2026 Maserati Grecale Trofeo Is Like If New Jersey Was A Car

I've never been shy about the fact that I'm a New Jerseyan through and through. I was born there. I grew up there. Hell, maybe I'll die there one day if my fiancée gives in. But the state is certainly not perfect. The state is incredibly crowded and far too expensive, it has a confusing road network, there's a bit of a smell if I'm honest, and, well, it's very Italian in a misunderstanding "The Sopranos" and saying the names of foods wrong kind of way. Nevertheless, I love New Jersey, and it holds a very special place in my heart. It's just charming — if you get it, you get it. It's very reminiscent of a certain car I recently drove: the 2026 Maserati Grecale Trofeo.

Much like New Jersey, it's not for everybody, too expensive for what it gives you, and touts its Italian heritage in the most obnoxious of ways with tri-colored flags, flamboyant names, an attention-grabbing schnoz and an exhaust note that's louder than your family's Sunday dinner when someone accidentally insults Nonna's cooking. (I'm not Italian, I don't know what they do.) Still, the Grecale's charm and charisma are hard to ignore, and so are its stellar driving characteristics. That's why, when something breaks or an option that should be there isn't, you chalk it up to quirky Italian-ness, rather than a simple oversight or problem.

Full Disclosure: Maserati lent me a 2026 Grecale Trofeo with a full tank of gas to do with as I pleased for a full week.

The type of person who's buying a Grecale Trofeo over one of the lower-rung Maserati crossovers is almost certainly going to care about horsepower. The good news for them is that at the heart of every Grecale Trofeo is an absolute thumper of a motor: Maserati's Nettuno twin-turbocharged V6 that's also used in the GranTurismo and MCPura. It can be argued that this crossover comes with the "heart of a supercar" or some other cliche. In any case, in this application, it pumps out a hearty 523 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque.

With all that power sent through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and electronic limited-slip differential to all four wheels, the 4,650-pound crossover can hit 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, according to Maserati. It's more than enough thrust to impress your neighbor, Vinny from across the street, who owns the paving stone company.

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The one snag, though, is the fact that the base trim Grecale — the Modena — comes with the exact same engine as the Trofeo, just detuned down to 386 hp. If you think you can live without those extra 137 horses, the Modena may be the one to get. Right now, that's not important to us, because we're taking Trofeo, and less power is for losers, anyway.

Not only is the power substantial, but the Grecale Trofeo is also a wonderful dance partner when the going gets twisty. I struggle to think of another crossover on sale today with better steering. It's just so delightfully light and precise at the same time. Delicate is the best way to describe it, like your mother's stuffed shells. The steering is a real highlight of the car's Corsa mode, which firms everything up and puts the engine into full-kill mode. A lowlight is how Corsa makes the Trofeo's standard adaptive dampers and height-adjustable air suspension way too stiff for any sort of vaguely bumpy road — something that is plentiful where I'm from. Luckily, this can be fixed by hitting the dedicated suspension button on the steering wheel, which softens up that aspect of the car back to a more acceptable setting. Even with the suspension softened, body roll is kept well under control.

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Because the suspension and drive style are so adjustable, the Grecale Trofeo does make for an excellent daily, if that's the sort of thing you're into. The 14-way adjustable seats are plenty comfortable, but they could be considered a bit snug for the meatball lovers out there. Its suspension in softer settings also does a very good job of dispatching rough pavement. The Grecale is a solid commuter if you're the kind of person making the daily trek from Bergen County into Manhattan, thanks to its surprisingly solid driver-assistance suite, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. My car was fitted with an optional Level 2 driver-assist system with lane centering that also worked very well, but I had to keep at least a finger on the wheel at all times, which was a bit annoying.

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What was very annoying was the Grecale Trofeo's snow performance. It was abysmal. During my test, the area of New Jersey where my folks live was hit with over 30 inches of snow. Because I'm such a good son, I left my cozy apartment in New York to help them out, leaving right before the blizzard made travel impossible. Despite the Grecale being fitted with an off-road mode, it was truly dreadful.

