

When it comes to refinement, the Grecale is impressively good at isolating you from wind and road noise. Indeed, it's better at that than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and you can add laminated side windows to the lower two trim levels to make them even quieter. There is quite a lot of suspension noise though – something that’s most noticeable in the all-electric version.

“The entry-level GT gets my vote as the best version of the Grecale, with a good ride and handling balance for everyday usability plus enough performance to add a bit of excitement.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

When you jump behind the wheel of the Maserati Grecale it's easy to get comfy thanks to every version coming with an electrically adjustable steering wheel and driver’s seat (including lumbar support).

You can change the size of the seat's side bolster, but while all other seat adjustments are done through buttons on the side of the seat, that option is hidden in a menu within the 12.3in infotainment touchscreen.

Speaking of which, pretty much everything – including the climate control – is controlled through the touchscreen or a smaller 8.8in screen that sits below it. Most of the icons are big enough that they're easy to hit when you're driving, but having to look down to use the lower screen can be distracting. Proper physical buttons like the ones you’ll find in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio would be preferable.

Every Grecale has DAB radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, Amazon Alexa and built-in sat-nav. The graphics have improved vastly over the Maserati Levante system but there’s often still a bit of a delay between your prods and the system reacting.

When you're not looking at the screens, you’ll have a good view out over the bonnet, but the wide front window pillars encroach on your view out at junctions. It’s much the same story when you look over your shoulder, with the rear pillars blocking your view.

To make parking easier, every Grecale comes with front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera. For even more assistance, you can add an optional 360-degree camera. For great visibility at night, bright LED headlights with automatic high beam are standard, with adaptive matrix units available as an option.

While material quality has been a bit of a let down on other Maserati car models, we’re happy to report that the Grecale has improved things. Even in entry-level GT trim, you’ll find leather or suede on almost every surface, and unlike in previous versions, few plastic panels. You even have the option of adding some wood to the centre console.

The thing is though, given the price tag you’d expect the material quality to be even better. The buttons on the steering wheel feel cheap and aside from the showroom appeal of the glitz and glam, it doesn’t feel as robust as a BMW X3 or Porsche Macan Electric.

“The Grecale’s interior is smart and more intuitive to use than in previous Maseratis but I found it hard to ignore some buttons and switches I recognised from Fiat models.” – Dan Jones, Senior reviewer

You’re unlikely to be short of head or leg room in the front of the Maserati Grecale even if you’re more than 6ft tall. What’s more, the interior is wide, preventing you from rubbing shoulders with your front passenger.

There’s also a generous amount of storage space in the front, with a wide centre console housing a cubby for your phone (with optional wireless phone-charging), a small covered cubby with USB ports, two cupholders and storage in the central armrest. The glovebox gives you a decent amount of space, but the door cubbies are rather stingy, taking only a large bottle of water.

The Audi Q5 and BMW X3 are more spacious in the back than the Grecale, but two 6ft tall passengers will find they have a good amount of head and leg room. Thanks to the interior width, you can squeeze three people into the back seats, although the middle-seat passenger will have to contend with a large transmission tunnel between their legs and slightly less head room, due to the seat being raised compared with the outer seats.

As with the X3, the Grecale’s rear seats split in a 40/20/40 configuration and fold flat with the boot floor, making it easy to load in long items. You can’t slide them back and forth as you can in high-spec Q5s though.

The Grecale Trofeo has 570 litres of boot space while the other versions have 535 litres. That's competitive against the main rivals and should be plenty for most families' needs. For comparison, most versions of the X3 have 550 litres, which was enough to take eight carry-on suitcases when we tested it.

"It’s smaller than the Levante but I still found the Grecale hugely practical, with plenty of space inside and a good boot." – Lawrence Cheung, New cars editor

Compared with its rivals, the Maserati Grecale looks quite expensive as a cash purchase. Indeed, even the entry-level GT version will set you back significantly more than a high-spec Alfa Romeo Stelvio Tributo. The Grecale Folgore electric car is even more expensive, costing more than any BMW iX3 or Porsche Macan Electric. 

The petrol versions are predicted to depreciate at about the same rate as the BMW X3. To check the latest prices and offers, see our New Car Deals pages. 

Despite two of the Grecales having mild-hybrid tech, all the petrol versions sit in the top benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bracket. As such, company car drivers will want to go for the electric Folgore, which will attract significantly less tax. 

The Folgore has a maximum charging speed of up to 150kW, meaning you can expect to charge from 20-80% in around half an hour. The Tesla Model Y Performance will charge slightly faster, but the Macan’s peak charging rate of 270kW is far superior and gives it a 10-80% charge time of around 20 minutes. 

The Grecale GT comes with 19in alloy wheels, leather seat upholstery, a 14-speaker sound system, keyless entry, two-zone climate control, a powered tailgate and LED headlights. There are plenty of options to push up the price though, including rear privacy glass, ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof and a 21-speaker sound system.

Taking a step up to Modena adds a few more luxuries, including 20in alloy wheels and premium leather. The performance-focused Trofeo gets sportier styling, carbon-fibre interior trim and better brakes. The Folgore comes with largely the same equipment as the Trofeo but with bespoke styling inside and out.

The safety experts at Euro NCAP have yet to test the Grecale, but it’s good to know you get a decent amount of standard safety equipment, including automatic emergency braking (AEB). Disappointingly given the price tag, you’ll need to add one of the optional Driver Assistance Plus packs if you want blind-spot monitoring or lane assist.

“Given the relatively high list price, I’d expect rear privacy glass and ambient lighting to be standard on the GT version.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

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