The 2024 Maserati Grecale Trofeo is Dad’s Ultimate Driving Machine

My kid is going to be so pissed when he realizes this 2024 Maserati Grecale Trofeo is just a loaner.

It’s only been two days behind the wheel, and I can already feel his newfound respect for me. “Purple car! Purple car!” he’s been saying nonstop, hoping for another ride. In actuality, the color is called Blu Intenso, and it’s totally eye catching and stunning.

At two years old, he has no concept of the $130,550 price tag. His reactions are based purely on what he sees and feels. And what he sees and feels is a sleek and slick, dark red and black leather interior to match the primo exterior, along with the smoothest of driving experiences around Los Angeles. Not to mention the thrill of hearing the engine roar when I allow him to hit the push start button on the power adjustable back leather steering wheel.

Under the Hood

There’s something so satisfying about that sound of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 engine that defies and transcends verbal ability. To him, it’s just “Purple Car! Purple Car!” But, to the trained and experienced motorist, it’s the sound of 523 horsepower and 457 lb-ft torque. That’s some serious muscle for any car, let alone an SUV.

With plenty of room for his car seat, we take off to enjoy another leisurely drive around Los Angeles. Tomorrow morning, I’m taking this beast down to San Diego for a full test drive to experience the depths of the GT, Sport, and Corsa modes. Today, however, it’s all about Comfort mode, which gets roughly 17 miles per gallon in the city, and 23 mpg on the highway. Of course, the boy is more impressed with the dual-pane panoramic power sunroof than anything else.

Of course, this is not to say that the 2024 Maserati Grecale Trofeo is for kids. It’s a sophisticated vehicle for the sophisticated driver. Exterior touches like the gloss red painted brake calipers and 21-inch staggered matte crio wheels are matched with interior features like the 14-way power seats. The four-way lumbar support is key for active dads, turning the driving experience into a makeshift physical therapy session for the serious case of “old man back” that I’ve been suffering from since my mid-30s.

Road Tripping

Having thoroughly impressed my toddler, and perhaps setting the bar a little too high, it’s off to San Diego for the real meat of this test drive with the 2024 Maserati Grecale Trofeo.

This is kind of a semi-regular trip for me. It’s a day where I’m completely alone with my thoughts, and the hum of the Grecale’s powerful engine. Of course, I crank some heavy tunes on the 14-speaker Sonus Faber Q4JF high premium sound system. And while it’s mostly heavy metal and punk tunes on the way down south, I opt for classical selections on the return trip, seamlessly switching between genres on the 12.3-inch digital TFT infotainment touchscreen, complete with Apple CarPlay.

Just Like a Maserati

Behind the wheel, it’s all business and pleasure. The Grecale Trofeo has all the punch of other Maserati models like the MC20, GranTurismo, and Quattroporte, but wrapped up in a larger package that can fit the entire family. On the road, it handles like a sports car, able to weave through four lanes of traffic like a coupe. There’s literally no downside here.

Perhaps there’s a subconscious SUV driver mode where I’m not tempted to hit top speeds (for the record, the Grecale Trofeo tops out at 177 mph), or maybe it’s because I can still imagine my kid in the back seat. But, driving this model, I’m at peace without needing to hit triple digits. Maybe that’s called maturity, or maybe it’s the document I signed with Maserati where I agreed not to engage in any racing-type activities. Regardless, I can still feel the power of the engine without attempting the nether-reaches of the engine, and I’m completely satisfied with that.

Back at home, I have one last day to cruise around with my kid in the “Purple Car!” And we enjoy every remaining moment. I can tell that he feels something special riding around in the Maserati Grecale Trofeo, and that’s truly priceless.

Now to break the news to him that I don’t actually own it …

More Car Reviews and Road Trip Tales From Dan Shapiro

• 2024 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo Review
• 2024 Cadillac XT4 Premium Luxury Review
• 2023 Aston Martin Vantage F1 Review
• 2023 Cadillac Escalade V Review
• 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Review
• 2022 Maserati MC20 Review

Dan Shapiro is a writer, editor, musician, and producer currently based in Los Angeles. In addition to covering some of the biggest fights in combat sports history, he’s also hunted down the world’s best sushi, skied the northern hemisphere in July, and chronicled Chinese underground music for publications like CNN, the New York Daily News, VICE, and Time Out. Dan also conjured up a ghost at the Chateau Marmont while out on assignment for RoadTrippers. Follow him on X/Twitter here.
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