Maserati GranTurismo Review 2024

Maserati’s luxury sports coupe has been taking a breather since 2019. But now the latest evolution of Maserati GranTurismo has arrived, its unique character intact – an appealing combination of exotic looks, surprising practicality, outstanding performance and more than a whiff of driver delight. How does it stack up against GT rivals? Our Maserati GranTurismo review reveals all.

With a choice of twin-turbo V6 petrol or all-electric powertrains and a price ranging between £133,000 and £180,000, the Maserati GranTurismo faces competition from such high rollers as the Bentley Continental GT and fellow Italian the Ferrari Roma, further petrol-powered opposition in the form of the Porsche 911 Turbo, and BMW M8, and all-electric oomph from the likes of Porsche’s Taycan Turbo GT.

Decked out from head to toe in luxurious leather, the interior smells fantastic. But it’s a meld of ancient and modern that won’t be to everyone’s taste, with classic luxury coupe trim and finishes jostling for position with three digital screens – a 12.2-inch driver’s display, and 12.3-inch and 8.8-inch centre screens for the infotainment and air-conditioning respectively.

The interface on all of these could do with some work – there’s a slightly random approach to fingertip stab-response time. And both the nasty, glossy, wobbly steering wheel-mounted buttons and the row of tabs that pass for a gear lever are crying out for back-lighting by day to make them remotely legible.

Happily, the front seats are very comfortable. They lack the excessive bolstering now common these days, yet still hold you in place with an extra degree of cosseting.

We wouldn’t want to be any taller than six feet to sit in the back, and even then you might have to ask the driver to shunt his seat forward to free up knee room. Petrol-engined Maserati GranTurismos boast 310 litres of luggage space, the electric variant 270 litres.

It’s powertrains rather than trim levels that pigeonhole the three-model range – the Maserati GranTurismo Modena and  Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo both employ a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol unit tuned to develop 490PS and 550PS respectively, while the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore has a three-motor, 761PS all-electric drivetrain.

The petrol engines are linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission with flappy paddle override and a four-wheel-drive system that can shuffle 100% of the available torque to the rear wheels, divide it equally between the axles, or anything in between.

The Folgore EV’s all-wheel drive comes courtesy of two electric motors mounted at the back, and one in front.

Even the baby of the pack, the Modena, will thump to 62mph in only 3.9 seconds, and on to 188mph. The Trofeo we drove ups the ante to just 3.5 seconds and 199mph, while the Folgore races almost silently to 62mph in 2.7 seconds, and on to 202mph. 

On the move, the Maserati GranTurismo sets out its grand tourer stall straight from the off with a relaxed, supple gait, courtesy of air-suspension which combines a luxurious waft with just enough road surface information to keep the driver interested.

The gearbox slushes through ratios smoothly and with little sense of urgency, and the steering lets the driver place this big car very accurately through a bend, without being sweaty-palm quick.

These attributes make the car easy to drive for long periods, which is as a grand tourer should be. We can’t, however, help but feel a little let down by the engine sound.

The old naturally aspirated 4.7-litre V8 was gloriously sonorous, adding another rich layer of aural character to a car that, otherwise, wasn’t actually a patch on this new Maserati GranTurismo. 

In contrast, at no point could the 3.0-litre V6 soundtrack be described as remotely visceral. Rather it errs towards the gruff and guttural, never peaking in the manner of its predecessor. This adds up to progress which, though undeniably rapid, isn’t especially tuneful. Indeed, all too often, it’s so quiet that tyre roar dominates proceedings.

GT is the default drive mode, in which setting the car proves surprisingly nimble for one so long and wide – nicely balanced with stacks of grip, sufficient feedback through the steering and powerful brakes that don’t offer the last word in feel.

Selecting Sport or – unique to the Trofeo – Corsa drive mode sharpens the gearshift from gently slothful to viciously quick, and boosts the exhaust volume without making it sound any more appealing. It also toughens the suspension to the point of being rather too harsh for many British road surfaces. 

All in all, then, the Maserati GranTurismo is rather a lovely thing; an elegant, exotic grand tourer that handles entertainingly well. Moreover, the brand sells even fewer cars in the UK than Ferrari, so if you want exclusivity and your wallet can stand it you’d be hard pushed to do better.

The Maserati GranTurismo has a relaxed, supple gait courtesy of double wishbone front and five-link axle rear suspension, with height-adjustable air springs and electronic damping control.

The gearbox slushes through ratios smoothly and, even in GT drive mode, with little sense of urgency. The steering has been calibrated to let the driver place this big car very accurately through a bend, without being so quick as to demand huge levels of concentration at all times.

This means the car is not remotely draining to drive for long periods, which is as a grand tourer should be. But just because the Maserati GranTurismo is set up in this way doesn’t mean it won’t handle well.

GT is the default drive mode, in which setting the car proves surprisingly nimble for one so long and wide.

It’s nicely balanced with stacks of grip, enough feel through the steering to keep you engaged, and powerful brakes that require quite a stomp to slow you quickly from higher speeds. 

