Thinking About Buying a $119,900 Maserati Grecale Folgore EV? Here's What Experts Say You Should Also Consider originally appeared on Autoblog.
A bold new direction for the famed Italian automaker
Maserati made a bold decision with its newest model, the Grecale, offering a luxury performance crossover with a range of powertrains that include four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and even fully electric options. The Grecale Folgore — the fully electric variant — is one of the brand's first-ever electric vehicles, second only to the battery-powered version of the stunning GranTurismo coupe. Despite its 542 horsepower, four-second 0-60 sprint time, and handsome Italian styling, the Maserati Grecale Folgore hasn't been as successful in the sales department as the company had hoped, contributing to a forced reassessment of the entire brand's future. We'll examine why that might be the case and discuss which alternatives to consider when shopping for a fully electric luxury performance crossover.
The Maserati Grecale Folgore has some serious competition on its hands
Perhaps the most notable contributing factor to the Grecale Folgore's struggle to attract mass volume sales is the fact that it faces some seriously tough competition. Not only do the Folgore's rivals come with equally or more prestigious badging, but they also often come at a lower price point. For example, the Porsche Macan Electric, which is the Grecale Folgore's most direct and obvious challenger, has a starting MSRP of just $78,000, compared to the Folgore's $119,900 entry fee. Although the standard Macan Electric comes without all-wheel drive and makes just 335 horsepower, the 576-horsepower Macan Turbo Electric can be had for over $10,000 cheaper than the 542-horsepower Grecale Folgore.
Of course, as anyone who has played around with Porsche's online configurator knows, the Macan's price tag jumps steeply once a few of the option boxes are selected. Still, that fact is equally true for the Maserati, and buyers are limited to just one available version of the all-electric model. In contrast, Macan buyers can choose between four different packages: the Base, the 4, the 4S, and the Turbo.
By offering multiple variants of its all-electric Macan, Porsche appeals the model to a much more diverse array of buyers who might not necessarily want to spend such a pretty penny to have every single available feature and the most potent powertrain, allowing them to give up certain features they may not need in order to save a few thousand bucks here and there–a sort of reverse luxury that Maserati does not afford its clients. Going a step further than the Macan, numerous alternative EV crossovers are available that offer comparable luxury and performance to the Maserati for significantly less, such as the BMW iX, the Cadillac Optiq-V, and even the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT.
Some brands offer similarly packaged performance for almost half the price
Sure, you'd be hard-pressed to find the same level of luxury and material quality as a Maserati Grecale inside the cabin of a Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, but there's no denying that its overall packaging is comparable. That is, both vehicles provide similarly sized crossover functionality paired with all-electric powertrains that boast similar performance and range figures. Whereas the Grecale Folgore's electric motors produce 542 horsepower and 605 lb-ft of torque, the Mustang Mach-E GT boasts a slightly lower, yet distinctly similar, 480 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque. The Grecale wins out with superior range, with a maximum distance of 310 miles, but the Mach-E GT isn't far off, with a maximum distance of 270 miles. You tell me: Is an extra 62 horsepower, five lb-ft of torque, and 40 miles of range really worth an additional $65,405 over the Mach-E GT's $54,595 MSRP? I mean, you could literally buy two Mustang Mach-E GTs for the price of the Grecale Folgore.
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Even if you're dead set on purchasing an electric performance crossover with more prestigious badging and luxurious amenities, Cadillac will sell you an Optiq-V from just $68,795. That'll leave you with 519 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque – right on par with the Maserati Grecale Folgore – and a 0-60 sprint time of just 3.5 seconds. Additionally, you'll have an extra $51,105 burning a hole in your pocket versus if you had opted for the Folgore.
Similarly-priced options offer superior performance
Like the Porsche Macan Turbo Electric, the BMW iX M60 offers more power and quicker acceleration than the Grecale Folgore, providing up to 610 ponies with a 0-60 sprint time of just 3.6 seconds, all at a starting MSRP of $111,500 – over $8,000 less expensive than the base Grecale Folgore. Although the BMW is much more "love it or hate it" in the looks department, its imposing styling will certainly demand attention even on the poshest streets in your hometown. Still, if you insist on eye-catching yet understated Italian styling, the Maserati Grecale Folgore at least comes out on top of its rivals as the most cosmetically attractive offering.
Where does the Maserati Grecale shine brighter than its competition?
Although the all-electric Maserati Grecale Folgore has not seen strong sales figures, with many buyers opting for less-expensive rivals that offer greater performance, more advanced EV technology, and more desirable resale value prospects, the handsome Italian performance crossover still has one unexpected trick up its sleeve: a V6.
Although both the Porsche Macan GTS and the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio Verde, which sport turbocharged six-pots, are still technically available for purchase from dealers, both of these models have been aging for quite some time now and are nearing the end of their current generation lifecycles. In the same breadth, Mercedes-AMG has replaced all of its GLC powertrains with electrified four-cylinders, and there's no new BMW X3M to be found. Essentially, the turbocharged V6-powered Maserati Grecale Trofeo now stands alone in its class, enticing buyers with 523 horsepower and a 3.6-second 0-60 sprint time, quicker even than its more powerful fully-electric sibling.
Final thoughts
As Maserati's EV efforts begin to prove somewhat optimistic, perhaps there's still hope for the brand should it decide to steer in a different direction: leaning into its storied heritage rather than trying to pretend it's something new. After all, isn't that what made Maserati's buyers and enthusiasts fall in love with the brand in the first place? Maserati's engineers put so much passion and effort into the mechanical souls of their vehicles that their Quattroporte was scientifically proven to be an aphrodisiac, according to Hagerty, and it seems their plans to throw their well-earned legacy away in favor of chasing Tesla-level EV profits aren't working out as well as they'd hoped.
Thankfully, now that Maserati's parent company, Stellantis, is under new management, it appears the Italian marque is finally taking note. In fact, according to our very own Amos Kwon, Maserati is seriously considering reintroducing manual transmissions to its sports cars, which would be a massive step in the right direction as far as I'm concerned. This philosophy – the idea that Maserati should find more ways to differentiate itself from its competition, rather than trying to mimic its rivals – is the only way I believe Maserati will achieve its much-needed revitalized success. I mean, isn't that why most people purchased Maseratis in the first place?
If someone wanted a sensible, reliable luxury car, the obvious choice was always a Mercedes-Benz, a Porsche, or pretty much anything else German. British and Italian luxury cars, such as Aston Martin and Maserati, were always unconventional options in their segments and thus appealed to unconventional buyers. I'm hoping Maserati takes the hint and starts to embrace the quirkiness and unconventional essence that earned it its rightful place in the automotive hall of fame alongside other Italian legends, such as Alfa Romeo and Ferrari. Otherwise, there might not be much of a future left for the brand.
Thinking About Buying a $119,900 Maserati Grecale Folgore EV? Here's What Experts Say You Should Also Consider first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 8, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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