Maserati Finally Built Cars That Make Its Comeback Feel Real

For many years, it felt like Maserati was stuck in limbo: trading on decades of legendary heritage while building cars that never quite lived up to the badge, plagued by patchy quality, dated tech, and lingering questions about its long‑term future. But after spending time with the new Grecale Trofeo and GranTurismo Trofeo, I can say this: the cars themselves are finally here. They’re brilliant, they’re true to what Maserati should stand for, and they prove the brand is capable of greatness again. That said, there’s still work to do if it wants to turn strong products into a full‑blown revival.

The Grecale Trofeo: The Stelvio We Always Wanted

If you ask me to name the most engaging driver’s SUV I’ve ever tested, my answer has long been the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. It’s sharp, fast, and feels more like a hot hatch than a high‑riding family machine, but it’s also flawed. The ride is punishingly firm, the interior feels cheap and dated, and the tech lags far behind rivals. That’s why the Grecale Trofeo feels like such a revelation: it takes everything that made the Stelvio great, and fixes almost everything that held it back.

Power comes from Maserati’s own 3.0‑liter twin‑turbo Nettuno V6, the same engine used in the MC20 supercar, now renamed the MCPura, making 523 horsepower, 18 more than the Alfa’s 2.9‑liter V6. In our testing, it rocketed from 0‑60 mph in just 3.61 seconds, matching Maserati’s official claim almost exactly. It doesn’t have the high‑pitched buzz of the Alfa engine, but it’s smoother, more refined, and delivers its power with a deep, rich growl that feels perfectly Maserati.

The steering retains that trademark pin‑sharp precision, while the adaptive air suspension with Skyhook electronic damping fixes the Stelvio’s biggest flaw. The Grecale rides comfortably over rough roads yet stays taut and composed when you push it hard. The cabin is another massive step up: sumptuous leather, meticulous stitching, matte carbon fiber trim, and the Uconnect 5 system that feels modern and responsive, even if some menus are shared with Stellantis siblings like Jeep and Dodge.

GranTurismo: Stunning, Fast, And Pricey

I still remember the first Maserati I ever reviewed: the old GranCabrio MC. It was beautiful to look at and sounded lovely, but it was slow for the money, the transmission felt sluggish, and the interior was a total letdown. This new GranTurismo? It’s everything that car should have been.

Maserati made the smart call not to mess with perfection when it came to styling like the Porsche 911; it’s an evolution rather than a revolution, keeping that iconic long‑hood, graceful profile while adopting the brand’s latest face and shared design cues with the Grecale. Under the skin, it uses the same Nettuno V6, here delivering a 0‑60 mph time of just 3.36 seconds in our tests, blowing the old Ferrari‑derived V8 out of the water.

It’s polished, fast, and stunningly elegant, but it comes at a price. My test car started at $166,000** and climbed to **$185,830 with options. That’s competitive against Aston Martin and Bentley, but it makes the Grecale look like an absolute steal by comparison.

Value Showdown: Grecale Takes The Win

You might not think to cross‑shop a mid‑size SUV with a luxury grand tourer, but they share so much engine, transmission, suspension, interior layout, and design language that the comparison feels fair. The Grecale starts at $117,500**, and my well‑equipped tester came in at **$121,380. It’s more practical, just as fun to drive, and delivers almost the same experience for tens of thousands less. It might not turn heads quite as easily, but Maserati’s vivid Furoiserie paint options fix that quickly.

Folgore: Fast, But Facing Headwinds

Maserati’s electric Folgore range is fast on paper; the GranTurismo Folgore hits 60 mph in 2.6 seconds with 751 hp, but real‑world adoption has been slow. The Grecale Folgore manages just 245 miles of range on a 400‑volt architecture, while the GranTurismo and GranCabrio Folgore do better with 800‑volt, 270 kW charging, but still only 233 miles of range.

As Maserati’s Global Communications VP, Andrea Pallard told me at Goodwood: “We are not selling as much as we would like because EV is a tough market for everybody. The residual value is probably the biggest constraint to people buying electric.”

I think Maserati could also lean harder into character: adding simulated engine sounds and shifting something Porsche and Hyundai have done well would help these cars feel more special and emotional, rather than just another fast EV.

What Comes Next?

Both models get a facelift for 2027 with fresh styling, more power, and improved EV range, and Maserati has hinted at reviving sedans and the V8 engine to fill gaps left by the discontinued Ghibli and Quattroporte.

But the biggest hurdle isn’t the cars, it’s the reputation. Years of inconsistent quality and steep depreciation have stuck to the brand like glue, and it will take more than two great models to shake that off. Maserati also needs to pick a clear path: does it want to be a low‑volume exotic brand, or a serious rival to Porsche? If it’s the latter, it needs a true, affordable sports car, and if anyone can help make that happen, it’s sister brand Ferrari, whose new simulated manual transmission tech would be perfect for a future Maserati icon.

For now, though, the foundation is solid. Maserati has finally built cars that feel worthy of the badge. Now it just needs to stick with them, deliver consistency, and remind the world why it fell in love with the Trident in the first place.