Is the 52 lakh rupee jump to the Maserati Grecale Trofeo’s V6 worth it in India, and how the new EU tariff deal could affect 2027 pricing.
Somebody at your cousin’s wedding will eventually bring up the Grecale. Not because they’re buying one, but because someone’s uncle mentioned it, and now everyone at the table is trying to remember if it’s the one with the trident badge or the one with the horse. It’s the trident. Maserati’s second SUV, sitting between a Porsche Macan and a Cayenne in size, and for 2027 it gets a styling refresh with a new concave grille and a sharper face.
What actually matters if you’re seriously looking at one isn’t the badge trivia though. It’s a genuine three-way fork in the lineup: two four-cylinder engines and a V6 Trofeo that costs about 52 lakh rupees more than the mid-spec Modena. That’s not a small gap. It’s most of the price of a well-specced BMW X1. So does the V6 actually earn that gap, or is it paying for a badge and a sound?
Three engines, one badge
The current Grecale lineup, still on sale as the 2026 model year at the time of writing, comes in three distinct flavours. GT, the entry point, runs a 2.0-litre mild-hybrid four-cylinder making 300 CV. Modena uses the same architecture tuned up to 330 CV. Both send power through an 8-speed automatic to all four wheels.
Then there’s Trofeo, which isn’t really a tuned-up version of the same engine at all. It uses the 3.0-litre twin-turbo Nettuno V6, the same unit found in Maserati’s MC20 supercar, detuned here to 530 CV. Standard air suspension, a dedicated Corsa drive mode, and launch control come with it. This isn’t a badge trim, it’s a genuinely different character of car sitting under the same roofline.
The price ladder, and why the V6 costs so much more
| Variant | Engine | Power | Approx ex-showroom price |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT | 2.0L four-cylinder, mild hybrid | 300 CV | ₹1.31 crore |
| Modena | 2.0L four-cylinder, mild hybrid | 330 CV | ₹1.53 crore |
| Trofeo | 3.0L twin-turbo V6 (Nettuno) | 530 CV | ₹2.05 crore |
The step from GT to Modena costs about 22 lakh rupees for 30 extra CV and a sharper tune, arguably a smaller jump than it looks given both share the same basic engine. The step from Modena to Trofeo is a different story entirely. That 52 lakh rupee gap buys you a completely different engine, one shared with a mid-engine supercar, not just more boost on the same block.
Does the V6 actually feel different on Indian roads
On paper, yes, dramatically. The Trofeo does 0-100 kmph in a claimed 3.8 seconds against the Modena’s roughly 5.3 seconds, and it comes with a genuinely different suspension setup and drive mode selection built specifically around that engine’s character.
In practice, on the kind of roads most Grecale owners in India will actually drive, that gap narrows. Broken tarmac and speed breakers show up in the Grecale’s firm, sports-tuned ride regardless of which engine sits under the bonnet, and this isn’t a soft, comfort-focused luxury SUV in any of its three forms. Reviewers consistently note the setup lets some road imperfections through even in milder trims, and a genuinely quick launch off the line matters less on Indian roads than it would on a European autobahn or a private track day. If your actual use case is a mix of city driving and occasional highway runs, the Modena’s 330 CV four-cylinder is already more than most owners will ever properly use.
Where the V6 does earn its keep is sound and character. The Nettuno engine sounds meaningfully different from the turbo-four, and if that emotional side of ownership matters to you as much as the numbers, that’s a real, legitimate reason to spend the extra 52 lakh. It’s just not a reason grounded in how the car will actually get driven day to day.
Ownership reality, before the badge takes over
A few things worth knowing regardless of which variant you’re eyeing.
