Maserati Grecale Trofeo vs Porsche Macan GTS- Which one is better?

Maserati has always amazed car lovers with its offerings, which are a perfect combination of how beauty and brains can co-exist in one form. All their offerings boast of mind-boggling performance and sheer gorgeous looks, something which is true even for is SUV, the Levante. So, when Maserati had announced an SUV smaller than Levante a few months ago, it encouraged all the car enthusiasts to just wait and watch patiently, as there are anyways very few options in the premium super sports compact SUV segment.

And then, the wait finally comes to an end, with Maserati lifting covers off from the all-new Grecale, a new super sports compact SUV positioned below the Levante. And like other Maserati offerings, it also gets a delicious and tempting performance-oriented edition, the Trofeo. So, without wasting much time, we have compared the Maserati Grecale Trofeo with its most potent and direct rival, the Porsche Macan GTS: 

Price

While the timeframe is not yet confirmed, Maserati will be bringing the entire range of Grecale to India, including the range-topping Trofeo edition. It will go head-to-head with the Porsche Macan GTS, which is already on sale in India on a made-to-order basis. The prices of both the SUVs are not yet out to the Indian customers, however, they are expected to start just over the Rs 1 crore mark. This pricing point does make both these SUVs limited to only a few lucky people who have all the money to splurge on a performance-oriented SUV.

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Engine and Performance

When the guys at Maserati claimed that the new Grecale will establish new benchmarks in performance in the supersport compact SUV category, they meant that. The all-new 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged Nettuno V6 petrol, which first debuted in the MC20 supercar, is now there under the hood of the Grecale Trofeo as well. Here, the engine produces 530 bhp of maximum power and 620 Nm of maximum torque and is coupled to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

In comparison, the latest iteration of the Porsche Macan GTS uses a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine, which replaces the erstwhile bigger 3.0-litre twin-turbo unit. While the engine is smaller, it is more powerful with a maximum power output of 440 bhp (almost 60 bhp more than before) and a torque output of 550 Nm. Needless to say, the Maserati Grecale Trofeo is more powerful than the Porsche Macan GTS by leaps and bounds.

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Exterior and Dimension

Not only outright performance, but the Maserati Grecale Trofeo has also pipped the Porsche Macan GTS when it comes to sheer dimensions. The Grecale Trofeo is a bigger SUV than the Macan GTS in every sense – it is longer, wide, taller and has a bigger boot compartment of around 89 litres. However, the longer wheelbase of the Grecale Trofeo means that it has a slightly bigger turning radius as well.

Design

The Maserati Grecale Trofeo and Porsche Macan GTS look much sleeker and more modern than their bigger siblings from whom they seek their inspirations, the Maserati Levante and Porsche Cayenne respectively.

The Maserati Grecale Trofeo is the most special looking form of the Grecale, with all the sporty bits in the right amount. The SUV has a curvy and rounded stance, which looks elegant with the presence of sleek-looking LED headlamps and boomerang-shaped front daytime running LEDs and LED tail lamp inserts. The lowered grille with vertical slats and the iconic Trident logo gives it the much-needed aggression, and the sporty bits like carbon-fibre textures, low-profile tyres over super stylish alloy wheels and wider rear track give it a nice sporty stance and look.

Compared to the Maserati Grecale Trofeo, the Porsche Macan GTS looks a bit simpler, with its design too having a lot of rounded influence from front to rear. The all-LED headlamps look curvier and the sleek LED tail lamps adjoined with an LED light bar make the rear profile of the SUV look very classy. Being the range-topping GTS trim, the Porsche Macan GTS also comes with a host of glossy-black bits and carbon fibre touches at places.

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Interior and Features

While both the SUVs here are designed and equipped to impress the millennial in you, it is the Maserati Grecale Trofeo, which takes the advantage of being the newer SUV out of the two.

The Maserati Grecale Trofeo has a sportier-looking cabin in comparison, which is a complete departure from the other existing models from Maserati. The cabin here looks much futuristic with a four-screen setup, which includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch full-TFT instrument console, 8.8-inch TFT touchpad for climate control and other functions of the vehicle and a cool-looking rounded TFT digital clock at the top of the centre console. Making the cabin look delicious are the exposed carbon fibre panels and perforated leather seats with contrast stitching.

The same kind of sportiness is evoked by the cabin of the Porsche Macan GTS, but in comparison, it feels less youthful and futuristic. While the cabin gets top-quality Nappa leather upholstery, the all-analogue instrument console makes the driver’s cockpit of the Macan GTS look dated in comparison. The centre console, however, looks classier with a wide touchscreen infotainment system, a lower centre console with minimalist looking buttons and gloss black finish and a small analogue clock at the top. 

Verdict

Maserati might have taken its own sweet time to enter the super sports compact SUV segment with the Grecale Trofeo, but the efforts make the wait seem worthy. The Grecale Trofeo simply beats the Macan GTS in whatever aspect you ask – it looks more beautiful and modern (though styling is subjective), the cabin is more modern and better-equipped, it has a more powerful engine, it is more spacious on the inside and is a bigger SUV out of the two. We have a clear winner here. The Maserati Grecale Trofeo, hands down, is the new best super sports compact SUV. Period.

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