2023 Maserati Grecale First Drive: A Muscular, High-Style SUV

Cavorting through the Roman countryside in the 2023 Maserati Grecale—home turf for this oft-struggling luxury brand—shows this muscular, high-style SUV at its best. 

The luxury, high-performance Grecale SUV is here after a slight delay after its March 2022 debut with three different trims using two different engines. An all-electric Folgore will make its way to dealerships next year. The Grecale arrives as a new, little sibling to the Italian automaker’s Levante, its first SUV. 

How Much Does the Grecale Cost?

The Grecale is Maserati’s most American-friendly model in its 108-year-history, not least for a starting price of $64,995, including a $1,495 destination charge. That’s for a Grecale GT with 296 horsepower from a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder with a 48-volt mild-hybrid assist. Kicking in $74,395 nets a Grecale Modena. That bread-and-butter model boosts the four-cylinder to a healthier 325 horses, delivering frisky acceleration in what’s still among the priciest models in its class. Despite the mild electric boost, there’s a touch of turbo lag, before the Maserati gathers itself and surges forward with surprising pace. 

The bigger question for the Grecale is how it will perform in America as a compact luxury SUV in a class bursting at the seams with formidable competitors. A CliffsNotes list includes the Porsche Macan, Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Audi Q5, Jaguar F-Pace and Genesis GV70. If that’s not enough, Maserati faces in-house Italian competition from its Stellantis stablemate: The Alfa Romeo Stelvio that shares the Maserati’s basic architecture, and is one of the sportiest SUVs you can buy.

Top-of-the-Line Trofeo 

For big spenders, there’s the Grecale Trofeo, at $103,995, or nearly $20,000 beyond a 2023 Porsche Macan GTS. Go wild on options, and this Maserati can brush $120,000, making the Trofeo by far the most expensive small SUV in U.S. showrooms. 

To help justify it, the Trofeo plays a trump card in the 3.0-liter “Nettuno” engine found in the Maserati MC20 supercar and all-new GranTurismo. This twin-turbo jewel—with a surprisingly chesty sound that suggests a much-larger engine—delivers a class-thumping 523 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. An ingenious twin spark-plug, pre-chamber combustion system, derived from Formula One tech, is one secret to that overachieving power. The resulting Maserati is more powerful than even the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63, BMW X3M or X4M, or Stelvio Quadrifoglio, which all barely nose past 500 horsepower. Near-exotic touches include an ultra-light driveshaft formed from carbon fiber. 

The upshot is a rocketing 3.6-second excursion to 60 mph and a 177 mph top speed. Racy, oversized aluminum paddle shifters control a slick eight-speed automatic transmission. The Trofeo’s standard adaptive air suspension (optional on the Modena version) ranges through six settings and multiple ride heights, including the tallest off-road setting. 

A Plush Ride

A selection of drive modes, accessed via a Porsche-like steering-wheel dial, feature Comfort, GT, Sport and Off-Road. The Modena model we tested delivered an especially plush ride, albeit at the expense of some unwanted, pogo-like body motions over rippling pavement. The Trofeo adds a fifth Corsa, or “Race” mode that tautens the adaptive suspension, at the expense of a flinty ride, plus an automated launch control for maximum acceleration. 

Power Brembo brakes halt the Grecale with confidence. And no matter the model, the steering is a highlight, with a delightfully pure, agile and responsive feel that’s a hallmark of the best Italian cars. The Maserati doesn’t quite match the Macan for corner-carving precision, but it’s still top-tier. Even an everyday Toyota or Chevy owner might instantly appreciate how smartly the Maserati pours itself through curves, as smoothly as a Barolo flowing from a decanter. 

High-Performance Looks

The Maserati is definitely a looker, even if the shape hews to the familiar mold of performance SUVs including the Alfa, Jaguar and Porsche. The Grecale’s statement-making grille recalls the mouth of an exotic undersea creature, appropriately capped with the brand’s Trident badge. A long hood and flowing shape incorporates sharp details including porthole openings on front fenders, trapezoidal shaped rear roof pillars and boomerang tail lamps. Handsome alloy wheels range from 19 to 21 inches.