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I suspect a lot of my issues were due to the Bridgestone Potenza all-season tires fitted to the car. Ground clearance wasn't an issue thanks to the height-adjustable suspension, but even lightly breathing on the throttle had the rear end of the Grecale Trofeo wanting to become acquainted with the front. I guess that's a byproduct of a heavily rear-biased all-wheel-drive system and a responsive gas pedal. I made it home, obviously, but it was one of — if not the — most nerve-wracking driving experiences of my life. Never have I been so scared on the New Jersey Turnpike.

The Grecale Trofeo's interior is nice without a doubt, but it's missing a certain solidity we've come to expect from its German counterparts. There's a bit too much piano black plastic and Stellantis parts sharing going on here for my liking, but the average, non-car-lunatic probably isn't going to notice. To make up for the bad stuff, designers also included swaths of open-pore carbon-fiber trim, which looks rather lovely and appropriately sporty.

What the average person will notice is that the tech works really, really well. From the jump, the Grecale Trofeo comes with three screens: a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 12.3-inch center infotainment screen and an 8.8-inch screen below that to control HVAC and other core vehicle functions. Together, the three work marvelously when it comes to controlling the car. The two center screens are quick to respond to inputs, and the gauge cluster is solidly customizable with enough different looks to keep you interested. Of course, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

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Buyers are also going to love the leather-wrapped steering wheel and real metal paddles fixed behind it. They're a true highlight of the interior, as is the fantastic 21-speaker Sonus Faber audio system (a 14-speaker system is standard).

Because this is supposed to be a practical car or whatever, I guess it's important to mention that there's plenty of room in the second row of seats for a couple of passengers, and I can fairly easily fit behind my driving position at 6-foot-1, though the sloping roofline does mean a bit of headroom is sacrificed to the gods. Trunk space also isn't all that huge, with 20 cubic feet on tap behind the second row. For reference, the BMW X3 has 31.5 cubic feet, so do a little less shopping at the Garden State Plaza mall, I guess.

The true Achilles' heel of the Grecale Trofeo is, unfortunately, its price. Despite how it's meant to compete with cars like the BMW X3 M, Porsche Macan Turbo and Mercedes-AMG GLC63, its price far outpaces them. Maserati is clearly hoping the mystique of its badge hasn't been too badly damaged by the last 20 years of its history.

In any case, the Grecale Trofeo is not a cheap car, no matter how you slice it. Prices start at $119,495, including destination — a whopping $33,000 premium over the Grecale Modena . At the very least, a lot comes standard right out of the box. On the inside, it has leather upholstery, 14-way power front seats, three-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, a 14-speaker Sonus Faber audio system and a slew of other features. Outside, buyers will be treated to 21-inch wheels, lots of carbon-fiber bits, black trim, a power liftgate, air suspension, LED lights all around and even red brake calipers. So, yes, the price is steep, but there's a lot to be had.

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Of course, there are still options you can add, like the lovely $2,730 Blue Modena paint, $1,610 21-inch forged staggered wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza tires and $2,270 Tech Assistance package. With all those things added on, my car's as-tested price was brought up to $126,105.

There may be better values out there, but few cars in this class are going to drive as well, and you really just need to ask yourself what the Maserati badge on the grille means to you.

There are places that are far better values for money than New Jersey, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming the most densely populated state in the Nation. People live there because they like it, just as they buy Grecales because they like those, though I'm sure Maserati wishes the Grecale's sales numbers were a bit more New Jersey and a bit less Wyoming. Baby steps.

The Grecale Trofeo is not a bad car, not by any stretch of the imagination. Yeah, it was bad during a historic snowstorm, but that's more the fault of the tires and conditions than anything else. Its real issue is that it's only great in a vacuum. If it had no competitors, then it would be a car really worth considering and fawning after. Unfortunately, compact hotboy crossovers are all the rage right now, and they're all doing the same thing as the Grecale — and they're doing it better. I'll admit, the Grecale Trofeo is probably the best-looking out of all of them, and it's got a certain flair that its competitors don't, but it just can't shake its Stellantis roots.

I know that Maserati (and Stellantis as a whole) is looking to turn things around right now, but while its main competition is giving us "The Sopranos," I fear the Grecale Trofeo is giving us "The Many Saints of Newark." There are hints of greatness in there. They're just covered in a thick layer of poor quality and dodgy choices.