How does 523 horsepower from a supercar-derived engine in a crossover sound to you?
You may not be happy about it, but there’s no arguing with the truth: people can’t get enough of crossovers. Even the seemingly-contradictory ranks of sporty SUVs have been blooming in the last decade, with just about every brand imaginable whipping up some sort of high-riding family hauler with power and performance that would humble many a sports car of just a few years back.
Maserati actually beat its fellow Italian sports car brands to the crossover punch with the Levante, which launched back in 2016; since then, however, it’s fallen off the pace, attempting to keep its lineup fresh with bigger engines and mid-life refreshes while the competition ups the game over and over.
That changes in 2022. As part of the company’s massive revitalization plan, Maserati is rolling out a new crossover that seems sized just right to steal buyers from the likes of the Porsche Macan (and, let’s face it, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio). Meet the all-new Maserati Grecale.
The Grecale comes in three levels of power, at first
Maserati’s new crossover launches with three different choices of powerplant under the hood. The base Grecale GT packs a 296-horsepower mild-hybrid inline-four under the hood; just above that lies the Grecale Modena, which also has a hybrid inline-four, but one rated at 325 ponies. From there, the lineup takes a mighty leap upwards to the Grecale, Trofeo, which uses a 523-horsepower twin-turbo V6 – one based on the new engine found in the MC20 supercar. That’s enough to launch the Trofeo from 0 to 60 mph in a claimed 3.6 seconds on the way to a reported 177-mph top speed.
The Grecale is smallish, not small
The muscular proportions of the Grecale make it look like a tiny thing — a Honda HR-V-sized crossover packing enough power to light up Paris. Well, looks can be deceiving. At 191 inches long, the Grecale is two inches longer than a Honda Passport, with a wheelbase three inches longer — and a body five inches wider. Indeed, at 77 inches across (not counting the mirrors), the Grecale is wider than a Lamborghini Countach.
Hope you like screens, because the Grecale has plenty
If you didn’t know Maserati was owned by the same company that makes the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, you might get suspicious when you spied the interior of the Grecale for the first time. Like Jeep’s newest products, it’s filled with a plethora of touchscreens, from a widescreen 12.3-inch primary infotainment system to an 8.8-inch lower one for other functions. The instrument panel, of course, is also all-glass.
Oh, and of course, there’s an extra touchscreen for the folks in the back seat. The folks stuck back there may not get to experience the driving thrills found in the front-left seat, but they will have the chance to experience the Sonos sound system, assuming the owner sprung for one of the trim levels that offers it. A 14-speaker system comes with the Premium trim level, while a 21-speaker Sonos setup comes with the High Premium trim.
An electric model is still to come in 2023
Of course, with the Porsche Macan going electric next year, it’s not all that surprising that its new Italian competitor would something similar. The Maserati Grecale Folgore (it’s Italian for “lightning”) will arrive in 2023, according to the brand, and come with a 105-kWh battery shoehorned, somehow, into its internal combustion-based midsize crossover dimensions. 590 lb-ft of torque will be on tap, and all-wheel-drive will be standard.
If you can’t wait that long, however, you’ll have to opt for the gas-powered Grecale. The trio of fossil-burning models will arrive on the streets this summer.
Keyword: Maserati's New SUV Is a Pint-Size, Porsche Macan-Fighting Terror