The Maserati Ghibli: A Car Enthusiast’s Review

Whether or not you’re an automobile connoisseur, you would probably recognize the trident logo of the luxe Italian carmaker Maserati. The trident boasts history and superiority with its Italian supercar heritage. And if you don’t recognize the logo on the car, you can certainly use your sense of hearing to recognize the purr at the start of its engine. Or the throatiness of its exhaust as it barrels down the highway.

From the Gran Turismo coupe, to the iconic four-door sedan Quattroporte, to the new and improved Maserati Ghibli, the carmaker’s lineup is a site to be seen (and heard). 

Maserati’s push for American sales.

The most affordable of the Maserati lineup, the Maserati Ghibli, has helped the brand increase sales in the U.S. since its third generation revival released in 2013. Coincidentally, after the first year of the Ghibli’s revival, Maserati sales skyrocketed in the U.S. Their parent company, Fiat Chrysler pushed for the increase in sales in America. Simply put, it worked: sales surged nearly 175% in calendar year 2014 in comparison to 2013. Maserati was awarded the IIHS Automotive Honors “Most Improved Loyalty to Make” Reward in 2014.

But, was it a coincidence that the new and improved Ghibli was announced right before the sales push? If I were to guess, I’d say “No way!” Why? The release of the revived Ghibli allowed a larger pool of car buyers to afford the luxury make. The bragging rights of owning a Maserati brings allure, and the lower starting price of the Ghibli model brings a more idealistic sense of realism to actually owning one. Who wouldn’t want a fairly-priced Maserati as a daily driver? 

Let’s talk about purchasing new

If you were to purchase a new, base level Ghibli right now, you’d have to shell out a cool ~$74,400. That number is a bit conservative if you ask me; usually, these Italian carmakers load the cars up with options, so you’re usually looking at another $5k – $10k added to that number to start. However, even with $10k in options in addition to the base price, you’d still be looking at a few grand less than the base price of the Quattroporte.

The 3.0 Liter turbocharged V6 will give you around 345 Horsepower to start — the same engine as the Quattroporte. Of course, the upgraded, faster engines on the S, Gran Lusso, or Trofeo are going to cost you. The Ghibli weighs over two tons, but its unforgettable exhaust may trick you into thinking it’s faster than it really is — something I don’t mind. 

At a quick glance, if you were to see a Ghibli pass you by, you’d most definitely confuse it with the sturdier, slightly more luxe Quattroporte. To be quite honest, it took me nearly a year to be able to accurately identify the difference in the exterior of the two cars. Both the front end of the vehicles and the back end look strikingly similar. Deep down, I’d prefer there to be a more obvious difference between the two, but the Ghibli’s fat rear end, wide tires, and its grille’s huge, silver trident logo are nothing to complain about. 

Appreciation for some Maserati depreciation 

So, what’s there to complain about? The depreciation of the vehicle, that’s what. The price differential between a new and used Ghibli is… well… astounding. But, am I surprised? Not really. The moment a brand new Ghibli is purchased and driven off the lot, its value begins to plummet. To recap, a brand new 2021 Ghibli will cost you just under $75,000 with absolutely no bells or whistles.

After digging around through online car retailers, the average price of a used Ghibli is approximately half its sticker price. A 2018 Maserati Ghibli with approximately ~30,000 miles driven will cost you about $33,000. After doing some simple math… the depreciation of the car’s value is seemingly aggressive compared to other cars.

It’s important to remember, the 2018 model and the 2021 model look identical to one another. Comparatively, so does the 2013 model for that matter. If the car had undergone major design upgrades, the depreciation would make more sense. But, alas, no such upgrades exist. The moment a few miles are driven, the value drops like its hot. 

Our recommendation 

I don’t know about you, but to me, it sounds like I’ll be considering a used Ghibli if I’m ever in the market for a Maserati. It seems as if buying a used Ghibli will save you 50% of the money you would be planning to spend on a brand new one. To put that in perspective, a 2021 Toyota RAV4 XLE Premium costs about $34,000. Now, that’s brand new with no miles on it and the dependability that buyers want. 

But, to be able to drive an Italian classic with a hand-tuned engine and quadruple exhaust pipes with the sound to match, it’s a tempting decision to make. I’d also like to point out that sourcing for Maserati parts like headlights and engine parts is known to be difficult and expensive — of course, Toyotas typically have no such problem, to be frank. You’ll want to have a good source for parts if need be.  

Maserati Ghibli through the finish line: a winner or a runner-up?

Regardless, the possibility of affordability is riveting. It excites me. It should probably excite you. A Ghibli allows you to do just that — affordably own a Maserati. So what if it has some miles on it and a previous owner? I’m here for it and I’ll gladly take advantage of its depreciating value. As a car enthusiast, I have to say, I enjoy the Ghibli, the sound of its exhaust, and the price points when it’s in used condition. It’s worth the second look.