- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0TT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
301kW, 550Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 9.6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2017 Maserati Ghibli new car review
Maserati is a name synonymous with great looking sports cars.
But it also has a long and illustrious history of building some excellent sports sedans - most famously the Quattroporte.
In 2014 it revived the Ghibli nameplate for a new model to sit beneath the Quattroporte and take on the sportier variants of the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
And now it's been mildly updated with new interior features, additional safety functions and more power from its Ferrari-built 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6.
What do you get?
There are three choices of Ghibli. It starts with Ghibli D that is powered by a turbo diesel engine and costs $138,990 (plus on-roads), which is a $10k premium over the similarly-specced BMW 530d.
The model tested here, simply named Ghibli, is powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and priced from $143,990 (plus on-roads). The Ghibli S gets a more powerful version of the same engine and costs $179,990.
Standard equipment for the Ghibli includes 18-inch alloy wheels, auto lights, cruise control, sunroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, and eight-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, navigation and reversing camera.
Safety is handled by seven airbags and the usual stability control and anti-lock brakes. Blind spot monitoring is also included but if you want the latest in active safety features you need to add the optional Advanced Driver Assistance System package, which includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking and a surround view parking camera.
Maserati wasn't able to provide a service cost estimate as it is not covered by a capped price scheme.
What's inside?
At first glance the cabin of the Ghibli looks and feels suitably premium. There is plenty of high quality leather and the Maserati logo is embossed into seats.
Aside from looking good, the seats themselves are comfortable and offer plenty of adjustment but need more lateral support for something so sporty as you can slide around a bit during spirited driving.
The rear seats also look nice but are tight on space, particularly knee room. Room is so tight it feels more like a 3-Series or C-Class rival in terms of space.
But if you look closely the connection to in-house brand Chrysler becomes evident. Elements such as the infotainment system and the cheap-feeling plastic stalk that controls the lights and wipers will both be familiar to anyone who has driven a 300C.
Under the bonnet
There's borrowed technology here too, but this time it is from Ferrari as the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine has been designed by the Prancing Horse for its sister-brand.
In the base Ghibli it is tuned to produce a relatively modest (by Ferrari standards) 257kW of power and 500Nm of torque. The Ghibli S gets a more potent 301kW and 550Nm.
Being a Ferrari engine makes its suitably dramatic with a real bark to the exhaust note. Under hard acceleration it sounds like a proper sports car, which is no easy feat for a turbocharged V6 engine - so it is undoubtedly the star of the show.
The performance is good once the engine gets into its sweet spot. However, there can be some hesitation getting there, both as the turbos spin up and the eight-speed automatic transmission finds the right gear.
Once there there V6 growls and pulls the Ghibli along at a reasonable pace. It's not neck-snapping but it feels suitably sporty. To put it in context, Maserati claims the 0-100km/h sprint takes 5.6seconds and that sounds reasonable from the driver's seat.
Befitting the Ghibli's sporting heritage there is an adjustable drive mode that controls accelerator map, exhaust and transmission response. In Sport mode the Ghibli feels more responsive but there can still be some hesitation while the engine spins up.
Fuel economy is rated at 8.9-litres per 100km which doesn't set the benchmark in this class, but neither is it a thirsty sports sedan when driven sensibly.
On the road
The Ghibli is effectively a scaled down version of the large Quattroporte limousine.
The good news is it feels more agile and livelier than the bigger car, but it still doesn't feel as though it lives up to the Maserati ethos as it is neither the most comfortable on the open road or the most capable through the bends.
The Ghibli comes equipped with Sports suspension as standard. As a result the ride is quite firm and has a tendency to feel busy on anything other than a smooth surface.
Despite this sportier bias it lacks precision when cornering. Instead there is noticeable body roll when you push it towards its limits
It is not helped by steering that has an inconsistent feel to it as well. The weighting changes through the ratio which means you can't place the Ghibli with the precision you expect from a sports sedan.
Braking is fine, however, despite the fact the standard model misses out on the Brembo stoppers that Ghibli S comes equipped with. The pedal was consistent and there was good retardation.
Verdict
The Ghibli falls short of expectations as a sports sedan. It is neither the fastest, the sharpest or most luxurious of the mid-size luxury models and its interior ambience is let down by borrowed parts from Chrysler.
However, the Ghibli isn't without redeeming features. The Maserati elements of the cabin feel suitably high quality and it possesses head-turning looks its German rivals can't muster.
Then there's the engine. The Ferrari influence is obvious when the V6 barks and growls its way through the rev range, endowing the Ghibli with a true sense of drama.
Our rating: 5/10
2017 Maserati Ghibli pricing and specifications
Price: From $143,990 plus on-road costs
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Power: 257kW at 5500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 4500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Fuel use: 8.9L/100km
The Competitors
Jaguar XF S
Price: From $129,065 plus on-road costs
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol
Power: 250kW at 6500rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 4500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, RWD
Fuel use: 8.3L/100km
Our score: 7/10
BMW 540i
Price: From $136,900 plus on-road costs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo petrol
Power: 250kW at 5500-6500rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 1380-5200rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, RWD
Fuel use: 6.5L/100km
Our score: Not yet rated
Alfa Romeo Giulia QV
Price: From $143,900 plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.9-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Power: 375kW at 5600rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2500-5000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Fuel use: 8.2L/100km
Our score: 7.5/10