Maserati Grecale Mild Hybrid 2.0 is every bit what is expected of a true Maserati

A curvaceous body with sculpted lines, a loud throaty exhaust note, and a comfortable drive with a nice amount of dynamism. The Grecale is every bit what is expected of a true Maserati.

If you ask me, there are three main things that define a Maserati — a loud, throaty exhaust note, a curvy, sculpted body, and a particular knack for long-distance drives in comfort and luxury. Put these three elements together and the mental image of an elegant two-door coupe with a powerful and large engine comes to mind — the iconic Maserati GranTurismo.

My first-ever experience behind the wheel of a Maserati is something different, however. It is this black SUV that you see here, quite a stark contrast to my mental image… Does that mean I should throw all I know about Maserati out of the window and expect something totally different? Let's take a closer look at the Grecale GT.

A Maserati with just a 2.0-litre engine?

Maserati is a brand that is sought after by many for the soundtrack that its cars produce. The loud and throaty roar that cars like the Maserati GranTurismo are known for can largely be attributed to the 4.2-litre and 4.7-litre V8 engines, which were developed with Ferrari.

However, the Grecale GT that I am driving doesn't have a hulking V8 engine. Instead, sending power to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission is a puny 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four assisted by a mild hybrid system. And yet, the Grecale GT never feels weak or lethargic off the line. This can be attributed to the fact that it produces a healthy 450Nm of torque at just 2000rpm, and peak power of 291bhp.

Putting the car in Comfort mode shifts the focus to fuel economy and a smooth drive, but once you put it in Sport, the throttle response becomes razor sharp and the exhaust note gets the additional rorty oomph that is synonymous with Maserati.

Drive it hard and every time it upshifts, there will be an exhaust burble reminiscent of the 'DSG farts' that modified dual-clutch automatic cars tend to let out, adding to the aural experience.

With such a soundtrack, I can assure you that the Grecale GT checks the first box — it makes a truly unmistakeably Maserati noise.

Is it even possible to have a curvy and good-looking SUV?

When it comes to the exterior, like most notable Italian designs, Maserati's grand tourers tend to be low slung, wide, and full of evocative curves.

And let's face it, SUV are traditionally built with practicality in mind — they are often designed to be sturdy, bold, and rather utilitarian.

The Grecale's design is anything but a typical SUV. From the head lights to the front grille, and the signature tri-vents on the fenders, its design is distinctly Maserati — you'll know it right from the moment you lay eyes on it.

You won't see a flat boring slab on its side either. Far from it — the Grecale has some swoopy curves that leads to a very wide rear end.

Despite it being an SUV that slots below the Levante, it isn't much smaller. You'll have to walk past the C-pillars adorned with Maserati's trident and head to the rear to realise just how big the Grecale actually is.

In fact, the rear arches are so wide and curvaceous that trying to align the car to a parking lot with the side mirrors proves to be quite a problem for me — thankfully the car is equipped with a 360-degree camera.

Okay, so how is it like inside?

The 360-degree camera is just one item among a sizeable list of amenities. Expectedly, in a luxury SUV, there are plenty of features in the Grecale.

There's adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and brake assist, all of which will make driving a breeze.

On the technology side of things, the infotainment system has a large 12.3-inch display that is pretty, smooth to operate and offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Grecale has a fully-touchscreen operated climate control with a thoughtfully designed feature — adjusting the fan speed and temperature can be done with swiping motions across the display.

This proved to be intuitive and easy to operate while driving.

Maserati claims that the Grecale's interior cabin space is the best in its class, and I'm inclined to believe it. Sitting at the rear with the driver seat all the way back, there is still a sizeable amount of legroom, and you could probably fit three adults in the rear with room to spare.

Being a luxury SUV, the interior is expectedly premium and well put-together.

There's plenty of leather and silver trim pieces, but the pièce de résistance has to be the exquisite digital clock that sits in the centre of the dashboard, ticking away with an analogue design.

The only gripe I have is the machined aluminium grilles of the premium Sonus Faber speakers — while intricately designed, they are rough to the touch.

Of course, comfort of a car isn't only defined by the materials and build quality, a huge part lies in the drive and ride quality as well.

Does it drive and ride as expected?

I'm glad to say, after spending some time with the car, I truly enjoyed the Grecale GT. It offers a well-balanced experienced that is, in my opinion, what I envisioned Maserati cars to be like.

For a start, the cabin is well insulated on the go, and yet you can still enjoy the amazing exhaust note when you drive it hard. The ride is soft and supple, and will soak up most moderate bumps and ruts on the expressway to ensure an enjoyable drive, yet it is surefooted and handles confidently. The steering is light and quick, which make for an easy drive, but it is also communicative.

To sum it all, the Grecale GT definitely isn't a hardcore sports car — it drives nicely with a large focus on comfort and luxury, but it also offers sufficient dynamism for an engaging drive when you want it.

Maserati's tagline for the car is 'The Everyday Exceptional', and I agree, it is indeed a car that manages dynamic and everyday driving really well.

Priced at $279,800 without COE, the Grecale GT will cost you $400,689 at current COE prices (as of April 27, 2023). This makes it around $10,000 more than the Porsche Macan, but the Grecale GT makes more power and is slightly larger than the former.

Having satisfied all three elements that I associate Maserati cars with, the Grecale GT is an SUV that encompasses everything that you'll expect from the Italian marque. If you are a fan of Maserati, you won't go wrong with the Grecale GT.

ALSO READ: Porsche Macan 2.0 review: 4 cylinders of sensible fun

This article was first published in sgCarMart.