The Grecale melds old-world graciousness—check out the swaths of puffy leather, like some high-end apres-ski wear—with the kind of generous displays and smartly designed infotainment you don’t always expect in an Italian car. The high style extends to a wide selection of trims, including dark ash burl wood, and more choices in upholstery than most competitors, including an appealing dark red or an icy gray that verges on white. 

High-Tech Interior

Nearly everything is operated by touch, or via new Maserati Intelligent Assistant interface and its “Hey, Maserati” voice prompts. That’s all powered by the familiar Android Automotive OS system. 

Diffuse ambient lighting backdrops a sharp 12.3-inch center screen with 15 million pixels and Ultra-HD. A second, somewhat busy-looking 8.8-inch climate screen angles below it, sheltering a wireless charge pad in the console. A generously reconfigurable 12.3-inch driver’s display houses more handsome graphics and guides for various advanced driver assistance systems. Those include standard automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function, blind spot monitor, lane-keeping assist and active lane management with assisted steering. 

An optional head-up display is among the best in the luxury game—right up there with BMW’s latest—including detailed navigation guides spread over a notably large viewing area. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot and the Maserati Connect system are standard. The Grecale offers Maserati’s first wearable, smartwatch-style key. 

High-Style Cabin

The Grecale’s biggest misstep may be its front seats. They’re lovely to look at or touch, wrapped in fragrant double-stitched leather. But the seats are so aggressively bolstered, and the backrest so narrow, that even this relatively slim driver felt like he was perched atop the seat instead of fully nestled in. I kept imagining how a burly American would feel about the tight squeeze. 

While driving, the transmission shift knobs on the dashboard also sparked disapproval: The buttons’ vague feel and basic-black plastic didn’t keep up with the otherwise posh interior vibe, especially for such a critical touch point. 

To the better, a striking digital clock atop the dash—or “smart watch” in Maserati parlance—offers a range of display styles, from a classic watch dial to a digital numeric readout. That clock can be reprogrammed to act as a compass or g-force meter (an accelerometer), or to give visual feedback for voice commands. A pair of audio systems are from Italian company Sonus Faber, with handsome laser-cut speaker grilles, and an optional 1,000-watt, 21-speaker unit. 

It’s certainly a roomy cabin, whether up front or in back, where Maserati claims class-best legroom. The rear cargo hatch is about average for the class with about 20 cubic-feet of stowage: bigger than the scrawny Macan, smaller than serious cargo-swallowers like the BMW and Jaguar. The cargo bay integrates moveable tie-down points on twin rails, with a touch more storage below the floor. 

Special Treatments

Special Grecale PrimaSerie versions, limited to 1,000 copies, add features including exclusive paints, a more-imposing grille, premium leather upholstery and PrimaSerie stitching on headrests. 

Next year, a Grecale Folgore arrives as an electric rival to higher-end versions of the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and others. It will be the first all-electric vehicle from Maserati.

A New Type of SUV Owner

It’s clear the Maserati Grecale is a different beast, aimed at buyers who want to stand out from the vast SUV herd. A typical Acura, Audi or Volvo buyer may not even consider it. The Maserati name is often redolent of pricey exotica or suspect long-term quality. A Maserati will strike such folks as an indulgent toy and a bridge too far, even in this newfound guise as a semi-practical SUV. And while the Trofeo version is a thrill to drive, dispatching lesser SUVs with addictive ease and a baritone battle cry, its six-figure price puts it beyond the reach of all but a few shoppers in this class. 

Even the highest-volume, 325-hp Modena edition can soar past $80,000—or $90,000 with options. That makes the Grecale an SUV for a decidedly self-selecting buyer: The kind that happily pays top dollar for Italian designer goods.