2017 Maserati Quattroporte Review

Introduction

Maserati’s ‘four-door’, the Quattroporte has always been a brave and distinct choice in the luxury and sports saloon class, but one that we’d applaud anyone taking over the established, predictable, and predominantly Germanic norm. With the Ghibli now underneath it focusing on the job of sports saloon, the Quattroporte plays the role of the big limousine with a sporting bent. It’s not quite as mad as it once was then, but in truth that mixed brief does lead to some compromises on both fronts. Still, owners of the petrol models can boast about the Ferrari link (both the V6 and V8 units come out of Ferrari’s foundry), while the diesel brings the necessary emissions and mpg figures for those buying with company money, if little else.    

 

 

Did you know? Maserati’s trident logo was designed by Mario Maserati - one of six Maserati brothers - and is based on the Fountain of Neptune, Bologna.

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Verdict: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.6/10)

Pretty, fast, rear-wheel drive and powered by petrol engines that come from Ferrari: we should be singing the praises of the Quattroporte like demented opera singers on the Teatro Massimo’s rooftops, but we’re not. That's because it's good, rather than great, especially since Maserati shifted its big saloon into the luxury limo sphere rather than being a sort of charismatic, Italian alternative to the likes of a BMW M5 or Mercedes-AMG E 63. Its rivals now are more like the S-Class and 7 Series and it struggles. There’s plenty of space inside, but the rest of the package doesn’t live up to that luxury car brief, at least not as well as those established rivals.

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Design & Exterior: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

Long and low, the Maserati Quattroporte is, as you’d anticipate, among the more beautiful of the luxury saloons out there. Part of its ability to turn heads is simply down to the fact it’s rare; you’ll see hundreds of Mercedes-Benz S-Classes before a Quattroporte drives by - and that rarity is a sizeable part of its allure.

There are some very typically Maserati styling elements, from the three vents aft of the front wheels, to the upright strakes on the front grille within which Maserati’s famous trident badge nestles. The smooth lines of its predecessor have been replaced by sharper, edgier looks and it's no worse for it, though the fact the similar looking (but smaller) Ghibli exists below it does somewhat lessen its overall impact. Even so, the Quattroporte remains a very distinct choice in the luxury car marketplace.  

 

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Interior & Comfort:★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

There’s an undeniable pleasure in sitting in the Quattroporte, the trident badge on the steering wheel bringing with it a lot of promise, and reminding you of the simple fact you’re in something different. Start looking around the interior and that becomes ever-more apparent. It’s luxurious, but in a sort of outmoded way; the leathers are fine, though the wood finishes lack the lustre and warmth of those of the best of its rivals. Some of the switchgear feels pretty cheap, too, while it’s not always laid out particularly cleverly, nor clear in its operation. Compared to something like an S-Class with its massive TFT screens dominating the dashboard, or a BMW 7 Series, it’s all a bit lacklustre and, for the money Maserati asks for it, disappointing. The seats are comfortable enough, the rear spacious, too, but the suspension, even in Comfort mode, is a bit firm, and if you choose the diesel engine there’s a fair bit of clatter from it, too.

Practicality

There’s plenty of passenger space, so the rear compartment is totally fit for purpose - i.e. transporting its wealthy owners around. There’s a three-seat layout as standard, but the middle one, like all its rivals, is only really an occasional seat; for the most comfort then, the twin-seat rear is preferable. Do that and you get a console splitting the rear seats, adding some useful cubby space, cup holders and controls - depending on specification. The boot is long and wide, with 530 litres of space, and if you’ve the standard rear seats the backs fold forward for longer loads.

 

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Technology & Connectivity: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7/10)

The Quattroporte was introduced before the current boom of in-car connectivity, so until recently it only had the basics covered with USB sockets and Bluetooth, though now there’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, too. Underlining that it’s a late addition to the system is the screen that operates it; the 8.4-inch screen in the centre of the dash is operated by both a rotary controller and touch-screen controls. There’s DAB radio, and the option of rear-seat entertainment packages, which gain rear screens (with or without a TV tuner), but it's expensive so we’d suggest just buying a couple of iPads instead.

