Maserati Quattroporte review

Introduction

Sometimes going against the grain can work in your favour – and the Maserati Quattroporte luxury car is a great example of that.

You see, the Quattroporte is the Italian car maker’s answer to the Mercedes S-Class luxury limousine, but rather than concentrating on cosseting and lowering the heart rates of those sitting in the back seats, it aims to deliver a more exhilarating, high-octane experience.

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It stands out from the crowd with a cool and slightly rebellious demeanour, and has athletic proportions that make it look sharper than its luxury saloon rivals, which also include the Audi A8, the BMW 7 Series and the Porsche Panamera.

It also has a less tech-heavy interior than those models, making it feel like a more traditional option with sporting aspirations, in the spirit of the Jaguar XJ perhaps.

The engine range consists of two petrol options and doesn’t include any form of hybrid technology or electrification. There isn’t even a diesel for those wanting to cover long distances. There are two distinct trim levels too. Modena is linked to the entry-level V6, while Trofeo is the flagship V8-engined version.

So, the Maserati Quattroporte is designed to appeal to those who want to get to their destination with a bit more verve and a small adrenaline hit thrown into the journey, but does that formula still work in today’s world?

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What’s new?

- June 2016: facelifted Quattroporte launched, with updated looks and heavily revised interior
- September 2013: Quattroporte turbodiesel launched, featuring 271bhp 3.0-litre diesel engine
- January 2013: Maserati unveils new Quattroporte at Detroit motor show

Overview

The Quattroporte misses the mark when it comes to being a sporting luxury limo, trailing rivals for comfort and refinement, and if you’re seeking sports-car performance and handling, it’s not particularly convincing either. The loveable V8 engine adds a great sense of theatre, but there isn’t any other area where the Quattroporte is more pleasing than the opposition.

Pros

• Great sounding engines
• Relatively simple to use interior
• Smaller and nimbler than rivals

Cons

• Awkward driving position
• Not the most spacious
• Neither sporty or luxurious to drive

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Performance & drive

What it's like to drive, and how quiet it is

The Maserati Quattroporte’s power comes from one of two turbocharged petrol engines that drive the rear wheels. The entry-level 424bhp 3.0-litre V6 is no slouch, with a 0-62mph time of 5.0sec. The flagship 572bhp 3.8-litre V8 cuts that sprint time down to 4.5sec and will also break the 200mph barrier.

The V8 engine delivers its power in a linear manner and is quite happy to rev all the way to the limiter, producing a deep sonorous sound in the process. The exhaust note isn’t muffled by the turbochargers and is even louder in its sportier drive modes, which, unlike most cars nowadays, isn’t accompanied by artificial sound piped through the stereo speakers.

A standard-fit limited-slip differential maximises traction when exiting corners, while adaptive suspension lowers the ride height and firms up the dampers in Sport mode to improve body control. However, a press of the separate suspension button on the centre console can soften them if the road surface is too challenging.

The thing is, there isn’t really a huge difference in handling in the more aggressive setting. Indeed, the Quattroporte feels lighter than most rivals, but it’s not keenly tied down enough for drivers to really enjoy its handling. The light steering is also vague and quite slow to respond when turning in to corners. A Porsche Panamera is better and more engaging in these areas.

While the current version claims to be the most refined and comfortable yet, the result is rather a mixed bag. The suspension tries its best to be compliant over most surfaces, but the ride isn’t smooth enough to worry the Audi A8, the BMW 7 Series or the Mercedes S-Class. Worse still is that newer rivals, especially the BMW i7 (an electric car), have raised the bar when it comes to soaking up bumps and isolating occupants from the road surface.

It’s the same in terms of refinement. Road noise is low, while laminated side windows do a good job of cutting out wind noise. The Quattroporte doesn’t isolate you from the outside world as well as other luxury cars especially those propelled by an electric motor, whether it’s a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) S-Class or the electric i7.

The gearshifts from the standard eight-speed automatic gearbox aren’t as seamless as its rivals in automatic mode, and nor are they sharp enough when you’re in the mood to shift manually with the steering column mounted paddles. The brake pedal, while sharp, has an inconsistent response that makes it a bit tricky to shed speed smoothly.

Interior

The interior layout, fit and finish

It’s easy to adjust the steering wheel and seating position in the Maserati Quattroporte thanks to electric adjustment, but there’s no escaping the rather awkward driving position.

The steering wheel is slightly offset to the left, while the pedals are to the right side of the footwell, so your limbs never line up. The wide centre console that eats into the left side of the footwell means you have no choice but to rest your left leg on a padded area.

