2023 Maserati Grecale Review: Only With Someone Else’s Money

2023 Maserati Grecale Pros:

– Magnificent posh ultra-premium interior.

– Attractive styling.

2023 Maserati Grecale Cons:

– Pricing is completely out of whack with the segment.

– Ride quality is terrible.

– MHEV powertrain is buzzy and unrefined.

Small premium SUVs have become a battleground for luxury automakers where money is made, and sales volumes are met. In fact, as we know, offering an SUV and new deliveries will skyrocket. Over at Maserati, they need something to lift off as the Levante never quite managed to leave a small scratch in its segment. The next round will belong to the Grecale.

But it won’t

First, Maserati is a highly exclusive low-volume automaker not expected to compete directly with Genesis, Volvo, Lexus, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, or BMW but rather Porsche. Like the latter, the Italian carmaker does not sell “inexpensive”, but rather a lifestyle, an aspirational and posh one at that. Now, however legendary and exotic the Maserati might be, its pedigree will not sway buyers away from the German super-foursome, or very many for the others.

While the Grecale’s styling turns heads if mostly because of its stunning grille and fascia, it will have consumers turn away once they learn what Maserati is asking for the base model. At more than $77,000 before all fees, the base GT is pricier than an Audi SQ5 and a BMW X3 M40i – both offer more kit and far more power. And it only gets worse from here.

Exceptional craftsmanship

It can’t be all bad, obviously. As with all Maserati vehicles, the interior is a thing of beauty, blended with fantastic materials, attention to detail, and all of it soaked in luxury. Most importantly, there are no longer any remnants from the Chrysler parts bin that can be found anywhere.

My tester’s cabin was especially beautiful, eye-wateringly so in truth. The optional premium leather interior is Bentley-worthy, while fit and finish are superb. There’s room for four adults and some stuff in the boot – guaranteed all will be impressed once onboard. That is, until they hear the various tones that follow start-up… What the heck? Passengers will be impressed by the display screens, but as a user, you’ll find that the screens are slow to respond and overloaded with controls, especially on the lower unit, which holds HVAC commands.

The 2023 Maserati Grecale’s outer shell isn’t quite as exquisite, particularly for the base GT model. Stepping up to the near-$88,000 Modena, as tested, throws in visual upgrades such as larger wheels and tires as well as a few sporty body add-ons. The Grecale you see here includes optional 21-inch wheels, the aforementioned leather, and many more features for a mind-blowing total that hovers near the $110,000 mark.

Why so much?

There’s no nice way to put this, but short of the super-posh cabin, the Porsche Macan levels the Grecale in every other respect, including value! A Macan S is priced from about $85,000, while a magnificent Macan GTS starts at around $100k. No one will argue that Maserati is a more prestigious brand, nor will many note that Grecale will be more exclusive.

Once more, compared to all others, including the Genesis Electrified GV70 or an eventual Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, the Maserati offers fewer features, less power, and possibly the worst driving experience.

What kills it for good

The lower two trims are powered by a turbocharged mild-hybrid 2.0L 4-cylinder engine. Output for the GT is rated at 296 hp while the Modena earns 325, both providing 332 lb-ft of torque. Sadly, this mill is noisy and buzzy, shakes when idling, and sounds quite unconvincing. The ZF 8-speed automatic transmission does its best to get things moving, but it never settles into a groove. The final result is a powertrain that is never settled, unrefined, and generally unpleasant.

Ride-wise, the included adjustable dampers are never sporty, nor do they deliver any level of comfort. In sport mode, they’re unforgiving without any real-world improvement in handling. Truly, there’s no way to actually enjoy the driving experience.

If it’s someone else’s money…

Realistically, the only thing going for the Grecale is that it’s a Maserati, which sounds exotic. As a company expense, for a year maybe, go for it, but make sure you take all precautions where coverage is concerned.

Otherwise, do like the neighbours and get a BMW X3, Audi Q5, or Benz GLC. For the ultimate experience, get a Macan or an Electrified GV70.