2020 Maserati Quattroporte Road Test and Review

When you’re shopping for a high-end full-size luxury sedan, you naturally think German. You’ll probably kick off your research with BMW 7 Series, test drive an Audi A8, check out the Porsche Panamera, and ultimately purchase a Mercedes S-Class. You can shuffle that order any way you like. But don’t forget about Italy’s entry in the class, the 2020 Maserati Quattroporte. If you forget the Quattroporte, you’re making a mistake.

The Maserati brothers — Alfieri, Bindo, Carlo, Ettore, and Ernesto — started their car company way back in 1914, many decades before Enzo Ferrari and Ferruccio Lamborghini set up their operations. One of Italy’s first successful automakers, it began building winning race cars in the 1920s and has created some of the world’s fastest and most beautiful cars over the last century. Like Ferrari and Lambo, Maserati has built exotic sports cars along with its fair share of supercars, but it’s the only one of the three that has ever produced sedans. Translated from Italian, Quattroporte literally means four doors, and the model, which first appeared way back in 1963, is now in its sixth generation.

Maserati is owned by FCA, along with Fiat, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, and Chrysler. The company introduced the latest Quattroporte back in 2013 and continues to produce the sedan in Turin, Italy. It hasn’t changed radically over the years, but there’s a substantial list of updates for 2020, including new standard features such as soft-close doors, a heated steering wheel, and a suite of driver-assistance features, like blind-spot detection and autonomous emergency braking.

This year the Quattroporte is offered in three trim levels, the rear-wheel drive S, the all-wheel drive S Q4, and the rear-wheel drive GTS. Each is equipped with an excellent eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Prices start at $104,185, including $1,995 for destination and handling, for the base Quattroporte S and $108,685 for the all-wheel drive S Q4. Both come standard with a smooth and responsive twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that makes 424 horsepower. Maserati says S accelerates to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds, while the S Q4 gets there in 4.8 seconds. Buyers can also choose between Grandlusso and Grandsport packages, which add a long list of interior and exterior features, for about $7,000.

For $128,985, you can step up to the Quattroporte GTS, like our test car. It’s exclusively powered by Maserati’s spectacular twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8. Developed in association with Ferrari, the V8 is also assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, Italy, along with the brand’s other gas engines. This same engine makes 590-hp Maserati’s SUV, the Levante Trofeo, where it is paired with all-wheel drive.

In the brand’s largest sedan, it pumps out 528 hp, which makes the new Quattroporte the most powerful Maserati sedan ever. It’s also one of the quickest and fastest. According to Maserati, it can blast to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds (though it feels even quicker than that) and has an impressive top speed of 193 mph. That’s serious performance for any sedan, but the Italian isn’t quite as quick as some of its German rivals.

The Maserati’s twin-turbo V8 is one of our favorite engines in this class. Making 480 lb-ft of torque at just 2,000 rpm it’s incredibly responsive, and that thrust doesn’t let up until 4,000 rpm. Smooth and refined, the V8’s horsepower peaks at 6,800 rpm, so there’s plenty of might up top as well and it likes to climb to its 7,000 rpm redline. Turbo lag is never an issue, and the sedan’s four large exhaust pipes emit a wonderful V8 rumble without being obnoxiously loud.

Maserati has also tuned the sedan’s eight-speed automatic transmission to perfection. It’s very responsive, operates with extraordinary refinement, and always seems to be in the right gear. Its Sport mode further quickens its response, and large carbon fiber paddle shifters allow you to choose gears manually for fun. Choose the I.C.E. setting (Increased Control and Efficiency) and the powertrain increases its fuel economy while reducing emissions and noise.

Although we’re blown away by the power and refinement of the Maserati, its fuel economy isn’t as impressive. As expected, the V6-powered models are the most fuel-efficient, with fuel economy ratings of 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway with rear-wheel drive and 1 mpg less with all-wheel drive. For comparison, a BMW 740i is rated at 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.

