Think Maserati, and you’d probably picture a seductive, low-slung sports car or perhaps a sharply suited sedan. The Maserati featured here is of a very different type, shape and form. This is the Grecale, and by virtue of being an SUV, it’s the most India-friendly Maserati you can buy.
Maserati Grecale exterior design
The Grecale is Maserati’s second SUV after the Levante, which is now in its run-out phase, with production having stopped earlier this year. The Grecale is half a size smaller than the Levante, and in dimensions, it slots in between a Porsche Macan and Cayenne. The Grecale’s job is to fly the Italian flag in a segment crowded by German alternatives, and design is the differentiator.
The classic Maserati elements are all there – low-set concave grille, a trio of vents at the sides, the distinctive cut to the glass house and the trident logo on the D-pillar. The Grecale is undoubtedly sporty in its stance and, like the latest Maseratis, looks better in person than it does on screen. To my eyes, though, larger headlights would have given the Grecale a stronger face.
Quad exhausts establish the Grecale as something serious at the back. Not to get geeky, but the boomerang shape of the rear running lights and ridge on the bumpers are a visual link to the 3200 GT’s iconic LED lights. All in all, the Grecale looks exotic, and that’s half the job done.
Maserati Grecale interior and features
The Grecale is very inviting inside, too, and it’s where old-school Italian craftsmanship meets new-age tech. There’s a generous use of leather all throughout the cabin, and the pattern stitched on the dashboard is a particularly rich touch. In fact, there’s a warmth to the Grecale’s cabin that you wouldn’t get in a Porsche. I’m not entirely sold on the classic analogue clock atop the dash making way for a digital one, but you can shuffle between three clock faces or have the screen display either a compass or a G-meter or brake and throttle measure.
There are three other screens – of course, large in size. The 12.3-inch IP is neat, while the 12.3-inch centre touchscreen is slick to respond, though it has lots to display, so the menus take some getting used to. There’s another 8.8-inch touchscreen lower down for the climate control system, among other functions. Touchscreens for climate control are not an ideal solution, but at least the Maserati’s is among the best of the kind: swipe left or right anywhere on the screen to control blower speed, swipe up or down to adjust the temperature. In effect, you don’t need to take your eyes off the road to aim at a specific area.
The Grecale does have its quirks. For instance, while the steering is home to a lot of buttons, including the start-stop and drive mode selector, you won’t find any audio or volume buttons here. That’s because they’re hidden from view, behind the steering spokes. Then, there’s no gear lever at the centre console or Mercedes-like gear stalk behind the steering wheel either. Rather, the Grecale has buttons on the dash for park, reverse, neutral and drive, with dagger-sized paddles mounted on the steering column for gear selection. And when it’s time to exit the car, you’ll realise that there’s no lever to pull; a button does the job.
In terms of features, the Grecale gets quite a bit, including a panoramic sunroof, front seat heating and cooling, a head-up display, a 360-degree camera, and three-zone climate control, with many of these being paid options.
The Grecale is not an SUV we’d wholeheartedly recommend for chauffeur-driven buyers. The kneeroom is comfortable for six-footers, but the headroom is limited, and the backrest adjust is also missed. Maserati has packaged in a fold-down centre armrest with two cup holders as well as storage for a mobile phone, and rear-seat passengers get a dedicated zone for the climate control system. There’s a very usable 535 litres of luggage space behind the rear seats, and flat-fold seats mean the space can be enhanced further. Sadly, there’s no spare tyre. All you get is a puncture-repair kit.
Maserati Grecale performance and powertrain
The Grecale is available in three flavours. There’s the range-topping GrecaleTrofeo with the 530hp Nettuno 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine from the MC20. The Grecale Modena and this Grecale GT aren’t quite as special under the hood. A 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine is the source of power, but it packs in mild-hybrid tech to assist the engine at full load, and there’s also an electric compressor to help bottom-end performance. The numbers sure are promising: 330hp on the Modena and 300hp on this GT.
This engine might not be large in absolute terms, but it’s got the soul of a larger engine. It’s got more to give low down in the rev band than you’d expect, and it doesn’t necessarily feel turbocharged as you go further up the rev range. The Grecale always feels light on its feet and very likeable. Find the right road, press down hard on the accelerator, and the Grecale will also rev very urgently to 6,000rpm. The 5.6-second 0-100kph time means that even in this mildest of guises, the Grecale is fast. Top speed is limited to 240kph.
The Grecale sends power to all four wheels via ZF’s 8-speed gearbox. You’ll be very tempted to use the feelsome paddle shifters, but the gearbox isn’t lightning-quick in its responses and won’t grant you a high rpm downshift when you really want it. It’s best to leave the gearbox to its own devices.
Maserati Grecale handling and ride quality
The build of speed is backed up by a nice soundtrack. The engine sounds sweet, and the exhaust note is really wholesome. There is a buzzkill, though, and that’s the speed-warning buzzer. The other thing? The Grecale is quite muted inside and actually sounds better and louder when it passes by you. For the full sound effect, you’ll need to dial things up to Sport. There’s also a Sport setting for the suspension and steering that brings in a bit more weight and makes the Grecale feel pointier.
The Grecale really comes into its own on a winding road. There’s a crispness to the whole setup; the steering is light but precise, and grip levels are good throughout. The Grecale really is up there with a Porsche Macan in handling, and that is very high praise. I’m not sure how many buyers will give handling much weightage, but the Grecale does comfort well, too. No, it’s not pillowy soft, and there is a firmness to the setup, but you won’t be chucked about even on the worst of patches. And remember I said it’s the most India-friendly Maserati? Speed breakers are the nemesis of low-slung Maseratis. Thankfully, this is not a problem for the Grecale as it glides over bumps without the underbody making ground contact. The Grecale GT packs in a few advanced driver-assistance systems, and they worked well enough on wide, well-marked roads on our route.
Maserati Grecale price and verdict
That’s a quick taste of the Maserati Grecale. It’s fast, comfy and stylish enough to stand out in a crowd of luxury SUVs. The thing is, the Grecale is not the largest SUV by size or engine capacity, and for the money Maserati wants for one, it’s sure to be a sticky point. Prices start at Rs 1.31 crore (ex-showroom) for this Grecale GT, which makes it more expensive than a Macan, though the Porsche is older and makes less power in base spec, too. At the top end, the Rs 2.05 crore GrecaleTrofeo does have the performance to hold its own amongst the super SUV heavyweights.
The Grecale doesn’t quite make a watertight case for itself, and your decision to buy one would be one of heart over head. Then again, isn’t that true for all Italian exotics?
Also see:
Maserati commits to 4th generation of Formula E racing
Maserati GranTurismo launched at Rs 2.72 crore
