The Maserati GranCabriolet Trofeo — woo, that is a long name. I know what you’re thinking because Maserati has a pretty torrid reputation, especially in the online space. But hear me out, because things are different now. Granted, I’ve never really driven an older Maserati, even the previous few generations, but this one is different, because it’s ALL Maserati, and I think it’ll turn the tables for the brand (in a good way).
Here is my completely honest, unpaid review of the GranCab Trofeo after driving it through New York City, getting lost on my way out of the state, and navigating the terrifying New Jersey drivers that lurk on the roads (and for some reason, the highway shoulders).
Maserati is Changing the Game
What do I mean when I say the Grancab is all Maserati? I’m talking about the engine. Instead of sharing a platform with Ferrari, like we’ve seen in the past, aka part of the reason why people complain about maintenance and reliability problems, we see a proper Maserati engine that is shared in variation across the entire showroom.
The 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 we find under the hood here is the Netuno platform we see in the GranTurismo, the Grecale (that’s the SUV), and the MC20 (the supercar). The only new vehicle from Maserati that we don’t see in is the Folgore, because that’s electric, so obviously doesn’t have an internal combustion engine.
In the regular driving modes, the power delivery was modest and comfortable, nothing too crazy but definitely peppy. In Corsa mode, it was punchy and helped me navigate the traffic around these busy metro areas, which I’m not used to.
It wouldn’t be a review if I didn’t give you the stats of the car:
Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 Netuno engine (no more Ferrari-shared platform)
Horsepower: 542hp
0 - 60 mph: 3.2 seconds
The Bad of the Maserati GranCabriolet Trofeo
To keep this fair and balanced, I have to tell you the downside of the car. Backseat space? Modest but usable for a two-door sports car. I’ve had worse. It took me about three days with the car before I opened the trunk, and why there is even a trunk back there is beyond me. I was traveling with a backpack and I couldn’t even fit it back there. So that is definitely less than ideal for a car I’d recommend as a daily driver. As long as you don’t have rear passengers, you at least have space back there for groceries.
The other is a complaint I share across the entire new Maserati showroom and is the biggest complaint I hear. The gear selector buttons sit between the two center-stacked screens (the top being the infotainment and the bottom being climate controls and comfort features). I’m assuming Maserati made them difficult to engage because of their accessible location, but it also makes it harder to engage the car's drive modes, such as reverse or drive. I think this is overall a stupid complaint — you’re driving a car, just pay attention to what you’re doing. My workaround is to press neutral, and it has no problem selecting drive or reverse from there. Problem solved.
The Best of the Maserati GranCabriolet Trofeo
I’m not a huge convertible person if I’m being honest, but I loved driving with the top down because early mornings and afternoons in New Jersey have started to get chilly, which makes for perfect driving weather. The heated seats and heated steering wheel were fantastic, but the Scarf function is top-tier. Easily one of my favorite features I’ve seen on a car, the Scarf function is a vent at the bottom of the headrest that blows warm air down the back of your neck, not too hot, just enough to keep you cozy and comfortable. It was amazing.
The second best feature was that the entire window system rolled down completely, meaning the large side windows as well as the smaller windows in the back, to give you a huge oval space that made the cabin feel very airy and open even with the top up.
City Driving Made Better
Let me tell you, the stress of driving a car that starts at $203,000 around the city was high, but this car at least made me enjoy it. In fact, it was moments that I was stuck in traffic going through Brooklyn that I realized…this is why people buy COMFORTABLE sports cars. I’ve got the peppy engine, engaging steering, and stiff suspension, but when I want it, I also have every single creature comfort I could wish to, aside from massage seats, which is probably for the best because I probably would have relaxed too much and fallen asleep.
I can say I get the Maserati hype now, and if you haven’t considered one before or maybe you’ve written them off because of the negative opinions you’ve heard, perhaps it’s time to reconsider. You don’t have to take my word for it, either. You can take one for a test drive, too. If you give them a chance, you might be as pleasantly surprised as I was.
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