Maserati Grecale

Cabin

You are in a luxury SUV; that means comfort and elegance are part of the experience. Leather seating and a driving position inspired by Maserati’s sports cars come as standard, with the digital instrument cluster and central touchscreen laid out to keep the cabin feeling open rather than cluttered with buttons. On the Trofeo variant, there are sportier front-seat bolsters to match its firmer chassis tune.

Another highlight of the cabin is the tri-screen digital cockpit, which combines navigation, climate, and vehicle settings together. Maserati’s connected app lets owners check the charge status on the Folgore or lock the doors remotely on any variant from a smartphone. Wireless charging and a large central storage bin add to the everyday practicality, which is now a standard expectation.

The Fuoriserie personalization options allow you to specify unique paint, interior trim, and stitching combinations through Maserati’s customization program, a level of personalization that few rivals in this segment offer as standard practice.

Front Seat

• Leather seating is standard across the range
• Sports-oriented bolstering on Trofeo
• Driving position inspired by Maserati’s sports cars
• Heated front seats standard

The driving position is noticeably lower than in the Macan or X3, closer to a sports sedan than a typical compact SUV, worth experiencing directly since it changes how the Grecale feels from behind the wheel more than the specification sheet suggests.

Rear Seat

• Reasonable rear legroom for the segment
• Rear air vents included
• Suits two adults comfortably; tighter for three across
• USB charging points in the rear

Overall, once you spend a little time at the back, you know the space is competitive rather than class-leading, similar to most rivals in this segment. Taller passengers sitting behind a similarly tall driver will notice it most on a longer run out to Al Ain.

Rear passengers also get a fold-down center armrest with cupholders, a small comfort touch that matters most on a longer family trip towards the Hajar Mountains.

Climate Control

There is automatic tri-zone climate control, which is standard across the range and covers everyday UAE conditions well. The Folgore’s electric powertrain allows the cabin to be preconditioned while still plugged in, a distinctly useful way to cool the car down before a summer drive without using up the battery’s range.

Rear passengers get their own dedicated vents on every trim, a detail some rivals in this segment still hold back for higher grades only.

Storage

• 535 liters of boot space on the GT and Modena
• 570 liters on Trofeo
• 535 liters on Folgore
• Reasonable underfloor storage on petrol trims
• Split-folding rear seats standard

Now, here is what you need to pay attention to. The petrol Grecale models offer a properly usable boot for weekly shopping or weekend luggage, while the Folgore offers the same listed 535-litre capacity rather than a reduced boot compared with the petrol models.

Loading longer items like golf clubs or a flat-pack furniture box is easy thanks to the wide tailgate opening and low load lip, a practical touch when you visit a store for big-item shopping.

The current Maserati technical data lists 535 liters for GT and Modena, 570 liters for Trofeo, and 535 liters for Folgore, so the earlier claim that the Folgore has reduced cargo capacity should be removed.

As you can expect, Maserati equips the Grecale with a full suite of driver-assistance features, backed by additional systems available depending on trim and package.

• Emergency braking is included as standard
• Blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assistance
• Adaptive cruise control available
• 360-degree camera system available
• Parking sensors front and rear
• Anti-lock braking and multiple airbags are standard across the range

Comparatively, the Grecale’s safety list holds up well against its German rivals, though buyers should confirm exactly which driver-assistance features come standard versus optional on their specific trim with a UAE dealer before finalizing a configuration.

The Trofeo and Folgore variants get larger brakes as standard, a meaningful stopping-power advantage given that both trims carry more weight or more power than the GT and Modena. But keep in mind that none of the assistance systems intervene so aggressively that they feel intrusive on a spirited drive, striking a balance which some rivals in this segment still get wrong.

Front

A trident-shaped grille flanked by slim Matrix LED headlamps gives the Grecale a clear Maserati face, more upright and formal than the swept-back look Porsche favors on the Macan, and the Trofeo adds a deeper front splitter to mark it out from the GT and Modena.

Full-LED Matrix headlamps come standard across the range, automatically adjusting their beam pattern to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic on unlit stretches of road heading out towards the desert.

Side Profile

It is noticeable that Maserati’s design team drew heavily on the brand’s sports-car heritage for the Grecale’s dimensions, with a long bonnet and a relatively short front overhang that gives the compact SUV a distinctly athletic stance rather than the tall, upright look some rivals settle for.

The roofline tapers gently towards the rear rather than staying flat, a coupé-like touch that costs the Grecale a little rear headroom but pays off visually against the boxier Q5 and GLC.

Alloy Wheels

Each trim gets its own wheel design and finish. GT and Modena lean towards a cleaner, more traditional pattern, while Trofeo’s wheels are styled to hint at the performance underneath, a visual cue that separates the range at a glance in a regular Dubai car park.

Rear

You can see the slim, boomerang-shaped tail lamps wrap around a clean tailgate, with the Trofeo’s quad exhaust tips and Folgore’s closed-off rear diffuser marking out the two ends of the range: the loudest petrol Grecale and the quietest electric one, sitting side by side in showrooms.

