Maserati Doom 2017 Review

Richard Berry road tests and reviews the new Maserati Ghibli with performance, fuel consumption and verdict.

Ah, you've just dived into some really fun waters. Serious because it's clear you're looking for something practical with four doors, and funny because it's supposed to be incredibly fast, wrapped in high-quality packaging. The Maserati Ghibli is all of these things and became an instant worldwide star for the Italian brand when it arrived in 2014. We have also evaluated this model in Australia. Last year, of the 483 Maserati 330s sold, they were Ghiblis.

The Ghibli faces fierce and established competition, with the BMW M3 a perennial icon in the midsize high-performance sedan class, and the Mercedes-AMG C63s being the Beemer's worst recurring nightmare. Then there's the new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, which looks like it's the brand's comeback car. All of them give serious pleasure with their high-class and practical performance.

We tested the recently updated entry-level petrol Ghibli with the upholstery smell of its rivals, which is still fresh in our sinuses. So, what you have to live with - from parking lots and traffic jams during rush hours to explosions on country roads. How does the new update actually update it? Why does slate keep doing this? And does the Ghibli make it better that it's a Maserati?

Maserati Ghibli 2017: (base)
Safety Rating
engine's type	3.0 L turbo
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	8.9l / 100km
Landing	5 Places
Price from	$67,200

Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10

Externally, the updated Ghibli is identical to the previous one. Emblazoned with the Maserati Trident logo, these C-pillars flow seamlessly into huge rear thighs. The supercar-style nose drops to a stiff upper lip. While the front bumper and splitter are clean and do not detract from the central part, this unmistakable grille, which, together with decorative side vents, has become key Maserati identifiers.

It's a stunning car and more emotional in its design than Alfa, BMW or Benz. Sure, the rear looks like the bottom of any other car, and it's a little chunky, but that's the reality of the cab rear design, which is also shared by its competitors, who move the cab back to allow the nose to flare like in that boat. Miami Vice.

Luxurious is a word that has only ever been erased and used only to describe food and hotel rooms, but it also lends the feel of a Ghibli salon.

The Ghibli shares the same chassis and suspension design as its larger Quattroporte sibling, but is shorter by 293mm at 4971mm. That's a lot for this segment - Giulia QV is 4639mm, M3 is 4661mm and C63s is 4686. It's also wider and taller: 2100mm across including mirrors and 1461mm high, C63s for example is 2020mm from mirror to mirror and 1442 mm to the roof.

Luxurious is a word that has only ever been erased and used only to describe food and hotel rooms, but it also lends the feel of a Ghibli salon. Modern, luxurious and a little over the top, our Ghibli was fitted with a "Luxury" package that costs as much as a new Kia Rio, and finished with premium leather.

A not-so-premium touchscreen that looks suspiciously like the one on the Jeep Cherokee (also owned by Maserati's parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), right down to the vents that frame it, and the power windows are also very close to being used. in a jeep.

In terms of quality, the Ghibli was not as high as we expected. The windshield wipers were unusually loud and didn't make perfect contact with the window. Top tether attachment points for child seats were placed in sharp plastic indentations that small piranha mouths felt, and the vents and plastic on the back row gave off a cheap impression.

The Ghibli keychain doesn't feel cheap at all, it weighs about the size of a small rock and feels like a rock in your pocket. It is definitely weighted down with concrete, lead, or dark matter to give it solidity and quality.

How practical is the interior space? 8/10

Legroom and headroom in the rear seat depend on where you sit. At 191 cm tall, I can sit in my driver's seat with about 30 mm of space between my knees and the back of the seat, and about the same distance above my head.

The middle rear seat is really only for kids - even one of our web developers, built like an elf, complained about the lack of headroom and the need to ride the "hump" of the driveshaft. I didn't mind though because I was driving.

The folding armrest on the rear row houses a storage tray with a USB port and a 12V outlet, as well as two cup holders. There are four more cup holders up front (two in a giant drawer on the center console). A connoisseur of the finer things in life will also be happy to know that a giant Slurpee will fit in cup holders next to the gear shifter. 

There's still an apple in the trunk of the Ghibli, but it just has to stay there because it's so far away that I can't even reach it with my stupidly long arms.

The only bottles you can fit in tiny door pockets are the little bottles from hotel bar fridges. But for the rest of the hotel towels, bedding and bathrobes, there's plenty of room in the trunk, and it's huge.

Seriously, there's still an apple in the trunk of the Ghibli, but it just has to stay there because it's so far away that I can't even reach it with my stupidly long arms. This can give you a better idea of ​​the cargo space, and not just tell you it's 500 liters. But if numbers are your thing, you'll be pleased to know that boot space is 20 liters more than the M3, C63 or Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10

The entry-level petrol Ghibli costs $143,900 and our test car had an optional $16,000 Luxury package with premium leather and a $10 Harman Kardon audio system, as well as a $5384 driver assistance package that includes AEB and other advanced equipment to ensure security. Both packages are part of a recent update.

