Maserati Grecale review

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

The Grecale was the second SUV to join the Italian brand's line-up, and is smaller and cheaper than the Maserati Levante luxury SUV, potentially boosting its appeal to a larger market.

That’s a formula Porsche has already implemented to great success, with its Porsche Macan quickly becoming one of the brand’s best-selling models.

To broaden the Grecale’s appeal against the Macan – and other rivals including the Audi Q5 and BMW X1 – Maserati gives you the choice of two relatively efficient mild-hybrids, a performance-focused 3.0-litre V6 and an all-electric version, called the Folgore. 

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 trim you go for.

The least powerful is the GT and we think it’s the best choice. It gets a 296bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with some mild-hybrid assistance and can sprint from 0-62mph in a punchy 5.6 seconds. That’s more than enough for everyday driving and beats all versions of the Audi Q5.

For more power, look at the 325bhp mild-hybrid Modena or the performance-focused Trofeo. The Trofeo gets a 523bhp 3.0-litre V6 and will get to 62mph from a rest in just 3.8 seconds, which is quicker than the Porsche Macan S.

Then there’s the Folgore, Maserati’s first electric SUV and the most powerful Grecale. With 550bhp from two electric motors, its 0-62mph time of 4.1 seconds makes it the second quickest Grecale, and the instant hit of torque off the line means it feels more than fast enough.

The Folgore’s 97kWh battery (usable capacity) will officially take it 311 miles between charges, which is little less than the Tesla Model Y Performance can manage. As with all electric cars, the actual range you get is likely to be less than that.

Adaptive air suspension is standard on Trofeo and the electric Folgore versions, and optional on lower-trim Grecales. The ride is firm regardless of which set-up you go for, with occupants moving around in their seat over bumps more than they would in a BMW X3. It’s even more pronounced in the Folgore, due to its extra weight.

Thankfully, no Grecale ever really crosses the line into discomfort, especially at speed, but rivals will still be more comfortable. That’s the case whether you have the adaptive suspension or not. It’s quite an expensive option, and we don’t reckon the extra control it gives you when dealing with rougher surfaces justifies forking out for it.

More importantly for a sports SUV, all 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.

Despite its extra weight, the Folgore makes a good showing among its electric SUV competitors, handling almost identically to the petrol versions. As a result, it's much more fun to drive than the Tesla Model Y Performance.

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 Porsche Macan, 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 highlighted by the Folgore’s lack of engine noise. 

Driving overview 

Strengths Impressive refinement; strong engines

Weaknesses GT doesn’t sound great; not as dynamic as the Macan

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

You can change the size of the side bolster by a huge amount, 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 touchscreen.

Speaking of which, pretty much everything – from the infotainment features to the climate control – is controlled through the central 12.3in infotainment touchscreen or the smaller 8.8in one that sits below it.

The icons on both screens are quite large, making them easy to hit, but proper physical buttons like the ones you’ll find in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio would be preferable, and less distracting to use when you're driving.

Every Grecale comes with the latest version of Maserati’s infotainment system, which is equipped with 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 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.

Luckily, 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, but there’s no option of adding self-parking, as there is on the Porsche Macan.

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 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, given the price tag, you’d expect the material quality to be even better, and aside from the showroom appeal of the glitz and glam, it doesn’t feel as robust as a BMW X3 or Porsche Macan, which excel when it comes to interior quality.

Interior overview

Strengths Comfortable driving position; good interior quality

Weaknesses Rival interiors feel sturdier; infotainment isn’t as good as rivals

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, even if you’re both quite broad.

There’s also a generous amount of storage spaces in the front, with the wide centre console housing a cubby below the two touchscreens for your phone (or optional wireless phone-charging), a small covered cubby with USB ports, two huge 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.

Rear-seat passengers will find they have a good amount of head room and slightly more knee and leg room than in a Porsche Macan. It’s still no match for the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 though. The rear interior is quite dark, owing to the black roof lining, which makes you feel more hemmed in than you actually are.

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.

Like the X3 and Macan, 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.

For maximum boot space, you’ll want to go for the Trofeo trim because it doesn't have any hybrid equipment under the boot floor. Opting for GT, Modena or Folgore reduces space from 570 litres to 535 litres, but that’s still more than enough for everyday life. It's also more than the Macan – and we managed to fit eight carry-on suitcases in that.

Practicality overview 

Strengths Lots of front and rear space; big boot

Weaknesses Audi Q5’s rear seats are slightly more versatile

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 as much as a mid-spec Porsche Macan S and almost as much as the BMW X3 M40i. The Grecale Folgore electric car is even more expensive, costing more than any BMW iX3. 

The petrol versions are predicted to depreciate at about the same rate as the X3, but the Macan is king when it comes to slow depreciation in the sports SUV class, so PCP finance deals on one of those have the potential to be much cheaper. 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 has access to Tesla’s brilliant Supercharger network and will charge slightly faster. 

While the price tag might be quite large, the entry-level GT trim doesn't come with the amount of equipment you’d expect, getting 19in alloy wheels, leather seat upholstery, as well as parking sensors, touchscreen infotainment and LED headlights.

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.

Costs overview 

Strengths Lots of equipment on most trims; competitive depreciation

Weaknesses Expensive to buy

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