Colors

• Devil Orange
• Night Interaction
• Verde Royale
• Rame Folgore
• Bianco
• Bianco Astro
• Grigio Lava
• Nero Tempesta
• Blu Intenso
• Grigio Lava Opaco

So you basically get to choose from ten standard colors, covering the practical black, white, and silver through to Devil Orange and Verde Royale for those of you who want the Grecale to stand out. Maserati’s Fuoriserie personalization program opens up an even wider palette of custom finishes for buyers who want something no other Grecale in the UAE will match.

City Performance

Specific to variant-wise driving in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the Modena’s mild-hybrid four-cylinder feels responsive for a mid-tier SUV, pulling cleanly from a stop with none of the lag some turbocharged four-cylinder rivals still suffer from.

On the Folgore, you have instant electric torque for the quickest of the four away from a standstill, useful for confidently merging onto busy roads like Sheikh Zayed Road.

Low-speed driving around tight multi-story car parks at Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates feels manageable too, helped by a tight turning circle. The roundabouts around Downtown Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s Corniche highlight the Grecale’s precise steering response, letting the driver place the car accurately without the nervousness some taller SUVs show at similar speeds.

• Modena’s mild-hybrid engine pulls cleanly without hesitation in traffic
• Folgore’s instant torque makes it the quickest off the line
• Trofeo demands a measured throttle given its considerable power
• Standard AWD adds confidence during sudden rain
• A compact turning circle eases parking despite the car’s size

Highway Performance

On the E11 towards Abu Dhabi, the Trofeo’s 530 hp is remarkable and useful for overtaking quickly, while the Folgore covers the same stretch in near silence, with the electric powertrain removing engine noise from the equation entirely.

Both clearly feel composed at 120 km/h, though the Folgore’s range drops noticeably faster at sustained high speed, as with any EV.

• Trofeo feels strong and confident and has strong overtaking acceleration
• Folgore’s cabin stays exceptionally quiet at highway speed
• Modena covers long stretches comfortably without feeling strained
• Folgore’s range drops faster at sustained high speed

Ride and Handling

In purposeful choices, you notice rather early on that the Grecale’s chassis leans towards real driver engagement rather than pure comfort. That separates it from the softer-riding Velar and gives it more in common with the Macan’s sportier character.

On the other hand, the Trofeo’s firmer suspension tune and larger brakes reward a more spirited driving style on the UAE’s smoother highway stretches, while GT and Modena stay comfortable enough for daily use without feeling floaty.

Air suspension is available further up the range, letting owners soften the ride for a long desert drive or firm it up when the road turns twisty near Hatta.

• Suspension smooths patched roads reasonably well across the range
• Trofeo’s firmer tune adds noticeable body control through corners
• Folgore’s low center of gravity aids composure at speed
• Steering stays precise and well-weighted regardless of trim
• Available air suspension adds flexibility between comfort and control

Maserati offers the Grecale in the UAE across four distinct versions, spanning mild-hybrid petrol through to full-electric power. The current UAE range is GT, Modena, Trofeo, and Folgore.

GT

This is the base variant in the Grecale range; what you get here is the 2.0-liter mild-hybrid engine, standard all-wheel drive, and the full Maserati cabin technology suite. It is for buyers who want the Grecale’s design and badge without paying for the V6 engine found in the Trofeo.

Modena

This variant steps up to the 330-hp 2.0-liter mild-hybrid four-cylinder, a stronger version of the same basic powertrain used in the GT. It is ideal for those of you looking for a noticeably stronger engine without the Trofeo’s sharper focus.

Trofeo

The range-topping petrol Grecale has 530 hp, a firmer suspension tune, and sportier styling cues throughout. Clearly, this is for those who love the quickest, most engaging Grecale that still burns petrol.

Folgore

This is the variant where Maserati offers its fully electric Grecale, with 550 hp, a sizeable 105 kWh battery, and 820 Nm of torque. If you are looking to make the move to an EV without leaving the Grecale’s design and driving character behind, pick this one.

Zigwheels Recommendation

With four different choices, it is the mid-variant Modena that is worth serious consideration for most UAE buyers. The move to the 330-hp mild-hybrid powertrain gives it more power than the GT while keeping running costs more reasonable than the range-topping petrol version.

The GT remains a sensible choice for buyers who want the Grecale’s design and cabin without needing extra performance. Trofeo is for those who want the full V6 experience, while Folgore makes sense for buyers who can charge at home and specifically want an electric Maserati.

In August 2026, Porsche ended production of the combustion-engine Macan, leaving the Grecale as one of the more distinctive petrol alternatives in this part of the market. If you want a compact SUV with an out-and-out sporty feel, the Grecale is the right choice out there. 

Interestingly, the current UAE Modena continues with a 2.0-liter mild-hybrid four-cylinder, while the Trofeo remains the V6 performance option. And it holds its own on design and standard equipment, but you must consider the dealer network and support versus its key rivals like Porsche and BMW. The Gracle is your best choice of a compact SUV that is sporty and high on luxury. 

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