Also new for the 2017 Ghibli is an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, now with an air quality sensor that Maserati says will prevent contaminants from entering the car and could even stop toxic fumes.

Standard equipment also includes 18-inch Alfieri wheels, a rearview camera, automatic headlights, automatic trunk release, front and rear parking sensors, proximity unlock, dual-zone climate control, aluminum paddles, leather trim. steering wheel, power sunblinds for the rear and rear windows, wood-trimmed center console and power adjustable front seats.

Our test car had an optional $2477 mica paint and a $777 folding spare tire.

The Ghibli exhaust sound is unmistakably Maserati-like with its high-pitched and smooth sound.

What is missing from this list of standard features? Well, it would be nice to see a head-up display, but you can’t even get it as an option, and three-zone climate control is becoming the norm in prestigious cars. 

There are three classes of Ghibli: the Ghibli Diesel which costs $139,900, above that is our Ghibli test car, and the top of the range is the Ghibli S which has a more powerful version of the V6 petrol engine and costs $169,900.

The BMW M3 Competition is $144,615 and while it doesn't have a virtual instrument cluster and AEB, it's a more powerful beast with more power and a superior level of trim.

The Giulia is priced the same as the Ghibli, but better with more power and torque, more standard features, and comes with Ghibli's optional advanced safety equipment as standard.

The C63s costs $155,510 and features beautiful looks and performance.

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 9/10

The C63 has its own roar, the M3 has its screams, the Giulia's voice is deep and loud, and the Ghibli's exhaust sound is unmistakably Maserati-like with its high-pitched, smooth sound.

This long nose houses a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine designed by Maserati and built by Ferrari, developing 247kW/500Nm. Compare that to 375kW/600Nm on the Giulia QV, or 3kW/331Nm on the M550 Competition, or 63kW/375Nm on the C700s, and the Ghibli's base spec doesn't seem powerful enough.

The eight-speed ZF automatic transmission is smooth and a little slow, but perfect for highway and city driving during rush hours. I find this to be preferable to the dual clutch in the M3 which, while very fast, is not too smooth in heavy traffic.

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How much fuel does it consume? 7/10

Maserati says the Ghibli should use premium unleaded petrol with an average combined fuel consumption of 8.9 l/100 km. Ours needed 19.1L/100km which is higher because most of the 250+km we drove was in city and sport mode and I shifted manually and basically held second gear almost all the time to impress/offend bystanders . You, too, can more than double the recommended fuel consumption and annoy people if you drive like me.

What is it like to drive? 9/10

The first impression is how big the steering wheel is, the second is the sound of the exhaust, and then the long nose in front. The Ghibli feels light, the steering is smooth, the suspension is soft even in Sport mode, and the ride is comfortable even on 19-inch rims shod with wide, low-profile Pirelli P Zeros (245/45 front, 275/40 rear).

The Ghibli is a talker in that road feedback through the steering and seat is excellent; handling is exceptional and assisted by a (mechanical) limited slip differential.

These factors, along with a comfortable ride, make life with the Ghibli more comfortable than with the M3 or C63.

But in this base class, it lacks the brutal punch of its more powerful rivals, you'll also need to drive it harder to make it scream louder, and that can destroy your driver's license in no time.

The turning radius is not bad - 11.7 m (the same as the Mazda CX-5), the steering wheel is light, visibility (forward and backward) is good, the transmission is smooth. These factors, along with a comfortable ride, make life with the Ghibli more comfortable than with the M3 or C63.

I never got used to the switch. It looks normal enough, but due to the clunky mechanism, I almost always overshot backwards and had to concentrate to select a gear.

All the doors have a central locking button - sounds appropriate for a limousine, but it gave endless pleasure to my toddler, who was constantly locking and unlocking the doors, and all we could do was demand that he “stop the hell!”

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

3 years / unlimited mileage


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10

The Ghibli has received the highest ANCAP five-star rating and has seven airbags. The update brought a new "Advanced Driver Assistance Package" that adds adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, AEB and a surround view camera.

There are three top cable attachment points for child seats and two ISOFIX anchorages on the rear seats.

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10

The Ghibli comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty. Service is recommended every 12 months/20,000 km.

Verdict

The entry-level petrol Ghibli is more laid back than its rivals, with a plush cabin, a comfortable ride and an engine that has no anger management issues. The Ghibli looks like nothing else in the front, but like everything else in the back, there are a few areas where the quality needs to be better, but the Maserati brand still gives the Ghibli a superhero aura, and that exhaust sound is one of the most satisfying V6 soundtracks.

Would you prefer the Ghibli to its hardcore midsize four-door rivals? Tell us what you think in the comments below.