2027 Maserati Grecale: Natural Porsche SubstituteMaseratiPorsche has stopped building the gas-powered version of the Macan, its bestselling compact SUV. While that's a sad fact for enthusiast drivers like us who appreciate both the Macan's practical SUV form factor and its stellar driving dynamics, there's one marque in the automotive world that sees the pending absence as an opportunity: Maserati.The Italian automaker with the exotic trident badge has made updates to its Grecale SUV for 2027 that increase value and driving fun, and the result is a performance-oriented crossover that's primed to fill in for the missing Porsche. To further sweeten the deal, the Grecale's price of entry lowers to a hair under $80,000 thanks to a new base model that joins the Modena and Trofeo trims for 2027.MaseratiEven at the base level, the Grecale's interior is more premium than the Macan's, with fine materials and an elegant design. It also gets standard equipment that would be optional on the Porsche, including a stitched faux-leather dashboard cover, power-adjustable front seats with memory settings, 20-inch wheels, and the twin-turbo V-6 that now covers the entire lineup.AdvertisementAdvertisementIn terms of changes for this year, the 2027 model sports sharper front and rear styling and receives minor interior improvements—namely, a revised steering wheel design, a new push-button gear selector, and a new digital dash clock that can also be made to display performance info or a compass.MaseratiMaserati had already axed the previous entry-level turbocharged four-cylinder for 2026. All models in the now-three-trim gas lineup are powered by the brand's Nettuno V-6 engine in various states of tune. The base Grecale receives a 385-hp version, borrowed from Maserati's GranTurismo and MCPura models but detuned slightly. It also makes that much in the middle-of-the-road Modena trim, which is what we drove during our jaunt around the Italian and Slovenian countryside.Although the Modena lacks the grunt of the top-level 523-hp Trofeo trim, it still rips, especially in Sport mode. The chassis is balanced, and the Grecale feels light on its feet in the same way the Macan does. The steering, while satisfyingly light and responsive, doesn't have quite the same feedback as the Porsche's helm, but it's not far off. The twisty roads in the foothills of the Julian Alps are a perfect place to test the Grecale's mettle, where its throaty V-6 exhaust note and snappy handling proved genuinely entertaining.After breaking a sweat over several miles of curvy tarmac, the Grecale puttered through sleepy Slovenian villages with hushed poise. The same muted ambiance is present during highway cruising, with a comfortable, well-damped ride in the more relaxed GT mode.AdvertisementAdvertisementTake that time to appreciate the cabin's premium materials and good fit and finish. Thick leather upholstery, open-pore wood trim, and genuine metal accents adorn the Modena's cabin. Tech features are smartly interwoven into the interior design, with the one misstep being the slanted climate-control touch panel, which is not as intuitive to use while driving as physical buttons or knobs would be.MaseratiThe infotainment system itself is modern, functional, and features a high-resolution center display and matching digital gauge cluster. In-dash navigation is standard, and we used it extensively to avoid getting lost in central Europe. The only bugaboo we noticed was an on-screen navigation arrow that, on occasion, didn't represent the Grecale's actual road position, leading to missed roundabout exits or abrupt last-second corrections to avoid wandering off course.Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, which will likely mean most drivers will default to their phone's map functions anyway. In addition to the digital gauge cluster and dash-mounted infotainment display, the new dash clock can serve as a quick-look info center too; in addition to several digital clock faces, it can display the aforementioned performance figures and compass, as well as a g-meter.MaseratiThe $86,495 Modena trim represents a sizable step-up in price from the base Grecale, but it comes with plenty of add-ons to make the extra $6600 worth it. You'll get 21-inch wheels, a 14-speaker Sonus Faber stereo, a power-adjustable steering column, heated front seats, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control.AdvertisementAdvertisementTo reach that level of equipment on a Macan (with V-6 power), you would have had to spring for the top GTS model, which at a $10,000 premium over the Modena makes the Maserati seem like a relative bargain. Some might suggest saving even more money and going instead with a BMW X3 M50 or a Mercedes-AMG GLC53, and that'd be a valid recommendation as both of those SUVs offer similar performance. But they lack the Maserati's panache and rarity, which definitely adds to the updated Grecale's charms.Maserati➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029