- The Grecale has not been tested for a Global NCAP crash rating, so there’s no independent safety score to point to the way there is for most mainstream SUVs
- There’s no spare tyre in any variant, just a puncture repair kit, worth factoring in if you drive outside major cities
- Rear-seat comfort is compromised for taller passengers, decent kneeroom but limited headroom, and there’s no backrest recline adjustment, so this isn’t the car to buy if you’re planning to be chauffeur-driven regularly
- Claimed mileage runs from 8.85 to 10.87 kmpl depending on variant, and real-world city figures on a car this quick will likely sit toward the lower end
- Boot space is a genuinely usable 535 litres, with the rear seats folding flat to extend it further
Why 2027 pricing might shift under you
Here’s the part most reviews of this specific update skip. India signed a trade agreement with the European Union in early 2026 that cuts import duties on fully-built vehicles from as high as 110 percent down toward 40 percent immediately for cars priced above roughly 15,000 euros, with further cuts to 10 percent phased in over the following years. Since the Grecale is a fully imported Italian car, that agreement applies directly to it.
Autocar’s own coverage of the refreshed 2027 model expects the range to start around 1.2 crore rupees ex-showroom, slightly below the outgoing GT’s 1.31 crore, even with the styling and feature updates factored in. That’s a meaningful signal, though it’s worth treating as a direction rather than a locked number. Manufacturers can and do pad margins when import costs drop, and the full 10 percent duty rate is years away under the phased timeline, so don’t expect Grecale prices to fall in step with the headline tariff numbers overnight.
Before you book
- Ask your dealer directly whether the exact variant you’re considering is the outgoing 2026 model or the updated 2027 one, since pricing and equipment will differ
- If you’re choosing between Modena and Trofeo, request a back-to-back test drive on a rough stretch of road near you, not just a smooth service lane, to judge how much the ride difference actually matters to you
- Confirm current service centre locations and typical turnaround times for parts, since Maserati’s India network is considerably thinner than mainstream luxury brands
- Factor in that there’s no spare tyre in any variant if you plan regular trips outside city limits
Verdict: does the V6 make sense
If what you want is the fastest, most emotionally involving version of this SUV and the 52 lakh rupee step genuinely doesn’t strain your budget, the Trofeo delivers something the four-cylinders simply can’t, a supercar-derived engine in a five-seat body. That’s a legitimate reason to buy it, just don’t tell yourself it’s about outright usability.
If you’re being honest about how the car will actually get driven, mostly city commutes with occasional highway stretches, the Modena is the more sensible buy. It’s quick enough for real-world use, costs 52 lakh rupees less, and rides on the same firm but composed chassis as its faster sibling.
If budget is the primary constraint and you still want the Grecale name, the GT gets you into the range without a meaningfully worse everyday experience than the Modena, since the two share their core engine.
If you’re waiting specifically because you’ve heard prices might drop under the new trade agreement, temper that expectation. Some softening is plausible over the next few years, but nothing suggests a dramatic short-term cut is coming with this particular update.
FAQ
Is the Maserati Grecale Trofeo’s V6 worth the extra cost over the Modena? Only if the engine’s character and sound genuinely matter to you beyond the numbers. For most real-world Indian driving, the Modena’s four-cylinder is quick enough, and the 52 lakh rupee difference buys emotional appeal more than everyday usability.
Will the 2027 Grecale be cheaper because of the India-EU trade agreement? Possibly, modestly. Autocar’s coverage expects the 2027 range to start slightly below the current GT’s price, but the full tariff reduction to 10 percent phases in over several years, so don’t expect a dramatic overnight price cut.
Does the Maserati Grecale have a crash safety rating? No, it hasn’t been tested by Global NCAP, so there’s no independent safety score available, unlike most mainstream SUVs sold in India.
How does the Grecale ride on typical Indian roads? Firm, across all three variants. It’s tuned as a sports-focused SUV rather than a comfort-first luxury cruiser, and broken tarmac and speed breakers make themselves felt regardless of which engine you choose.
What’s the real-world mileage like? Claimed figures run from 8.85 to 10.87 kmpl depending on variant. Given the performance-oriented tuning, especially on the Trofeo, expect city mileage toward the lower end of that range.
Is the Grecale a good choice if I want to be chauffeur-driven? Not really the car’s strength. Rear headroom is limited for taller passengers and there’s no backrest recline adjustment, so it suits owner-drivers better than back-seat use.
Whether the V6 makes sense comes down to one honest question you have to ask yourself. Are you buying a faster car, or a more interesting one? For most people shopping this segment in India, they’re not the same answer.
