Fine Italian craftsmanship, named after the Gregale, the Mediterranean Sea breeze, Maserati’s latest SUV model, the Grecale GT.

Designed on the Giorgio platform, this small crossover is positioned below the larger Levante, and is the entry-level variant for the Grecale line-up.

Naza Italia, the official distributor of Maserati in Malaysia, is offering the Grecale GT at a starting price of MYR 598,000. 

Said price includes local duties, taxes and a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, but excludes on-the-road fees, insurance and add on options.

There are four exterior c

The Grecale GT stands at 4,846 MM long, 1,948 MM wide, 1,670 MM tall, and with a wheelbase spanning 2,901 MM.

A solid and sporty exterior, it has an MC20-inspired low-hanging front end, adorned by the hallmark concave grille with chrome vertical bars and the Trident insignia. 

Paired on the edges and lower bumper is a set of air intakes. Smooth lines and fluidity command the entire outlook, completing a smoothly strong character.

Clean and elegant, the rear end features curvy smooth contours, with a coupe-esque roofline that has a very subtle yet sporty roof-edge spoiler.

Completing the layout, the body-coloured bumper, which matches the front, sees a black diffuser with newly designed dual chrome-plated exhausts. 

A little rounded yet angular, it gets a set of headlamps perfectly shaped for its vertical body. Featuring a design signature derived from the MC20 super sportscar. They are full LED units with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), and feature an auto adjustable function.

Inspired by the Giugiaro 3200 GT, the slim boomerang shaped tail lamps integrate seamlessly with the exterior’s clean lines. They are full LED units.

The side mirrors are electronically adjusted and folded with blind spot- and turn-indicators.

Fitted are ventilated disc brakes, measuring 350 MM with four-piston callipers (front) and 330 mm with single-piston callipers (rear).

Newly designed, it rides on a set of 19-Inch Trident-inspired, silver-finished alloy rims, wrapped in 235/55 R19 tyres.

The Grecale GT has an elegantly futuristic and highly premium designed dashboard, featuring an avant-garde digital realm with more than 33 inches of display surfaces. 

Silver trimming and other details are also present, such as the trident tab behind the steering wheel, and knurlings on the dials, resembling that of luxury watches.

Main highlights being the three large screen setups, and the futuristic analogue-looking digital clock (touchscreen - compass, G-force metre, voice command visual response).

Overall, with a near-symmetrical layout, every accessibility on the dash can be touch-controlled, and is ergonomically positioned for the driver.

Installed is a 12.3-Inch full TFT colour digital cluster with a customisable head-up display (HUD). 

The whole setup is driver customisable (theme layouts, drive modes, vehicle settings, safety warnings, navigation).

The five-seater is upholstered in the finest hand-stitched leather, with the Maserati logo embossed on the headrest. 

Themed under a warm and enveloping ambience, it comes in options of all-black, rich chocolate, and sophisticated greige or bold black with contrasting stitching.

Premium and comfortable, the seats feature electronic adjustments (front with driver height setting), heating and ventilating functions, and foldable rear seats.

Considering it to be a compact SUV, its athletically stocky silhouette offers generous head, shoulder and legroom, thus front and rear occupants get ample space.

The three-spoke all-black, leather steering wheel comes with multi-switches (engine Start/Stop, drive mode selector, ADAS configurator, Bluetooth, Audio), aluminium paddle shifters, and tilt and telescopic adjustments.

The centre console, free of buttons and gear lever, makes room for the spacious armrest and a large storage compartment with double butterfly doors. 

Elsewhere, it has other storage areas like large sized door pockets, back seat pockets, and a decent-sized glove box.

There are four cup holders, two located in the front centre console, while the other two are in the rear. Also, there are four bottle holders, located at each side door pocket.

It features wireless, USB and 12-V charging outlets, which are all located in the centre console’s dedicated charging compartment.

Its hands-free powered tailgate opens up to 535-Litres of boot space. It can fit suitcases, pet carries and boxes, for both short and long journeys, hassle-free.

The Grecale GT gets an Advanced Driver Assistant System (ADAS) suite comprising of Automated Emergency Braking, Intelligent Speed Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Active Lane Management, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Keeping Warning, Active Driving Assist, and Traffic Sign Information.

Passive safety includes seven airbags (front, front side, driver knee, and curtain), seat belts (reminders, pre-tensioners, anchors), ISOFIX, parking sensors (front, rear), reverse parking camera, impact beams (front, side, rear), door ajar warning, crash sensor, traction control, Hill Start Assist Control (HSAC), Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), security alarm with anti-theft and engine-immobiliser.

Four drive modes available. Comfort, GT, Sport, and Off-Road.

Installed are two big, angled and stacked touchscreen displays, measuring 12.3-Inch (top) and 8.8-Inch (bottom) each. 

There is also a rear setup, another 6.5-Inch touchscreen nestled in the rear centre console, providing a dedicated set of controls for the triple-zone climate system.

The infotainment setup is powered by Google’s Android Automotive OS, and linked to the Maserati Intelligent Assistant (MIA), an in-cabin digital concierge (voice control). 

Supported are five user profiles with preferred vehicle settings, drive modes, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, WiFi hotspot, navigation and the Maserati Connect telematics system.

The suite of ADAS will make long and short journeys less tiresome, at the same time easing the day-to-day manoeuvrability of the crossover. 

Equipped is a 1,285-W high-premium sound system, developed for Maserati by Sonus Faber with natural materials in exclusive metal-esque speaker design.

It comes with 14- and 21-speaker configurations, seven 45-W tweeters, three 60-W mid-range speakers, and a bespoke subwoofer technology.

The Grecale GT harbours a 2.0-Litre turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 300 HP at 5,750 RPM and 450 NM of torque from 2,000 to 4,000 RPM. 

This is assisted by a 48-Volt mild hybrid system that includes a belt starter generator (BSG), a battery, an eBooster and a DC converter.

Mated to the engine is an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Power is transmitted to all four wheels (4WD), and is fitted with an electronic Limited-Slip Differential (LSD) on the rear axle, anchoring the SUV to the asphalt.

It can go from 0 to 100 KM/H in 5.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 240 KM/H.

The Grecale GT has Keyless Entry system, hands-free tailgate, triple-zone auto-climate control (dedicated rear controls), multi-function steering wheel, auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror, power adjustable seats, sunroof (auto open, vent, close), rear reading lamp, front and rear armrests, reverse camera, front and rear parking sensors, rain sensing headlights and wipers, auto headlamps, trunk light voice control and speed sensing door locks. 

There are rear air-conditioning vents with a set of dedicated controls.

Its lightweight construction, combined with high-performing engines makes for a pulse-quickening ride. The prop shaft made in carbon fibre and the use of materials like aluminium, contribute to a top-class power to weight ratio, acceleration, and speed.

Featuring front double wishbones and a rear multi-link suspension setup with passive dampers (optional - skyhook system, air suspension), it provides for an extremely comfortable drive.

Very spacious with firm handling, it is very suitable as a daily driver. Inside and out, performance- and comfort-wise, overall ride quality is satisfactory.

Good sound insulation with the NVH aspects accounted for. The cabin is acoustically designed, to enhance the in-car ambience and block out exterior noises.

Overall, the cabin is able to suppress unwanted noises well and make them barely noticeable even when cruising through bumpy asphalts.