Many automakers assume that potential buyers will purchase simply because of their name, and they might be on to something. Automakers like Ferrari, Mercedes, Maserati, and Aston Martin come with high price tags and have a certain amount of prestige. If you casually admit you own a Jaguar to a new acquaintance, they’ll immediately assume you’re someone important.

That being said, just because a vehicle is expensive doesn’t mean it’s worth the price. It has the name brand, but it lacks that certain something that helped build the brand, or it costs too much to repair. According to Car and Driver, the 2020 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 is the perfect example of this, and here’s why.

What is the 2020 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4?

The Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 is Maserati’s flagship sedan, sort of like the Camry is for Toyota. The major difference here is the price. The Quattroporte starts at $116,500, and it goes up to $126,805. For that price, owners are expecting a lot, but Maserati failed to deliver.

Why it isn’t worth the money

For a vehicle that costs more than some people pay for their homes, you’d expect that it drives like a Corvette on steroids. And yet, the Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 can barely accelerate without stalling. Car and Driver reports, “at low speeds, the Q4 system binds and drags like a locked off-roader’s. Feed in the power, and you can feel the engine fighting against its own drivetrain to get things moving, but without much uptick in acceleration.” 

It also has very little room. If it were a muscle car, that would make sense. They’re built more for speed than comfort, though a few manage to give both. The Quattroporte is a sedan, though. Very few drivers want a bigger car that mysteriously has no room inside. 

The other major problem facing the Quattroporte is that it has some very stiff competition. Edmunds reports that rivals such as the Mercedes-AMG GT, Porsche Panamera, and the BMW Alpina B7 cost around the same but manage to offer far more. From better fuel economy to superior technology, the Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 just can’t keep up. 

If that’s not humiliating enough, one of the Quattroporte’s own siblings costs considerably less and has better quality. In fact, Car and Driver mistook it for the Quattroporte at first glance. 

Why the Maserati Ghibli is almost as good as the Quattroporte 

The Maserati Ghibli isn’t earning any rewards. In fact, many think that it’s one of the worst cars you can buy. Still, for the price, you’d be better off buying the Ghibli than the Quattroporte.

At first glance, it’s difficult to tell the two cars apart. The body style is so similar, you almost have to check the badge to know which one it is. MotorTrend did enjoy driving the Ghibli and said that it was an entertaining car to drive, but the interior leaves much to be desired. It looks expensive at first, but upon further examination, it’s clear that Maserati cut some corners when it comes to materials. 

Kelley Blue Book was not as kind. The review site said, “in truth, a sub-$40,000 base Alfa Romeo Giulia will beat a standard Ghibli to 60 mph, all while packing its own Italian style.” Like Car and Driver, Kelley Blue Book believes that the best thing the Ghibli has to offer is the Maserati name. 

If you compare the two vehicles head to head, there’s not much of a difference. Both have the same twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V6 engine. The same goes for the horsepower and torque, which is 424 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. The Quattroporte S Q4 can get one more mpg than the Ghibli, but that’s the only real area that it outpaces its younger sibling. 

Truth be told, the Ghibli can reach speeds of 179 mph while the Quattroporte can only reach speeds of 178 mph. That’s not exactly a big difference, but do you really want to pay nearly $43,000 more for a car that is almost exactly the same? 

While neither vehicle is worth the price Maserati is charging, the Ghibli only costs from $69,490 up to $83,790. If you really must have a Maserati and can’t afford the more desirable Levante Trofeo SUV, then the Ghibli is the way to go. You’ll get the same car as the Quattroporte S Q4 for half the price.