2024 Maserati Ghibli Review: Italian Flair - At A Cost

The Maserati Ghibli arrived here a decade ago, and the same basic design has been on sale for all this time - a time during which all of its rivals have gone through two complete redesigns. Now the 2024 Ghibli is here in a single final-edition trim at an eye-wateringly expensive $110k, packing a 424-horsepower twin-turbo V6 and AWD. It lines up with sedans such as the brand-new BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in terms of luxury positioning and size, but certainly not price. Not only is it $50k more expensive than these rivals, but it's slower than a 375-hp 540i xDrive, so it doesn't even have a performance edge. Maserati is throwing everything and the kitchen sink at the Ghibli, so it comes fully equipped, but while the stylish cabin and rich leathers are high points, the design is showing its age with a slightly confined second row and subpar efficiency. The switches and stalks poached from mainstream Stellantis cars weren't acceptable last year when the Ghibli was nearly $30k cheaper and are inexcusable now. Is there a rational reason to buy this aging Italian?

New for 2024

The Ghibli is once again updated and pressed back into service for 2024, its last model year in the USA in its current form. The 2024 Ghibli loses last year's base GT and regular rear-wheel-drive Modena trims, so the all-wheel-drive Modena Q4 - this year called the Modena Ultima Q4 - is the sole remaining grade in the regular Ghibli range. The RWD Trofeo is still on sale, but we review that car separately, itself now revised as a final-edition Trofeo 334 Ultima. As for the Modena Ultima Q4, it gets new 21-inch alloy wheels with red calipers and more standard equipment, namely ventilated front sports seats, red seat stitching, black leather upholstery, and a Harman Kardon audio system. The demise of the cheapest two trim configurations means that the base price of the last new Maserati Ghibli you'll be able to buy now starts at nearly $110k.

2024 Maserati Ghibli Price: Which One to Buy

The price of the 2024 Maserati Ghibli Modena Ultima Q4 is $109,500. This price is MSRP and excludes the cost of any extras or the $1,495 destination fee.

With a sole trim on offer at an extremely high price, the Ghibli makes little logical sense and will be bought for its Italian flair and the rarity value of this swansong 2024 edition. The few available options are mostly exterior and interior cosmetic ones that push up the price even further, but chances are it doesn't bother you if you sign on the dotted line for what is clearly an emotional and aspirational purchase, not a rational one, so you might as well go to town to add the black-out Nerissimo package and carbon cabin trim.

Interior and Features

The controls are easy to use, and the dashboard is still attractive and stylish, but build quality isn’t quite up to the standards set by BMW and Audi.

The cabin has all the Italian flair, quality materials, and natural leathers you'd expect from a Maser, while the infotainment and in-car tech are up to date as well, but the beauty is often no more than skin-deep, you'll soon realize. The dashboard is a high-quality item, but the window switches come from the Jeep Cherokee, and the column stalks from the discontinued Chrysler Town & Country minivan - disappointing in a $110k car. The seating position isn't especially low, so getting inside the Ghibli is easy, and there aren't obtrusive seat bolsters to hinder ingress. The front seats are very comfortable - complete with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation - and interior space is good, but the second row feels less spacious than rivals, though the bench is supportive. Over-the-shoulder visibility isn't great through the sloped rear window, but a standard surround-view camera and parking sensors take the pain out of low-speed maneuvering.

Space

The lengthy wheelbase of 118 inches exceeds even that of the plus-size new 5 Series and leaves lots of room between the axles for a spacious cabin. Rear legroom looks skimpy on paper, but in reality, there is enough for two adults to get comfortable in the second row, though there isn't a lot of room to spare back there. It'll certainly be cramped with three abreast, so it's only an occasional five-seater over short distances. Modern rivals are better packaged.

Cargo

Trunk space, on the other hand, is very good, with 17.7 cubic feet available behind the rear seats. However, even this traditional Ghibli strength has been eroded, such are the strides made in this class, and this figure is now beaten by the brand-new generations of the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class. Trunk volume can be expanded by folding down the 60/40-split second row.

For cabin storage, passengers can resort to a glovebox, a center console containing a storage bin, dual cupholders, and a wireless charging pad, four decently sized door pockets, and front seatback pockets. The rear passengers get storage and two cupholders in their fold-down center armrest.

