MASERATI GRECALE
I had the pleasure of testing a Grecale in its "basic" version - the GT equipped with the 300hp 2.0T L4 MHEV.
Two numbers to start with: it has 20 hp more than my Stelvio, but it’s also 200 kg heavier.
I drove the car in all possible ways: on the motorway, in the city, took a few winding roads and also a stretch of unpaved road in the countryside. To make the experience complete, I got to drive it both day and night, through sun and rain and even heavy winds that at one moment seemed to turn into a snow blizzard.
The first thing that struck me, as soon as I left the showroom, was the response of the accelerator pedal: more reactive even in the GT mode (the equivalent of Normal on Alfa’s DNA). In combination with a vocal exhaust I would have been tempted to say that the extra 20 hp make an enormous difference! After going back to the Stelvio again, that acceleration difference might not be that big after all (the official figure of 5.4 seconds needed to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h is only marginally better than Stelvio’s) but I can say it definitely has more character due to the exhaust sound. Which is exactly as I would have wanted it to be on the Stelvio.
The second thing noted, but by far the most spectacular, is the suspension: it is much more refined, it filters the bumps much better, but without penalizing the road holding. In combination with a better soundproofing, it turns the car into a really good cruiser, extremely comfortable on long journeys.
The only thing I can fault Grecale for is the steering: somehow, it doesn't feel as sharp as Stelvio’s. Things are somehow corrected in Sport mode (the equivalent of Dynamic), but you get as a downside the general road holding of the car while driving it in Sport mode. Don't get me wrong, it's not that disturbing, it’s not that you’re supposed to constantly apply corrections to the direction to keep it going in a straight line, but again, knowing how brilliantly the Stelvio behaves in Dynamic I know here too it could have been done better.
Also, as the extra 20hp feels while accelerating, I would tend to say that the 200kg more feels too. Although the Grecale still handles itself very well on curved roads or when subjected to rapid changes of direction, I just couldn’t find the same feeling of lightness I get in the Stelvio. As for the brakes, I would say they’re equally good.
However, the interior is the biggest upgrade when coming from a Stelvio! A combination of premium materials, very good quality finishes, a very good integration of the touch displays, all in a harmonious style that inspires elegance, not opulence. The seats are very cool looking especially in this red leather, they offer lateral support at least as good as in the Veloce, but they come with more adjustments (including bottom seat tilting) and it seems that they can be lowered more. Needles to say, finding a comfortable position behind the steering wheel is an easy job. It obviously comes with all modern gadgets, such as Carplay, wireless charging, digital display instead of gauges or climate controls, HUD, adaptive cruise control with active steering and sign recognition. Equipment that seemed like it came out of a SF movie when I configured my 2019 Stelvio, but of course, nowadays also available on the MY23…
A few personal observations, as subjective as they could come from a Stelvio owner:
- cool positioning of the driving mode selector on the steering wheel (the equivalent of the DNA wheel placed on the central tunnel on the Giulia/Stelvio); the rest of the controls (left/right buttons) are unnecessarily complex; it took me a while to find the controls of the audio system and I was slightly unpleasantly surprised to find the solution to be adopted from Jeep - positioning on the back of the steering wheel. Not that it is something bad in itself, but the very idea that even Maserati had to borrow solutions from Jeep…
- I'm not really a fan of the digital display at the expense of on-board clocks, but I have to admit that I really liked the integration; on the other hand, although I was delighted at first sight by the digital panel for climate control, I also have to say that operating it is really difficult when compared to the good old-school knobs. Not only at Maserati, because this is slowly becoming a standard in the automotive industry - it requires increased attention where and how you touch, and that diverts your attention from driving every time you want, for example to slightly adjust the temperature. The typical Maserati clock next to the central air vents on top of the dash is now also digital, but it still displays a classic watch dial - an excellent detail!
- the gearbox controls seem to me not to match the rest of the interior: physical buttons, slightly bulky to operate, and even worse, I had instants when they were not quickly responding (not a very pleasant sensation when you are in R and almost stuck to the car behind, and you think you have engaged D); also, the positioning of the electric handbrake is at least dubious (to the left of the steering wheel, on the lower part of the dashboard), instead the location of the electric buttons for opening the door from the inside is very practical, it seems so unnatural to me now to have to first look for the doorknob and then put my hand on the handle…
- the multimedia system is very good (or at least the integration with CarPlay, as I used it the most); the screen is generously sized, the touch very responsive, and the menu quite intuitive.
- The HUD seemed disturbing to me, especially in the city, I had the feeling that I couldn't see the small obstacles or potholes because of it; I disabled it at some point, if this is an item on the list of options I would definitely never check it.
- brilliant LED headlights! I drove the entire highway with the automatic high beam, the light somehow adapts so that it illuminates my path, without disturbing those in front of me.
All in all, driving the Maserati Grecale was an extremely pleasant experience. If needed to summarize it in just a few words, you could say it's a very posh Stelvio.
As for the price… located roughly in the Quadrifoglio territory. Again, an extremely subjective opinion, but during my drive I didn't even once feel even the slightest urge that I needed more than 300 hp. I would happily exchange the V6 roar and power to the comfort, elegance and refinement of the Trident.
It must be a sign I’m getting older, right?
