The Maserati Grecale first touched down in South Africa in December 2022, offering a blend of DNA from the MC20 sports car and Levante SUV.
It has been a popular model with almost all examples hitting local shores being spoken for already, and those that are not finding new owners in quick succession.
A gorgeous Grecale Modena in Nero Tempesta was available for a few hours this week and we grabbed the opportunity to get in the driver’s seat and find out what it’s all about.
While the Levante is intended to assume the role of a collector’s daily super SUV, Maserati said the Grecale is more aimed at owners breaking into the luxury SUV space and looking for a fitting second car in the garage.
At R2.3 million, the Modena may be on the pricier end of the spectrum, but its main draw cards are exceptional build quality, zealous vocal chords, and of course, that dramatic Italian design.
The one to get
The Modena is the most compelling trim in the Grecale family for your daily ride, striking a balance between everyday drivability and assertive looks, and promising fewer trips to the filling station than the flagship V6 Trofeo.
Compared to the entry-level GT, the R500,000 premium of the Modena sees a unique front bumper with darkened elements, a more aggressive rear diffuser akin to that of the Trofeo, wider wheel arches, and black Maserati badging, window surrounds, and exhaust tips – which turned a lot of heads combined with the optional deep black paint and yellow brake callipers of the demo unit.
Part of the brand’s new design identity, the LED lights that peak up at the corner of the Grecale’s nose are inspired by those of the MC20 and marks it as one of the first vehicles in Maserati’s next-generation line-up, implying that it won’t go out of style soon.
The Modena’s interior gets a quilted leather dash and Sports seats, complemented by a few additional creature comforts such as heated front seats that afford an extra level of luxury over the GT, with another detail adopted by the Grecale from the MC20 being the button-operated door handles.
It further has a highly configurable 12.3-inch instrument cluster, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in navigation, and metal shifter paddles so large that they may make it difficult for drivers with smaller hands to reach the light and wiper stalks.
Sitting in the upper echelons of the crossover space, the Grecale Modena lives up to its status with a high level of attention to detail and premium materials that go deeper than surface level, exactly what you’d expect from a brand with such a rich history, and not at all a downgrade from the Ghibli or Levante, I would say it’s the opposite.
Maserati has listened to its fans and critics, and the new infotainment system of the Grecale is leagues ahead of its stablemates, too.
While the amount of functions didn’t increase all that much, they didn’t really need to anyway, the operating interface has been tweaked for a more user-friendly experience split across a 12.3-inch display for media, vehicle apps, and settings; with a smaller 8.8-inch panel right beneath it used for the climate control, seat heating and adjustment, and digital clock face which can also be turned into a G-meter, compass, and chronometer.
A major improvement is that you can just swipe your finger across the bottom screen to change the airconditioner settings – up and down for temperature, right and left for fan speed – without having to look for and tap on the small buttons and missing them more often than hitting them.
Maserati is the first automaker to partner with Sonus Faber for its stereo, of course debuting on the MC20 and now finding its way into the Grecale, providing a three-dimensional sound experience
The steering wheel that houses the Engine Start/Stop and Drive Mode switches provides an added layer of excitement when operating the SUV, as do the performance apps that track stats like your 0-100km/h and quarter-mile times as well as braking distances.
For an everyday SUV, the mid-range Grecale’s 243kW and 450Nm output is more than enough and is enhanced by its zealous exhaust note.
Equipped with the same 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol motor and 48V mild-hybrid system as the GT, the Modena has slightly larger turbos and generates 22kW more, and it boasts an official 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds and top speed of 240km/h.
The hybrid system consists of a belt-driven starter generator that assists the combustion engine when more power is needed and charges the e-Booster during braking and deceleration. The e-Booster works in tandem with the turbocharger to sustain power even at low rpm, resulting in a swift reaction when the throttle is pressed.
There are three drive modes to play around with these being Comfort, GT, and Sport – focused on efficiency, balance, and athleticism, respectively, with the suspension, steering, and pedal response adjusted accordingly. Don’t expect a night-and-day difference between these settings, but a tangible one you will feel.
A rear wheel-biased all-wheel-drive system and eight-speed automatic transmission with rapid shifts are standard, too.
In essence, the Modena supplies a dynamic driving experience that is tame in traffic but allows you to let loose on backroads without so much as a hint of worrying that you’re pushing it past its limits.
Maserati Grecale Modena
Keyword: First drive in the new Maserati Grecale in South Africa