Weight distribution is a close-to-ideal 52:48 front to rear, and where the Modena fits a simple mechanical limited-slip differential, the Trofeo sports a trick torque-vectoring LSD to improve agility.  However, this is a big car which, weighing in at some 1800kg, won’t thank you for trying too hard on your favourite B-road.

Selecting Sport or (unique to the Trofeo) Corsa drive mode sharpens the gearshift and boosts the exhaust volume without making it sound any more appealing. But it also firms up the suspension to the point where things start to get uncomfortable on typically poor British road surfaces.

Another button offers multiple damper settings within each mode, but life would be far easier with a simple Individual mode within which you could, for instance, speed up the gear change without simultaneously over-toughening the ride.

In truth, despite the presence of Corsa drive mode, this really isn’t a track day car; anyone talented enough to get the best out of it on a circuit is going to want something more focused to exploit.

Both Modena and Trofeo versions of the Maserati GranTurismo deploy a 3000cc twin-turbo V6 petrol unit to excellent effect.

In the Modena, the unit is tuned to produce 490PS at 6500rpm and 600Nm of torque at just 3000rpm. This propels the car to 62mph in 3.9 seconds, to 124mph in 13.0 seconds and on to a top speed of 188mph.

The wick has been turned up in the Trofeo, with maximum power up to 550PS at 6500rpm and torque hiked to 650Nm at the same 3000rpm. As a result, the car will thump to 62mph in only 3.5 seconds, surge on to 124mph in just 11.4 seconds, and top out at 199mph.

The petrol engines are linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission with flappy paddle override and a four-wheel-drive system that can shuffle 100% of the available torque to the rear wheels, divide it equally between the axles or anything in between.

The muted engine sound is disappointing, though.

The old naturally aspirated 4.7-litre V8 was gloriously sonorous, adding another rich layer of aural character to a car that, otherwise, wasn’t actually a patch on this new Maserati GranTurismo. 

In contrast, at no point could the 3.0-litre V6 soundtrack be described as remotely visceral. It errs towards the gruff and guttural, never peaking in the manner of its predecessor, even when you turn the drive mode dial.

And this adds up to progress which, though undeniably rapid, isn’t especially tuneful. Indeed, all too often, it’s so quiet that tyre roar dominates proceedings.

Maserati quotes WLTP average fuel economy of 27.8mpg for the Modena and 27.7mpg for the Trofeo, and CO2 emissions of 230g/km for both variants. Other than in a fairly languid motorway cruise, we never saw anything upwards of 25mpg during our time with the latter.

The Folgore, meanwhile, boasts a 761PS all-electric drivetrain, with all-wheel drive coming courtesy of two 400PS electric motors mounted at the back and one 400PS offering at the front. The total system power is 761PS, and there’s a staggering 1350Nm of torque.

All this allows the car to bolt almost silently to 62mph in 2.7 seconds, reach 124mph in 8.8 seconds, and deliver a top speed of 202mph. 

Maserati is claiming a 279 mile-range from the Folgore battery’s usable 83kWh capacity, which equates to EV efficiency of 3.4 mi/kWh. But you’ll only get that by going rather more gently than a car such as this deserves. 

The new Maserati GranTurismo hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP or security tested by Thatcham, but seems well equipped with safety technology.

In terms of physical safety, the Maserati GranTurismo provides ABS, stability control, front-impact airbags, side impact airbags, overhead airbags, pre-tensioners and a security system.

A good range of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) technologies includes Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Active Lane Management, Active Blind Spot and Lane Keeping, Blind Spot Monitor, Drowsy Driver Detection, 360 Degree Surround View camera, Traffic Sign Recognition, Active Driving Assist and Intersection Collision Assist.

Best of all, the lane keeping assistant may be deactivated by pressing the end of a steering column stalk, and once off, it stays off, even when you switch off the engine and restart.

There is no towing information currently available for the Maserati GranTurismo.

The Maserati GranTurismo’s front seats are very comfortable. They lack the aggressive bolstering often found in cars this fast, yet still manage to hold you snuggly in place.

And despite a low driving position, the view out is surprisingly good, which is a relief given the car is some five metres long and two metres wide.

Although the rear seat accommodation is on a par with, or more spacious than, most rivals – with the exception of the Bentley Continental GT – we wouldn’t want to be any taller than six feet to sit in the back, and even then you might have to ask the driver to shunt his seat forward to guarantee some knee room.

Thanks to the front seats’ built-in headrests, the view out forwards isn’t great, either.

While petrol-engined Maserati GranTurismos boast 310 litres of luggage space, the electric variant offers a less impressive 270 litres.

The boot lip’s pretty high and the loadspace not overly tall, but it is much deeper than its predecessor. The rear seats don’t fold down to increase the luggage area, but there is a folding central panel in case you don’t want to spoil the car’s looks with a ski rack.

Storage space within the cabin is limited. The centre armrest bin, glovebox and door bins are all small by any standards, cup-holders hold sway on both front and rear seat centre consoles and it’s a fiddle extracting your phone from the charging mat.

