Are Maserati Good Cars? (love at first sight)

I still remember the first Maserati I ever saw.

It was 1978.

I was on holiday in the south of France when a Maserati Bora pulled up outside the famous Hotel Negresco in Nice.

The thing looked like it had arrived from another planet.

Low.

Wide.

Loud.

The heat from the mid-mounted V8 seemed to radiate across the pavement.

The front end was covered in bugs from some high-speed blast across Europe.

And somehow that made it even cooler.

I was hooked instantly.

That’s the thing about Maseratis.

They don’t just transport you.

They make you feel something.

And that’s exactly why they’re so difficult to judge.

The Wrong Question

People often ask:

“Are Maseratis good cars?”

It’s actually the wrong question.

The real question is:

“Do you want a car that makes sense, or a car that makes you smile every time you see it?”

Because Maserati has never been about spreadsheets.

It’s about emotion.

The Problem Maserati Has Never Escaped

Let’s get the elephant out of the room.

For years, Maserati developed a reputation for being beautiful but temperamental.

Owners loved them.

Mechanics saw them regularly.

That reputation stuck.

The problem is that many people still judge modern Maseratis using stories from twenty years ago.

That’s a bit like judging your smartphone using a Nokia from 2003.

The company has changed.

The cars have changed.

The quality has improved dramatically.

But reputations tend to travel slower than facts.

What Maserati Does Better Than Almost Anyone

Walk through a parking lot.

Count the BMWs.

Count the Mercedes.

Count the Audis.

Now count the Maseratis.

Exactly.

They’re rare.

And that matters.

A Maserati still feels special in a way many luxury cars don’t.

When you park a BMW 5 Series beside a Maserati Ghibli, both are excellent cars.

But only one makes people stop and stare.

The Ghibli: The Everyday Maserati

The Ghibli is probably the model that introduced more people to the Maserati brand than any other.

It’s practical.

Comfortable.

Fast.

And unmistakably Italian.

The steering feels alive.

The exhaust note has character.

And unlike many modern luxury sedans, it doesn’t feel like it was designed by a committee.

It has personality.

The Quattroporte: The Boss’s Car

The Quattroporte has been around for decades.

Its name literally means “four doors.”

Simple.

Very Italian.

This is the car for someone who wants luxury but refuses to blend into the crowd.

You could buy a German executive sedan.

Or you could arrive in something with a trident on the grille.

That’s the appeal.

The Levante: The SUV That Saved Maserati

Every luxury manufacturer eventually joined the SUV party.

Maserati was no different.

Thankfully, they did it properly.

The Levante doesn’t feel like a bloated family wagon.

It still feels like a Maserati.

And that’s not easy to achieve in a large SUV.

What Ownership Is Really Like

Here’s where the head starts arguing with the heart.

Maseratis aren’t cheap to maintain.

Parts aren’t cheap.

Servicing isn’t cheap.

Insurance isn’t cheap.

Nothing with a trident badge is cheap.

But that’s true of almost every exotic luxury brand.

If you’re buying a Maserati expecting Toyota running costs, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.

Why People Buy Maseratis

This is the part most reviews miss.

People don’t buy Maseratis because they’re the most logical choice.

They buy them because they make ordinary journeys feel special.

The start-up sound.

The badge.

The styling.

The rarity.

The feeling.

That’s what you’re paying for.

Cars are emotional purchases.

Maserati simply embraces that truth more than most brands.

So, Are Maseratis Good Cars?

Yes.

Modern Maseratis are far better built and more reliable than many people think.

But reliability isn’t really the reason people buy them.

People buy Maseratis because life is short.

Because they don’t want to drive the same car as everyone else.

Because every time they walk away from it in a parking lot, they turn around for one last look.

And if a car can make you do that…

It’s doing something right.

Verdict

If your priority is maximum reliability per dollar, buy a Lexus.

If your priority is making every drive feel like an event, buy the Maserati.

Just don’t pretend you’re making a rational decision.

You’re making a passionate one.

And that’s exactly the point.

Would You Know What To Do?

If your engine warning light came on tonight, would you know to keep driving, pull over, or call for recovery?

Most drivers wouldn’t.

That’s exactly why I wrote this guide.