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Your eyes aren’t deceiving you: This isn’t an old Land Rover Defender. Instead, the Ineos Grenadier is effectively one man’s vision of how that car should have continued, rather than the more luxurious, Range Rover-like direction it actually look.
Not that the Grenadier is back-to-basics in any way, though it’s certainly utilitarian despite its high price. It’s a 4x4 aimed at people who really need something tough and capable, rather than for cruising around town. If that sounds like you, then you may be prepared to live with its on-road compromises.
Clearly, the main alternative to the Grenadier is the Land Rover Defender, which remains incredibly capable off the beaten track but is much more road-friendly than its predecessor ever was (or the Grenadier is). The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is another option, but unlike the Defender, kept its classic styling when it was heavily updated in 2018.
The cult appeal of the original Land Rover Defender meant that it became as much a vehicle to be seen in as one you’d take off-road long before production ended in 2016. Part of the appeal was always knowing that it could go virtually anywhere - and the Ineos Grenadier picks up where the Defender left off.
Read between the lines and that’s one way of saying that the Grenadier can feel a bit wayward on the road, with vague steering that’s clearly designed to handle the rigours of off-roading. It’s also very thirsty, on account of its weight and brick-like aerodynamics. So while you could still pose in a Grenadier, like the old Defender it’s better bought for a purpose.
Most of the Grenadier’s mechanicals and options are clearly biased to working use, though the modern BMW six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines and smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox mean it’s still more refined and easy-going than an old Land Rover.
Different body configurations, option packs and interior layouts mean that two used models are unlikely to be exactly alike, so you may have to wait a while to find a car that perfectly suits you - and as the Grenadier is still relatively new, the used market isn’t yet swimming in cars to choose from. While the BMW engines are solid, the car’s long-term reliability is as yet unknown, too.
If the Grenadier seems a little too utilitarian, then the Land Rover Defender’s move towards being more road-friendly was probably a wise one, and there’s a wider choice of body shapes and powertrains with the Defender too. For another chunky 4x4, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class remains very appealing - especially post 2018, when Mercedes modernised the handling but kept the retro looks.
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Your choice here is largely between petrol or diesel, and how much additional equipment you need above the standard Grenadier specification. In some respects the entry-level car looks a little meanly specified for a car that costs more than £65,000 brand new - no alloy wheels, no reversing camera, no heated mirrors - but its mechanical specification is probably what you’ll be most interested in anyway. Just bear in mind that if you need more than just a centre differential lock, you’ll have to look out for either a Trialmaster model, or find a regular one where the first owner ticked the right option box.
The Grenadier is offered in three trim levels, but these only tell part of the story. Customers buying the Grenadier new can configure it in numerous ways with several accessory and option packages, covering everything from different wheel and tyre types to spotlights, kayak mounts, jerry cans, and rock sliders. Way too many accessories to list here, in fact, but it’s unlikely that two used Grenadiers will be exactly alike.
The Ineos Grenadier’s dimensions are:
The Ineos Grenadier’s boot size is:
Billowing CO2 emissions mean the Grenadier’s first-year tax costs a pretty penny, but this drops down to a flat rate from the second year onwards, of £570 - including a surcharge for the car costing more than £40,000 brand new. From the car’s seventh birthday onwards, the cost of tax goes down to a standard flat rate (currently £180).
Given the Grenadier’s expense a maximum group 50 insurance rating is fairly predictable. The closest comparison you’ll find are with the highest-spec Land Rover Defenders, which are also in group 50, though the Defender does start a lot lower, with a short wheelbase D200 diesel variant starting at group 27.
Read our full Ineos Grenadier review