The Maserati GranTurismo is predictably plush, playing second fiddle only to the Bentley Continental GT when it comes to a sumptuous leather smell, tactility and stitching. 

The blend of old and new won’t be to everyone’s taste, with classic luxury coupe trim and finishes jostling for position with three digital screens and the classic Maserati clock, which is now disappointingly round and faux.

As with all touchscreens, their appearance is quickly marred by the heavy smudge of fingerprints, which always looks particularly unappealing when you climb in to be confronted by blank screens.

The steering-wheel mounted buttons are simply horrible: glossy, wobbly items that are no pleasure to use and, as with the row of tabs that pass for a gear lever, are desperately in need of back-lighting by day to make them legible.

The Maserati GranTurismo sports a veritable Multiplex cinema of screens – six in all.

There are three main digital screens: a 12.2-inch driver’s display with sharp but not especially appealing graphics, plus plenty of information you can scroll through via those nasty steering wheel buttons.

There’s also a 12.3-inch centre console infotainment touchscreen for the stereo, sat-nav and other entertainment functions, and an 8.8-inch touchscreen below that for control of the air-conditioning, seats, ambient lighting and a few driving controls.

The latest version of Maserati’s infotainment system is equipped with DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ‘Hey Maserati’ voice control, and a 14-speaker, 860-watt Sonus Faber sound system that’ll bang the ear wax together in the middle of your head without the need to upgrade to the 19-speaker 1,195-watt alternative.

There is a handy column of shortcuts positioned near to the driver’s hand to allow for hopping between functions, and the main icons are easy enough to aim for even on the move. But the response time to inputs varies from just about acceptable to downright slow.

The faux analogue Maserati clock is actually a fourth screen, which can be changed to a stopwatch, compass or G-force meter. The optional head-up display takes the screen count to five, and a digital rear-view mirror – part of the same Tech Assistance package – makes six.

There are three versions of the Maserati GranTurismo currently on sale in the UK: the V6 petrol Modena, from £133,120; the more powerful V6 petrol Trofeo, from £163,590, and the all-electric Folgore, from £179,950.

The Trofoe we drove cost £184,880 on-the-road, £15,120 of which was paint.

By contrast, and with an eye on performance-matching petrol rivals, the Bentley Continental GT starts at £183,500, the Ferrari Roma enters the ring at £185,975 and the lovely Aston Martin DB12 costs £188,500.

Further rivals with ever-decreasing rear seat space include the Mercedes SL 63, from £171,965, BMW’s M8 Competition at £141,420 and the Porsche 911 Turbo from £158,100.

Pricing for the Folgore EV starts at £179,950, which suddenly makes the £120,515 all-electric Audi RS e-tron GT rather appealing, and the £101,990 Tesla Model S Plaid even more so – as long as you don’t mind left-hand drive, and an interior rich in bad plastic and devoid of interest.

A WLTP average fuel economy of 27.8mpg is quoted for the Maserati GranTurisomo Modena and 27.7mpg for the considerably more powerful Trofeo, and CO2 emissions of 230g/km for both variants.

Other than in a fairly languid motorway cruise, we never saw anything north of 25mpg during our time with the latter.

Meanwhile, Maserati is claiming 279 miles on the WLTP cycle from the Folgore battery’s usable 83kWh capacity.

You’ll only get that by going gently in ideal circumstances, but it’s a decent claim for a car weighing 2260kg and boasting a less-than-exceptional 0.26Cd drag factor.

With 800V system architecture and 270kW recharging, Maserati says you can hike the Folgore’s battery from 20% to 80% of charge in 18 minutes, and award the car a 62-mile range splash and dash in just five minutes.

The Maserati GranTurismo has a three model line-up – Modena, Trofeo and Folgore – which is all about the powertrains. At the time of writing, information on standard equipment is hard to come by.

Judging by the Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo we drove, though, the list of standard equipment seems generous, including expected highlights such as LED headlights, keyless entry and start, full-leather upholstery, two-zone climate control, heated front seats and a 14-speaker, 860-watt Sonus Faber sound system.

But there are plenty of options to push the price even higher. Our car was finished in £15,120 worth of iridescent blue paint, and benefited from three additional option packages: the £1130 Sport Design Package featuring aluminium/stainless steel sport pedals and footrest, and illuminated steel door sills; the £3480 Base Package comprising Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Active Lane Management, a Blind Spot Monitor, Drowsy Driver Detection and a Surround View camera; and the £800 Comfort package offering a Kick Sensor and HomeLink system. 

All of which makes £400 for the trident logo stitched on the front-seat headrests and £480 for a glossy black, diamond-cut alloy wheel design feel like something of a bargain.

Personalisation is the byword in this rarefied automotive atmosphere, with seven different brake caliper colours and eight interior leathers on offer, as well as carbon fibre detailing.

And you can, of course, upgrade the already dauntingly powerful Sonus Faber stereo to a 19-speaker 1,195-watt alternative.