Materials and Colors

Not only are the seats covered in leather, but hide is also used on the steering wheel, shifter knob, dashboard, and door panels, as you would expect at this price level. The dash trim is rendered in wood, and the center console is piano black. The seats are Nero (black) with Rosso (red) stitching, but other interior colors are also available; these are Rosso/Nero, Nero/Grigio (gray), and Cuoio (tan). The headliner is made of cloth. You can replace the interior trim with high-gloss Carbon Fiber Twill, but open-pore Radica wood trim is available too, as are Inox sports pedals.

Features and Infotainment

In the cabin, you get premium leather upholstery, heated and ventilated 12-way power front seats, heated rear seats, leather dashboard and center-console trim, a garage-door opener, a heated leather-trimmed, and power-adjustable tilting/telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone climate control with rear-seat vents, aluminum shift paddles, and a seven-inch driver-information display.

The cloud-connected infotainment system has a 10.1-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, in-car apps, Bluetooth, navigation, voice commands, a wireless charging pad, Wi-Fi, SiriusXM, HD Radio, an SD-card reader, the Alexa assistant, a compass, and a 900-W 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

Performance

Performance is good, but rivals now beat it to 60 mph despite having less power - and while using significantly less fuel - so it doesn’t stand out in this class anymore.

The engine in the Maserati Ghibli Modena Ultima Q4 is a twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 with 424 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. The six-cylinder doesn't sound as nice as the Trofeo's V8, but the urge is deftly deployed via a slick eight-speed automatic transmission. Other technical highlights include adaptive suspension, and intelligent AWD drivetrain with a limited-slip rear diff, active torque control, and an active front diff. Skyhook adaptive performance suspension is optional. These credentials ensure that the Maserati Ghibli's 0-60 sprint is dispatched in around 4.4 seconds, on to a top speed of around 178 mph. While performance is good, it's nothing special in this class anymore, with a 375-hp BMW 540i xDrive matching it to 60. For this kind of money, there's a lot of machinery out there that performs better.

Despite its age, the Ghibli still makes short work of a twisty mountain pass, providing sharp and interactive handling and reasonable steering feel. It feels alert and willing to play, with the kind of composure and polish one would expect from an expensive Italian. There is a sharp edge to the ride, however, and while it's not crashy, it is firm, especially on the standard 21-inch alloys. This might be considered in character for a sports sedan but might irk those who expect a true luxury car ride. Overall, the Ghibli still surprises with its enjoyable driving experience, despite its advanced age.

Fuel Efficiency

Gas mileage is now well behind the curve compared to what rivals such as the BMW 540i xDrive can achieve. The EPA's city/highway/combined estimates for the Maserati Ghibli's mpg figures are 17/25/20 mpg - a far cry from the BMW's 28 mpg combined.

With a fuel capacity of 21.1 gallons, don't expect a range of more than 422 miles from a full tank.

Safety

There aren’t any comprehensive crash scores, but the driver-assistance suite comes with most of the expected features, including adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera.

There's no NHTSA safety review of the Maserati Ghibli, but the IIHS has partially tested the 2024 model and gave it its best Good score for the original moderate front overlap and side tests. The more comprehensively tested and structurally identical 2023 Ghibli also received Good scores for roof strength, seats, and headrests.

The standard driver assists are comprehensive and include adaptive cruise control with stop & go, front-collision alert, traffic-sign recognition, lane tracing, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, lane-departure alert with lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors front and rear, a surround-view camera, rain-sensing wipers, and automatic high beams.

Reliability

JD Power hasn't rated the reliability of the Maserati Ghibli, but it seems decent, judging by the lack of recalls. There have been none in recent years, with the last Ghibli having suffered any recalls being the 2021 model.

Given its price, the 2024 Maserati Ghibli's warranty is unexceptional. The limited and powertrain warranties are both valid for four years/50,000 miles, and no complimentary maintenance is included.

Warranty

Design

The Ghibli still looks stunning after all these years, with emotive Italian styling, sensuous curves, and spot-on proportions. Judicious updates over the years have kept it looking modern, and the design has withstood the onslaught of the passing years admirably. Standard exterior features include gloss-black 21-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights with cornering lights, LED taillights, a power trunk lid, and a power glass sunroof. The Nerissimo package blacks out the exterior trim and comes with gloss-black wheels.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Maserati Ghibli A Good Car?

Judged on merit, the Ghibli is off the pace and presents no rational reason to buy it. Yes, it offers excellent performance and handling and looks like a million bucks, but that stratospherically high price makes it the reserve of those with the wherewithal to buy it just for its rarity value, and because it's the last internal combustion Ghibli they will be able to get their hands on. It's old and outdated in terms of efficiency, while less powerful and way cheaper rivals match it on performance and beat it on cabin and trunk space.