This Maserati Sedan Is Expensive But Flawed

Maserati offers an attainable luxury vehicle with its new Ghibli mid-size sedan. But with lackluster craftsmanship and poor fuel economy, is it worth the price?
Written by Elaine Duvet
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
If you’re not a celebrity or multi-millionaire, the Maserati Ghibli may be your chance to finally own an Italian
luxury car
. With a price range of $76,200-$110,600 this attention-grabbing vehicle has agile handling and an exhilarating exhaust sound.
But does this elegant and sporty package actually deliver?

An eye-catching thrill ride

The Fiat-owned company was able to achieve an entry-level price by creatively sourcing its parts. Ferrari built the engine, and the chassis basics yield from the previous generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Chrysler 300. You’ll even find some switches in the interior that match those located in an old Dodge Darts.
The Ghibli refers to a hot Saharan wind and sports a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine with 345 hp. Whether you opt for the standard package or upgrade to the range-topping Trofeo model with a 580-hp twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 engine, you’re guaranteed an eight-speed automatic transmission. 
According to
Consumer Reports
, the Ghibli “provides breathtaking acceleration, especially in Sport mode, when the transmission upshifts in a rapid-fire style [and the] communicative, well-weighted steering is reassuring.”
The exterior is sleek and Italian-inspired. Maserati paid attention to details like the peaks in fenders and gave us gorgeous 20-inch wheels.
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
Find insurance savings

The Maserati Ghibli’s interior falls short

The interior finish makes us wonder if it's worth the cost. It certainly doesn’t compare to other midsize luxury sedans in the same price range. 
While the Ghibli does have premium quality materials like leather, high-gloss wood trim, and metal, the craftsmanship just isn’t up to par
According to Consumer Reports, “Huge gaps between the interior front door trim and the roof pillars reveal a line of painted bodywork. More gaps show up between components surrounding the steering wheel and the glove compartment.”
The sedan isn’t easy to get into either. The Ghibli is slow slung and it’s got short doors and high door sills.
“The side roof B-pillar blocks access to the front seat, forcing you around it; that's made even worse by the access mode that automatically powers the front seatback out of the way to increase room getting in or out,” Consumer Reports tells us. The windows on the frameless doors curve inward, so watch yourself when you get out!
The rear seats are tight and don’t offer much room for your legs. At least there’s a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Drivers can also upgrade the eight-speaker audio system to a 10-speaker Harmon/Kardon setup or a 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system. 

Other areas that leave room for improvement

Consumer Reports found many aspects of the car to be undeveloped. Testers agree that the ride is overly firm and that the feeling of bumps comes through strong. The steering isn’t that fast, though it does provide pretty good feedback. 
Though the all-wheel-drive exhibits plenty of power, “the initial turbo lag can make it feel a bit flat and underwhelming when you first hit the throttle,” Consumer Reports tells us. And be prepared to feel more body roll than you’d expect from a sporty sedan.
The organization also felt the fussy electronic shift level frustrating to use, stating that it lacks major safeguards to prevent the car from rolling away when parked. If you forget to select Park before you exit the vehicle, you’ll be one unhappy camper.
Another critique of the Maserati sedan is the pronounced wind noise when driving on the highway and a drone sound that never lets up. 
And don’t expect to get great fuel economy on
long road trips
. According to
Car and Driver
, “The rear-wheel-drive V-6 models earn ratings of 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway; going for all-wheel drive drops the city rating to 16 mpg.” Unfortunately, the Maserati Ghibli’s EPA is the lowest in its class, coming in at 19 mpg overall.
Are you overpaying for car insurance?
Compare quotes and find out in 45 seconds.
Try Jerry

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings