Difficult to imagine a more beautiful-looking Italian sporty sedan than the Maserati Ghibli. This Italian stallion appeared in various movies and series, and considered by many fans, “Maserati’s best-looking model.” But while beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, which implies that not everyone can appreciate the elegant design of this Maserati model, few can argue against the performance of the car. The 2022 model year came equipped with either a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V8 engine capable of generating an impressive 580 horsepower for the Trofeo, or the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 powertrain, which could generate 345 horsepower for the GT. There’s also the 424 horsepower for the Modena model. And that’s not all that is thrilling about this car.
The Ghibli also has a pretty decent-looking cabin, although far less impressive than the one found in other European vehicles. Naturally, this Maserati vehicle has several standout features, like the 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, the standard driver-assistance features and the beautiful leather upholstery, but this is hardly enough to lure clients to dealerships to buy this car. At this point in time, most consumers already know that the Ghibli has several problems and issues, so if you’re considering this Maserati model, this is why you shouldn’t invest your money in the Ghibli.
These Are The Most Common Ownership Problems
“The Maserati Ghibli is hugely alluring in many ways, but it comes with a higher price tag and more compromises than other large executive saloons,” says Carbuyer. To be fair, there are too many quality sacrifices, which would deter many potential buyers from purchasing this vehicle. While Carbuyer was quite generous with its ranking when it gave the Ghibli a 3.4 out of 5 points, the reality is that this Maserati model would get a lower grade if it wasn’t for the sleek Italian design.
“Gorgeous looking car which will make heads turn, however it has been very unreliable with numerous faults experienced in the first year – starting issues, squealing brakes, power steering warnings, sat-nav and rear parking camera not working, poor heating/ventilation and alarm sounding for no reason,” comments a Ghibli owner. “In the first year, the car was back at the garage four times. Not good enough in this day and age and certainly not worth the money.”
Another owner comments his Ghibli is a “beautiful looking car,” but it has “done more miles on the back of a low loader than actually on the road.” He also points out that the car is “horrendous on the ice or in the snow,” and “it sounds more like a John Deere farm tractor than a luxury saloon.”
According to GetJerry, the most common issues related to the Maserati Ghibli ownership are slow acceleration for automatic transmission, clutch problems and paint chip and cracks. Furthermore, the average annual repair cost is pretty high, sitting at $1,200. Elsewhere, Your Sydney Mate mentions brakes and battery issues. The automotive blog also points out that between 2015 and 2019, the Ghibli had 28 recalls in the UK alone. On Cars.com, the Ghibli has 16 NHTSA safety recalls, which show that this Maserati model had problems with the fuel system, seat belts, tires, welds on the front sub frame, electrical system, suspension, transmission, accelerator pedal and the engine.
This Is Why The Maserati Ghibli Doesn't Hold Its Value
It should come as no surprise that the Maserati Ghibli has a poor reputation, given its subpar build quality. Unfortunately, this has impacted the demand and value of other Maserati models as well, so it’s not just the Ghibli's resale value that has tanked. Furthermore, when demand for a certain car drops significantly, the dealer has to embrace discounts and incentives to lure potential buyers. This, again, impacts the resale value of the automobile. And then, there’s also the fact that the value of new luxury cars is through the roof now, so buyers who are paying for these vehicles can afford to invest in hand-built premium cars. Accordingly, most of the time, these buyers are not interested in trade-ins or discounts on used cars, so they just go and buy another new luxury vehicle. This only increases the inventory of available used-cars, softens demand and brings prices down.
“The used market for these cars is dismal. They are so expensive to own that if you can afford to maintain one, why would you buy a used one?” explains a Quora user.
Generally speaking, the Ghibli is an exceptionally well-designed car, but it still has many flaws. Given that the supply chain crisis is driving up the cost of repairs and maintenance, it makes sense if customers decide to put off buying a Ghibli in favor of a more dependable model.
Sources: Pinterest, Carbuyer, GetJerry, Your Sydney Mate, Cars.com, and Quora.