Over the last two decades, we experienced a lot of climaxes in the automotive industry. We saw great remakes, such as the Nissan GT-R, Mercedes SLS AMG, Alpine A110, and other iconic automobiles. In addition, a lot of manufacturers turned away from their traditions in order to keep up with the times. Jaguar made the I-Pace – their first EV – and Polestar went from being the performance division of Volvo to being its own brand, focusing on EVs and hybrids. The latest case of a brand turning away from its usual way of doing things is Maserati with its recent announcement of the Ghibli Hybrid.

Maserati Ghibli Hybrid Overview

This could be a turning point for the Italian brand, as they have decided to integrate a hybrid drivetrain in their smaller sports saloon. Moreover, they are doing so in times when the sports saloon market is booming. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Infiniti, Genesis, Jaguar, and even Alfa Romeo have exciting propositions in the segment. Does that mean the Maserati Ghibli has its work cut out for it?

This explains why we are greeted by the same elegant design of the current model. It is actually a good thing, as the car has aged gracefully and, I dare say, looks better than many sport sedans that came after it. With the introduction of a hybrid version, the company wants to broaden its target audience for one of their most successful models.

Exterior

The Ghibli Hybrid version stands out with blue accents on the triple side vents, brake calipers, and the trident logo on the rear pillar. The introduction of the Ghibli Hybrid is also accompanied by a mild facelift for all Ghibli variants. It consists of subtle changes to the front grill, featuring double-blade spokes, updated headlights, and different taillight design. The taillights now have a boomerang light signature reminiscing of the Giugiaro-designed 3200 GT and the Alfieri concept car. Overall, it is the same elegant design we have come to enjoy since 2014 with a few minor updates. Design-wise the car has aged well and still stands out on the road.

Interior

The MCT Plus display features an elegant frameless design and has grown in size - from 8.4 to 10.1 inches. In addition to having a tremendous degree of customization, it features Apple car play and Android connectivity. In addition, Amazon Alexa is integrated into the system, which allows for excellent hands-free communication. The old analog instrument cluster has now been replaced by a fully-digital one.

The Ghibli now benefits from Maserati’s connect program which constantly updates the software and gives the car a frequent “health check”, so you always know if your Ghibli needs maintenance or any other type of attention. And of course, the hybrid theme is hinted with blue trident logos on the headrests. You will be happy to know your Maserati Ghibli has a minimum trunk space of 500 liters (17.7 cubic feet), despite having a battery pack. The comfortable rear seats can fold down in a 60/40 split, for added practicality.

Drivetrain & Performance

The Maserati Ghibli Hybrid is actually a mild-hybrid (MHEV). The result is 330 horsepower at 5,750 RPM and 332 pound-feet (450 Nm) of torque at 1,500 - 4,000 RPM. This translates into a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) time of 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 158 mph (255 km/h). At the same time, average fuel consumption is 27.7 mpg (8.5 l / 100 km) combined. The responsibility of shifting gears has been entrusted to the tried and tested ZF 8-speed automatic – a popular choice in a wide range of performance cars. Power goes to the rear wheels only. Despite having only four cylinders, the good people from Maserati promise a soundtrack worthy of the trident badge. Moreover, it will be achieved through a clever use of the exhaust resonators.

Maserati has chosen to go the Mild hybrid (MHEV) route instead of the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) for the purpose of saving weight, as the latter would require a larger battery pack. Even so, the car has a curb weight of 4,140 pounds (1,878 kg) which sits in the middle, when compared to other MHEV sedans. The Ghibli hybrid is sure to steal some clients that are considering the diesel version. The MHEV version is 176 pounds (80 kg) lighter, more powerful, and significantly quicker to 62 mph.

Competitors

Volvo S60 B6

Strangely enough, one of the closest analogs to the Ghibli Hybrid comes from Volvo. The S60 with B6 designation also has mild-hybrid technology, comprising of a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and an electric motor. Although front-wheel-drive biased, power is sent to the rear wheels when necessary. The total output is rated at 299 horsepower at 5.400 rpm and 309 pound-feet (420 Nm) at 2,100 – 4,800 rpm.

The Volvo S60 B6 reaches 62 mph in 5.9 seconds – 0.1 seconds slower than the Maserati. In addition, the Volvo has a speed limiter set at 112 mph (180 km/h). With a 33 mpg (7.2 l / 100 km), the Volvo is slightly more fuel-efficient. It is also a bit more Eco-friendly, with 163 - 186 g / km of CO2 emission, as opposed to the Ghibli’s 192 - 216 g / km. However, the Maserati makes up with a bigger fuel tank (21.1 gals / 80 l) which makes for a bigger range than the Volvo with its ( 15.9 gals / 60 l) fuel capacity. At the end of the day, we are talking about mid-size sedans, so cargo capacity is still relevant. In the S60, you get 13.8 cubic-feet (391 liters) – significantly less than the Ghibli’s 17.7 cubic-feet (500 liters).

Read our full review on the Volvo S60 B6

Mercedes E 450

Stuttgart joins the battle with their best-seller - the Mercedes E-450 mild hybrid. Unlike the Maserati and Volvo, however, the Stuttgart representative relies on more displacement and more cylinders from its turbocharged internal combustion unit – 3.0 liters and six cylinders to be exact. It produces 367 horsepower at 5,500 – 6,100 rpm and 369 pound-feet (500 Nm) of torque at 1,600 – 4,500 rpm). Power goes to all four wheels at all times via a 9-speed G-Tronic gearbox. The 0 to 62 mph sprint happens in 5.0 seconds and top speed is limited to 155 mph (250 km/h).

Read our full review on the Mercedes E 450

Price

Prices for the 2021 Maserati Ghibli Hybrid have yet to be announced, but they are expected to start around $72,000. This puts it slightly above its competitors, price-wise. The Mercedes E-450 starts at just over $72,000, but can easily go over $90,000, depending on the spec. For the Volvo S6 B6, prices start at around $67,000.

Conclusion

Better late than never! Maserati came a bit late to the electric and hybrid scene, but it also freshened things up a bit by adding some Italian zest to the hybrid sedan niche. Maserati prides itself on putting the emphasis on performance. Although they are branching out, the same as everyone else these days, it’s nice to see they haven’t forgotten their racing heritage. With the new Ghibli Hybrid, Maserati continues to give us a nice blend of luxury, style, performance, and unique road presence, despite slowly integrating the more eco-friendly electric propulsion in their lineup.