 

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Performance & Handling: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (5/10)

How the car drives was once the reason you’d buy a Quattroporte over its rivals; it’s now arguably a reason not to. The chief problem seems to be that it doesn’t really know what it wants to be. The suspension, Maserati’s Skyhook adaptive damper system, can’t offer the sort of comfort of its luxury competition, but neither does it offer the control or agility of the best sports saloons. Indeed, even in its Comfort setting it never really settles down, to the detriment of that setting’s named aim. The steering doesn’t help, as it feels a bit light around the straight ahead, and inconsistent in its weighting off centre, which does little to help with your confidence of what’s going on under the front wheels. Get through that and there’s good grip and balance from the chassis, it’s just not very good at letting you know about it.

That’s regrettable, as the engines have the capacity to thrill, the choices being a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel with 275hp, a 410hp Quattroporte S with a turbocharged V6 petrol and the Quattroporte GTS with a 3.8-litre turbocharged V8 with 530hp. The diesel isn’t a highlight, more of a necessity in the range for buyers saddled with the need to keep emissions low to reduce their tax liability. It’s quick enough, the 6.4 seconds it takes to reach 62mph brisk by any measure, only it makes quite a racket doing so. Unusually for a large diesel, it needs a healthy amount of revs before it feels like it's doing anything. More fitting are the petrol units, which, thanks to that Ferrari link, promise a good deal more charisma, too. The turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 in the S is a cracking engine; with 410hp it’s able to haul the Quattroporte to 62mph in 5.1 seconds and onto a 177mph maximum. To go faster still you’ll need the 530hp 3.8-litre V8 of the GTS, which, like the V6, is turbocharged. It shaves 0.4 seconds off that 0-62mph time and ups the top speed to within a whisker of 200mph.

All engines are mated to a superb ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, which is quick and slick with its gearshifts, whether you’ve left it alone to do its own thing, or you take over via the paddles behind the steering wheel. There’s the option to change the gearbox’s settings, from normal through to Sport Manual, while the separate Sport button liberates a bit more noise, and sharpens response from the chassis and engine, though the reality is that no amount of fiddling ever seems to find a combination that feels entirely comfortable in the big Maserati. The V8 engine, given its flagship status, is a bit lacking in voice; indeed, the V6 betters it for aural appeal, and hardly trails it in performance, either.          

Recommended engine: Maserati Quattroporte S

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Safety Features: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6/10)

There’s the expected count of airbags inside - even if the Quattroporte lacks the latest offerings like knee airbags - and there’s ABS plus traction and stability control as standard. It’s not been crash tested independently, but its smaller Ghibli relation scored a five-star result in the Euro NCAP tests, so that bodes well for the bigger car. The sort of advanced collision protection systems that are increasingly the norm remain on the options list (even on the most expensive trim): a pair of packages called Driver Assistance Package and Driver Assistance Package Plus add adaptive cruise control and blind spot alert with rear cross path alert, and in that plus package a surround view camera system.

 

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Specs and Trim Levels: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

Colours

Two standard solid colours and a range of nine metallic choices are found on the configurator, and those colours are all pretty sober and in keeping with the luxury car vibe. If you want it brighter, then Maserati will be able to accommodate your desires. It’s a bit more extrovert inside, where the leather can be finished in a variety of choices, from predictable black, greys, and cream, to a rather glorious red.

Trim Levels

The range is described as the standard car, then GranLusso, then GranSport, with the engines being Diesel, S (the V6 petrol) and GTS (the V8). GranLusso adds some luxury, while GranSport ups the sporting appeal. There are different wheel choices and sizes for both, while the GranSport gets a slightly more sporting look, to underline its more sporting bias.

Size and Dimensions

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Running Costs & Fuel Economy: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (5/10)

The diesel makes the most sense as a day-to-day running proposition thanks to its 45.6mpg combined economy and 163g/km emissions output, but it’s difficult to really recommend. The V6 petrol trails that diesel, with a quoted 29.4mpg and 223g/km, while the V8 is, unsurprisingly, even more expensive to buy and run, returning 26.4mpg and 307g/km. Good luck getting anywhere near those economy figures in the petrol models, though. Residual values aren’t as rock-solid as its German rivals' either, as the used market for big Italian luxury saloons is not quite as predictable, or big, as it is for Benzes, Beemers and Audis.   

Reliability and servicing

Specific mileage below is due to it being 20,000km.

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Pricing: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6/10)

It’s a Maserati, so the fact you’ve even gotten as far as picking up a brochure or perusing the online-configurator means you’ll understand that you’ll pay a bit more from the outset and in the long-run, to buy and own it. Prices start at around £70,000 and rise to nearly £116,000 before options. To those you can add at least £10,000, and probably a lot more.

 

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