Maserati Grecale 2026 review | A stylish and alluring premium SUV

What is the Maserati Grecale?

The Maserati Grecale is a large family SUV that is built at the company’s Cassino plant in Italy. It majors on style and performance to set itself apart from more conventional premium rivals.

At 4.85 metres long, the Grecale roughly splits the difference in size between the Porsche Macan and Porsche Cayenne. It sits below the larger – and now discontinued – Maserati Levante in the Italian manufacturer’s SUV lineup.

The Grecale range is made up of four versions: Grecale, Modena, Trofeo and the fully electric Folgore. Entry-level petrol models use a four-cylinder, turbocharged 2.0-litre engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system. This employs a small battery and electric motor to improve efficiency and responsiveness, but it can’t be plugged in and never runs on electric power alone.

In standard Grecale guise, this engine serves up 296bhp, making it the most affordable way into the range. In the Grecale Modena, the same engine is tuned to 325bhp. You also get a 34mm wider rear track and a limited-slip differential for sharper handling, along with a broader choice of exterior and interior finishes.

At the top of the petrol range is the Maserati Grecale Trofeo, with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 523bhp. This engine is derived from the ‘Nettuno’ unit found in the Maserati MC20 supercar, giving the Grecale serious performance credentials.

The fully electric Grecale Folgore comes with a 105kWh battery and all-wheel drive, and competes with rivals such as the Audi Q8 e-tron, Mercedes EQE SUV and Porsche Macan Electric. Following an update in 2025, Maserati says the Folgore can deliver up to 360 miles of range. This improves on earlier versions, which offered an official 311 miles of range.

Styling is one of the Grecale’s biggest selling points. Its sleek proportions and distinctive details echo design cues found on Maserati’s more exotic GranTurismo coupe, as well as the Ghibli and Quattroporte saloons. We’d stop short of calling it beautiful, but it will turn heads.

How practical is it?

The Grecale is a genuinely practical family SUV. There’s plenty of legroom and headroom in the rear seats – noticeably more than in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio that shares the same platform – so two tall adults can sit comfortably. While the seats don’t slide, they do split and fold flat in a versatile 40:20:40 configuration, released via buttons in the boot.

Up front, comfort is a strong point. Standard electric seat adjustment makes it easy to find a good driving position, while higher-spec models add 14-way electric seats for even greater adjustability. The dashboard layout is deliberately minimalist, with most functions controlled via a pair of touchscreens: a 12.3-inch upper display for infotainment and navigation, plus an additional 8.8-inch screen below for climate and cabin settings.

Boot space is competitive for the class. Petrol-engined models offer 535 litres of luggage capacity, rising to 570 litres in the Trofeo, which benefits from slightly different packaging. There’s a flush load lip and a useful underfloor storage area, making it easy to load bulky items. It’ll be more than enough for most family needs, although it’s worth noting that larger rivals such as the Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5 provide well over 600 litres. The electric Grecale Folgore sacrifices the underfloor storage compartment due to its battery layout.

What’s it like to drive?

The Maserati Grecale is great fun to drive. Even in the entry-level variant, it feels responsive and playful, with more than enough shove to feel like a proper performance SUV when you want it to. After all, even the standard Grecale manages 0-62mph in a swift 5.6 seconds. The eight-speed automatic transmission is smooth enough, although it can be a little hesitant when you request a downshift via the wonderfully oversized aluminium paddles. Nobody does steering wheels and paddles quite like Maserati.

Find a stretch of road where you can properly lean on the Grecale and it’s surprisingly entertaining. The chassis feels well balanced, with controlled body movements and suspension that takes the edge off most bumps without feeling floaty. Our test car was fitted with the optional Handling Pack, which adds adaptive dampers and a limited-slip differential, sharpening the car’s responses and giving it a more engaging feel. We haven’t driven a version without this pack, but keen drivers will likely want to seek it out.

Step up to the Trofeo and the Grecale’s character changes noticeably. Powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, it’s genuinely quick, hitting 62mph in just 3.8 seconds. The engine is vocal and characterful in Sport mode, and while the ride is firmer than in lesser models, it remains perfectly usable day to day. There’s masses of grip, but also a willingness to let the rear axle move around slightly if you push on, giving the Trofeo a sense of adjustability that is rare in SUVs of this size.

Despite its performance, the Trofeo is still approachable at normal road speeds, although excellent refinement and a lofty driving position mean it’s easy to underestimate how fast you’re travelling. That’s not unique to the Grecale, but it’s something to bear in mind.

The electric Grecale Folgore delivers a very different driving experience. With instant torque and near-silent progress, it feels smooth and rapid in a straight line, but its extra weight means it’s less malleable through corners than the petrol models. It majors on refinement and pace rather than interaction, making it the most relaxed Grecale to drive rather than the most engaging.

Overall, the Grecale strikes a rare balance. It’s agile enough to entertain enthusiastic drivers, yet comfortable and refined enough to handle family duties without them feeling like hard work.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

The Maserati Grecale has all of the equipment you’d expect in a modern SUV, from head-up displays and fancy ambient interior lighting, through to adaptive cruise control and various drive modes. It really can have everything you’d expect, but unfortunately a lot of it is optional. That means it can get expensive rather quickly.

For some context, our Maserati Grecale test car had more than £15,000 of options on it. The Grecale Modena and Trofeo have more generous levels of equipment, but you’ll still have to pay extra for some driver assistance systems and a heated steering wheel.

On the plus side, you do get Maserati’s new infotainment system as standard on every Grecale. Its main 12.3-inch display is sharp and clear, and it has all of the features you’d expect – including satnav and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Climate control and a few other settings can be adjusted via the lower screen, which is better than having them within the same screen as the infotainment features. Still, it isn’t as intuitive as simple, physical air-con dials and buttons.

Ultimately, the Maserati Grecale has all of the tech that you’d expect. It’s just a shame that much of it is optional on the models that most buyers will consider.

Maserati Grecale running costs

The Maserati Grecale isn’t cheap, but by the standards of its performance, image and brand appeal, it’s not wildly out of step with key rivals. It undercuts larger vehicles such as the Porsche Cayenne Coupe, while sitting above smaller premium SUVs like the Porsche Macan, occupying something of a middle ground in both size and pricing.

At the top of the range, the Grecale Trofeo looks relatively keenly priced against full-blown performance SUVs such as the BMW X6 M, offering similar pace and drama for significantly less money. Alternatives such as the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio are cheaper still, although the Grecale has a more modern interior and a broader range of powertrain options.

Day-to-day running costs depend heavily on which version you choose. The four-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol models are capable of returning around 30mpg in mixed real-world driving, which is respectable for an SUV of this size and performance. The electric Grecale Folgore has the potential for the lowest energy costs if you can charge at home regularly. However, higher insurance, tyre and purchase costs mean that savings aren’t guaranteed for every owner.

Maserati Grecale reliability

Maserati is rarely included in owner reliability surveys, largely because it’s a low-volume manufacturer, and sales of the Grecale are too limited for there to be any meaningful model-specific data.

However, every Maserati comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, which can be extended to five years at extra cost for added peace of mind. Certain driveline components can also be covered for up to 10 years, again with no mileage limit, while the battery in the electric Grecale Folgore is backed by an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty.