THE WINDS OF CHANGE (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_maseratigrecale_2023

By Jonathan Crouch

With the Grecale, Maserati brought us its most accessible SUV yet. Jonathan Crouch looks at the improved version of this model.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 60

The Grecale may not look quite like the Maserati you always promised yourself, but this mid-size performance SUV is the most accessible model yet from this classic Italian brand. There are four cylinder and pure electric options, as well as a classic roaring V6. And enough overtaking presence to scare dawdling Porsche Macans. Here, we look at the updated version.

Backgroundword count: 180

Maserati has taken its time in re-inventing its product range but things are at last beginning to take shape. In the last decade, we've had Hybrid engines, the gorgeous MC20 supercar and, most significantly of all, in 2022 the company's most accessible model, the Grecale mid-sized performance SUV. Named after a Mediterranean wind, this was the company's long-awaited mid-sized Porsche Macan-baiting SUV. Yes, it was launched at a time when Macan combustion model production was in its final couple of years, but better late than never. It's certainly done more for Maserati's bottom line than the brand's old larger Levante SUV, which wasn't quite large enough to be large - or quite small enough to be small. Maserati purists were initially a little horrified to learn that this Grecale had been engineered for both four cylinder petrol and full-electric power; but were mollified by the availability of a top Trofeo model with a throbbing Nettuno V6 borrowed from the MC20. The Grecale was updated in Summer 2026 to create the car we're going to examine here. Let's take a look.

Driving Experienceword count: 289

The most relevant version of this Grecale gets an engine you might never have expected to see in a Maserati; a four cylinder 2.0-litre unit embellished with mild hybrid 48V tech and delivering 300hp to all four wheels in base Grecale form - or 325hp in the mid-range Modena model. It's the same GME T4 unit used in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio (and also in the Jeep Wrangler) and offers plenty of poke: even the base 300 version manages the rest to 62mph sprint in just 5.6s, despite this Grecale's portly 1,870kg kerb weight. You'll need to be quick with the ZF 8-speed auto transmission's gorgeous long silver paddle shifters to achieve that. The Grecale Modena is also available with a 390hp 3.0-litre V6, which makes 62mph in just 5.1s. The variant enthusiasts will be most interested in though, is the Trofeo, which uses a slightly de-tuned 523hp version of the throbbing 3.0-litre Nettuno V6 found in Maserati's MC20 supercar. In this form, the Grecale sprints to 62mph in just 3.8s, providing you select the top 'Sport' or track-orientated 'Corsa' drive modes, the latter exclusive to the Trofeo variant. The other settings, available across the range, are 'Off Road', 'Comfort' and 'GT'. The Trofeo has vast cross-drilled brake discs clamped by huge calipers, all the kind of stuff that will appeal to traditional Maserati fans. But to prosper, the brand has to appeal to non-traditional customers, hence the pure electric Grecale Folgore model you can talk to your dealer about, which offers 550hp. It's accompanied by 820Nm of torque, which means that 62mph from rest is just 4.1s away en route to a top speed that's a very un-EV-like 124mph. A big 105kWh battery offers a 250 mile range.

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