The seats are comfortable, but they are a little firmer than in most rivals, lacking that extra layer of padding you can sink into when sitting in an Audi A8, a BMW 7 Series or a Mercedes S-Class. All round visibility is good and full adaptive LED headlights come as standard to help out at night.

The driver’s instrument panel consists of analogue dials and 7.0in screen for the trip computer, and while they’re clear to read, they lack any form of customisation you get with a fully digital instrument panel. The setup is something you’d expect to see in a more affordable executive car.

Meanwhile, the 10.1in centre touchscreen infotainment system is quite straightforward to use, with shortcut keys running along the bottom and left side of the screen, making it easy to hop between menus. Sat-nav is standard, while connecting your phone is easy enough, with wireless Apple Carplay included.

There’s no getting away from the fact that the screen is quite small by today’s standards, though, and the buttons down by the gearlever for the driver’s controls are quite small and difficult to read.

That said, unlike the A8 and the S-Class, with their touchscreen-operated ventilation controls, the Quattroporte has physical buttons that are easy to find and use. A rotary control to adjust the volume for the stereo located by the gearlever is in easy reach. Oddly, the buttons for the powered bootlid and parking sensors are located high up on the ceiling by the courtesy light.

A Harman Kardon stereo is standard, although a 1280W Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system upgrade is available as an option on both trims.

On the whole, the interior struggles to feel as opulent as in other luxury cars. Most surfaces are covered with softly padded material, but they do contrast badly with the plastic sections of trim for some of the minor items elsewhere, such as the centre air vents, the gear lever and switchgear for the climate control, and driver controls. They look cheap and dated for a car costing more than £110,000, and don't feel very well damped.

Passenger & boot space

How it copes with people and clutter

Awkward driving position aside, there is enough room in the front of the Maserati Quattroporte for someone around 6ft tall. There are also plenty of lidded storage areas for drinks, keys and phones on the centre console.

Head room in the rear is more limited, although leg room back there is fine for a 6ft tall occupant. The narrow, raised seat base and large hump on the floor isn’t so accommodating for a third passenger, though.

The Quattroporte isn’t available with a long-wheelbase version that offers even more rear seat space for occupants to stretch out. Both the Audi A8 and the Mercedes S-Class are available in longer limo versions.

Maserati doesn't give you much in the way of rear-seat adjustment, either. While the BMW 7 Series and long-wheelbase versions of the A8 and S-Class have the option of fitting two individual seats that can electrically recline, the Quattroporte is only available with a fixed three-seat bench.

In terms of storage space, there are storage nets on the back of the front seats, and a small storage area on the fold-down centre armrest, along with a pair of small cupholders.

At 530 litres the boot is competitive, and it’s long with a fairly broad opening. The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split if you need to accommodate longer items, which you can’t do in the A8.

Buying & owning

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

With prices north of £110,000 for the entry-level V6 Modena, you’ll have to dig deep into your pockets to buy a Maserati Quattroporte. If you like the sound of the V8, you’ll have to dig even deeper, with the Trofeo costing more than £140,000.

Running costs are expectedly high. In terms of fuel economy, the V6 achieves an official figure of 26.2mpg, while the V8 drops down to 22.6mpg. Neither of these engines will make sense for company car drivers either, with the V6 emitting 250g/km of CO2. For that, a fully electric BMW i7 or Mercedes EQS is worth a look, or at least the Mercedes S-Class S580e plug-in hybrid (PHEV), with its official electric-only range of more than 60 miles.

Entry-level Modena comes with 19in alloy wheels, leather upholstery, heated front seats and gloss-black trim finishers. Trofeo adds larger 20in wheels, red brake calipers, carbon-fibre exterior highlights and red detailing on the side vents. Inside, there’s upgraded leather upholstery.

Maserati likes to offer customisation as a big attraction, so the range of exterior paint colours and interior schemes are broad and quite vivid, even if they’ll push the price up considerably.

Option packs include a Comfort Package that adds four-zone climate control, a powered rear sunblind, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. Those wanting a sportier touch can option the Interior Carbon Package on both versions, adding carbon-fibre trim finishers around the interior.

Safety equipment is rather sparse, especially for a luxury car. You’ll have to pay extra for the Driver Assistance Package Plus on both trim levels in order to get adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking (AEB), traffic-sign recognition and blind-spot monitoring. There are Isofix child seat mounts on the outer rear seats.

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