With the V8, the Maserati Quattroporte GTS is rated 15 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. I averaged 22 mpg on a 300-mile road trip and 16 mpg during a week of mixed driving. I continuously used the sedan’s start/stop feature, which shuts off the engine at idle to save fuel. It can be deactivated, but it’s smooth enough not to be annoying. For comparison, a BMW 750i, which is all-wheel drive, is rated 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Our 2020 Maserati Quattroporte GTS test vehicle also backs up its performance image with impressively handling and a firm but comfortable ride. It’s definitely tuned for the enthusiast driver, with heavy but responsive steering, massive 21-inch high-performance summer tires, and an agility unexpected from such a large, heavy luxury sedan. There’s a ton of grip on the road, and the Maserati’s air suspension is very well controlled with little body roll, even when you toss it into a corner faster than you should.

This is a big car with a generous 124.8-inch wheelbase and an overall length of 207 inches, but it doesn’t feel that big from behind its thick leather-covered steering wheel. It seems to shrink around you the harder you drive it. The steering is quick but well isolated, and the massive Brembo brakes, which feature red calipers, stop the 4200-pound sedan with a firm pedal and little drama. It’s also a great highway car, eating up miles with a quiet cabin and a relaxed composure.

Those generous dimensions give the Quattroporte plenty of interior space. It seats five very comfortably. Even your tall friends will be satisfied by its rear seat leg and headroom. Rear air conditioning vents, along with a huge sunroof and power rear sunshades, are standard. And the backseat cupholders are in a fold-down armrest that accommodates the middle seat when in use.

Crash-test scores for this model are not available, which is normal for this class. But the Quattroporte does come standard with a long list of driver assistance systems, including lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring with active blind-spot assistance, a forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, and a surround-view camera. Aside from the lane-keeping system, which is a bit aggressive for our taste, all the systems work smoothly without being too intrusive.

Like its sharp exterior, the Quattroporte’s interior is elegant, well-appointed, and packed with enough Italian flair to feel special. Everything is covered in leather or carbon fiber, and all the knobs and switches function precisely. For a sporting touch, its doors don’t have window frames. Unfortunately, they’re quite heavy and don’t like to stay open on slight inclines. They’ll smash you in the shins if you’re not careful.

The Maserati’s seats are firm, but they’re very well-shaped and extremely comfortable, with powerful seat heaters, soft leather, and a wide range of adjustment. The driver’s seat is height-adjustable, and outward visibility is excellent in all directions. The sedan shares its infotainment system with other models from Fiat Chrysler automobiles, including RAM trucks and Jeeps, and it’s also a favorite. It’s quick to respond and easy to navigate, and it features a large 8.4-inch screen. It isn’t the biggest screen in this class, but it’s big enough.

Storage inside the Quattroporte’s cabin is abundant. The center console bin is deep, its door bins are big enough to be useful and there’s a large felt-lined cubby behind its shifter, which is perfect for your phone. Its front cupholders are large enough to handle a couple of large nonfat cappuccinos, but one of them is very close to the dash where your drink can block some of the climate controls.

This sedan is also packing one of the largest trunks in its class. The Maserati’s trunk offers 18.7 cubic feet of cargo space, and it’s easily accessed by its power decklid. Its backseat is also split 60/40, and easily folds flat so you can haul more stuff home from Costco. If you need more cargo space than this sedan offers, you should be shopping SUVs.

Next year, a 580-hp Trofeo version of the Quattroporte will be available. It’ll be powered by a cranked-up version the same twin-turbo V8 and Maserati says it’ll each have a top speed of 203 mph, which will make it one of the fastest sedans in the world.

But you don’t have to wait for the Trofeo if you want a Quattroporte that feels special and wow you with its performance. Every version of the 2020 Maserati Quattroporte delivers on that promise. And the GTS like our test car packs all the elements that a car in this class should, including exclusivity, luxury, and thrilling speed and handling. It’s also overflowing with Italian style inside and out. If you’re shopping for a large luxury sedan that feels special, the 2020 Maserati Quattroporte is a wonderful choice.