2017 Maserati Ghibli Embellished with New Features and Tech

We had high hopes for the Maserati Ghibli when the carmaker revived the venerable nameplate for its junior sedan back in 2014. Unfortunately, the baby Quattroporte came out a tad undercooked, with slightly awkward styling, a flinty ride, and what we considered unacceptable evidence of late-night raids on the FCA parts bin. After spending three more years baking, a rejuvenated Ghibli has emerged from Maserati’s oven.

If you’re looking for visual evidence of the refresh on the exterior, don’t bother, as there isn’t any. Nor are there any changes to the mechanicals. The most significant changes involve a new infotainment system and two new color and trim packages. Less important but worth mentioning are the arrival of auto stop/start, a ventilation system that filters certain pollutants, a new rear-camera system that dynamically displays parking trajectory, an optional 360-degree camera, and an Advanced Driver Assistance package that includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot alert, lane-departure warning, and forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking.

The replacement of an infotainment system is usually not of much importance in a mid-cycle refresh, but in the old car we were disappointed that Maserati did not change the logic, layout, and Garmin-ness of FCA’s Uconnect system—which would be okay if buyers were stepping up from a Dodge Dart but is rather insulting to a customer cross-shopping a BMW 5-series. And so we welcome the new touchscreen setup, which appears to be the same as that in the 2017 Maserati Levante SUV and is complemented by a rotary dial in the center console. As for its functionality, we discuss that in some detail in our drive of the Levante.

A new Sport package brings 20-inch Urano polished wheels, red brake calipers, Maserati’s trick Skyhook adaptive suspension, 12-way power sport seats, and a sport steering wheel. At the other end of the scale, the Luxury package gets 19-inch Poseidone wheels, black brake calipers, Zegna silk trim or full-leather upholstery, and 12-way power seats.

If you think that doesn’t sound like the makings of a hearty mid-cycle update, you’re right. And it probably won’t be enough to elevate the Ghibli to fully competitive status. Maserati, though, probably had its hands full launching a more important vehicle: the more fully realized Levante. Here’s hoping Maserati continues to tweak the Ghibli’s recipe.