MASERATI

TEST: Maserati Grecale Trofeo - A true Italian -

The After Levante Award expands Maserati's SUV range with the slightly smaller Grecale, which is powered by either a Mild Hybridized four-cylinder engine or a twin-turbo V6. We tested the top model Trofeo with 530 hp!

Maserati Grecale is a new car from the Modena-based sports car manufacturer and is built exactly like the Alfa Stelvio on the Giorgio platform.

At launch, the Grecale will have three different engine options: as a GT and Modena with a slightly hybridized four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 300 and 330 hp respectively, and as a Trofeo with a V6 biturbo with 530 hp and 620 Nm.

The interior is upholstered with a lot of high-quality leather, which is, however, mixed with some matte plastic panels. You sit comfortably and with good lateral support in air-conditioned sport seats and also in the second row of seats, comfort is in focus with a well-shaped rear seat and plenty of room in all directions, even if you chose the panoramic roof. 

But perhaps it's not so strange: although the Grecale looks sleek and compact, it's 486 centimeters long.

Less successful, however, is the all-digital user interface. The only buttons in the driver's landscape deal with the gearbox, everything else is more or less handled with the help of the two-part infotainment screen that adorns the dashboard.

Most of the basic functions are controlled at the bottom of the screen, which, however, is very low and also has small graphic surfaces that take the driver's concentration away from what is important: the events in front of the windshield. The top display also looks a bit low, but it does at least have a well-designed and clear navigation system, whose function is expanded with a head-up display - a first for the manufacturer.

ENGINE...Engine taken from the MC20 sports car, but slightly modified. It is a three-liter V6 that produces 530 hp.

Angle six is force-fed with air from two different-sized turbo fans, which higher boosts charging pressure quickly and keeps power constantly high over a wide speed range. The power development feels linear, which above all adds to the pleasure of driving on winding roads.

In addition, the digital tachometer pointer points to the rev stop range (6,500 rpm) already in third gear and at 100 km/h, which means that you as a driver have every reason to play with the oars already at speeds cool

In addition, there are a multitude of customization options for the digital instrument, which in Corsa mode switches to a sporty display with a central tachometer and a large, clear display of gear and speed. See also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is not supported without noisy cables.

The product of massive pressure already at low revs and if you choose Corsa mode it will be a lot of fun behind the wheel: the sound image looks authentic and alive and is accompanied by cool wastegate sounds during shifts, which you almost forgot how they sound in modern.

Underneath the well-thought-out infotainment screen is another touchscreen that controls functions like heating, seat air conditioning, volume and ESP.

RANGE...the clicking sound of the click paddles is addictive and as solid as the paddles themselves. In this way, the ZF 8HP system is automated.

HOW IS DRIVING?...Even at low revs, the Trofeo's twin-turbo V6 sounds unusually dark and menacing. Height-adjustable air suspension is tight but effectively protects passengers from hard slag. If the asphalt is uneven, however, the road noise is very loud. Given that the Grecale is a luxurious and expensive SUV, it's not acceptable, nor is the occasional squeak of the steering wheel.

Autonews