The Maserati Grecale is now entering its fourth year in production, and while the SUV was supposed to be the Italian luxury automaker’s first effort at appealing to the mainstream market. But its sales have so far reflected the recent struggles of the brand, with the Grecale posting persistent sales declines.
The Grecale is slated to get major updates for 2027, but does the 2026 model provide a solid enough blueprint for those updates to take full effect? We wanted to find out.
It’s still a very stylish SUV, but age is starting to show
Maserati was kind enough to provide a 2026 Grecale Modena before it rode off into retirement, and while the Grecale is now in its fourth year of production, it still manages to do a few of the core things right. The front end of our Modena tester is still very elegant-looking, with the front grille working nicely with the headlights. The Grecale is targeting the Porsche Macan, and its slight resemblance to the sleek German’s profile is hard to miss.
Maserati has not made any major exterior changes to the Grecale during its lifespan, with the only major change to note this year being a new set of 21-inch wheels. This light touch has also caused a few wrinkles to pop up in the Maserati’s bespoke looks, especially at the rear, which looks just as clunky as ever. However, we will give a nod to the sleek paintwork, which popped in the sunshine. The 2027 Grecale will provide tweaked front and rear ends in an attempt to make the SUV more serious-looking across all of its trim levels.
Grecale interior continues to focus on comfort
Slip inside the Grecale, and you’ll find the interior continues to place a strong emphasis on comfort, with the mid-level Modena models shining the most in this regard. High-quality materials and plastics are splashed throughout, but since the Grecale is competing in a lower price point, there are also plenty of Stellantis-sourced buttons and switchgear in the interior to help keep the cost of production manageable.
Our tester arrived with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a funky pair of touchscreens in the center stack with a matching 12.3-inch display on top and a smaller 8.8-inch one responsible for the climate and other essential controls beneath. The screens are functional enough, with the system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Amazon Alexa capability. However, you still have to deal with multi-layered sub-menus when going through some of its features, and the lower screen is a magnet for noticeable fingerprint smudges. The back seats are reasonable places to spend time in, but they can be a bit tight for adults.
Rear cargo room is also pretty good, but the Grecale comes with manually folding rear seats, which means buyers looking to bring the seats back up after hauling their latest high-end purchase from Neiman Marcus will have to walk back around to bring them back up. Thankfully, the 14-speaker Sonus Faber premium audio system did a good job belting out the tunes.
One-size fits all performance
One of the big changes the Grecale got for 2026 is losing an engine, with the base turbocharged four-cylinder being dropped. In its place is the 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged Nettuno V6, which is now standard across all Grecale models. It continues to make 385 horsepower, with Maserati saying it can make the sprint to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. Our tester certainly made us believe that figure, with the Grecale being a very enjoyable drive during its visit.
The V6 delivered strong acceleration and the eight-speed automatic provided smooth and consistent shifts. All-wheel drive is standard on the Grecale, and while the Trofeo is the fastest member of the family, base and Modena models should be sufficient for most buyers.
Modena models get a traditional spring suspension standard, but our tester arrived with the optional height-adjustable air suspension that helped keep the SUV secure and sure of itself when going through sharp corners. Maserati says the 2027 model will bring refinement to its performance manners, but it will certainly be a tough act to follow when the 2026 model is viewed as a whole.
Value Quotient
Maserati is already preparing to bring the 2027 model to market, but if you were fortunate enough to check out the 2026 configurator before the company updated its website, you’ll find that a base Modena model starts at $84,500. Our Modena arrived with a long list of optional extras, which caused the final as-tested price to go past $95,000.
This is more expensive than the Porsche Macan, but it’s important to note the Macan’s price can also rapidly go up when options and trim level are taken into consideration. That said, the Porsche is also sharper and more sport-oriented than the Maserati and doesn’t have to live with trying to be a model of compromise. Certain versions of the BMW X3 and the Range Rover Velar also compete head-to-head in technology with the Grecale, with the Bimmer having a better infotainment system interface.
But the Maserati Grecale has always thrived in being an offbeat choice for high-end buyers, and it has plenty of personality and comfort to make up for some of its shortcomings. It will be interesting to see how the 2027 model measures up, but we suggest giving the 2026 Maserati Grecale a serious look; it might surprise you with some of its charms.
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