So, you’ve never heard of Ineos? You are not alone, I had not either until recently. People started trying to describe these vehicles to me wondering what they were looking at. It was a mystery to me, but then I saw an announcement that the Sewell dealerships, part of the Car Pro Show for well over a decade, were carrying them and opened an entire dealership in Plano, TX, near Dallas. When Sewell adds a new franchise, given the tremendous success of my friend Carl Sewell the founder, it immediately makes me pay attention. I saw a great TV commercial for Ineos on the Olympics.
Ineos is a very diverse company headquartered in London and is primarily a global petrochemicals manufacturer. Ineos operates 194 facilities across 29 countries, generates $65 billion annually, and employs over 26,000 people. Besides chemicals, Ineos is involved in gas and oil, construction, hygienics, clothing, and sports including sailing, F1, cycling, football, rugby, and many charities. The company is privately owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and two others.
Now Ineos is striking out as a maker of the Grenadier, a serious off-road SUV. According to Ineos: The goal is to deliver to markets a robust, uncompromising 4x4 that epitomizes the Ineos spirit. Named after the London pub in which Jim Ratcliffe conceived the idea, the Grenadier will be resilient and robust. Built by world-renowned engineers, using only the best components for the job. More angles than curves where function dictates form, every time. More than a passion project, a bold business opportunity – the built on-purpose Grenadier will have no equal for those who depend on a vehicle in all conditions and terrains.
So, introducing to America, the 2024 Ineos Grenadier Fieldmaster Edition, my review vehicle for the week. The Fieldmaster is named after the iconic Belstaff Fieldmaster Jacket, it’s a modern take on a classic design engineered for outdoor pursuits. Coming to the U.S. next is the Quartermaster, a pickup variant I look forward to seeing and driving.
To set the stage, I describe the Grenadier as old school collides with the world of technology. It takes no more than a quick glance to tell this is a serious off-roader, but where I live in Texas, the question is how is it as a daily driver? Did Ineos set out to give Americans an alternative to the Land Rover Defender (current edition or the one from the ‘80s) or are they trying to grab the attention of the Kardashians like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class did? I think the answer is: neither. I think Ineos wants the Grenadier to be accepted as what it is, a super solid SUV that is probably over-engineered, but resulting in a great final product.
I was very curious what powered the Grenadier, but I knew it was not electric or a hybrid. Turns out Ineos chose BMW for the power train, which is always a good choice. It has a 3-liter turbocharged straight six cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed ZF transmission. Together they produce 281-horses and 332 pound-feet of torque. Even with the quick-shifting transmission, 0-to-60 time is pretty slow, but this beast weighs almost 6,000-pounds and is full-time 4-wheel drive. Fast starts are not what this SUV is all about, but I will say the acceleration is strong and steady. I suspect the way it is geared you could throw a 7,000-pound trailer behind it and couldn’t tell the difference.
This week the Grenadier captured a lot of looks from strangers and some of my neighbors alike. The modern LED headlights look terrific, with large, round, old school fog lights gracing the large horizontal bar grill. Wrangler-like flat fenders sit below the raised, chiseled hood with the Ineos emblem proudly embedded into the hood. The Grenadier front end is well vented to feed air to the turbocharged engine. There are front tow hooks, and my tester has an electric winch, an essential element for a serious off-roader, even if you never use it.
The side view of the Grenadier showcases the 18” alloy wheels and Goodrich K02 tires, the roof raises slightly from the front of the top and forms a very hefty roof rack and you can even attach a large awning to it. Running through the doors and along the rear are something I’ve never seen: Exterior Utility Belts. There are places to attach accessories, like baggage, or a table for when camping. This one has step bars, which many will need due to fantastic ground clearance. The Grenadier looks top-heavy, but it does not drive or handle that way. I love the door handles, you use your thumb to push a round lever, very old school
The rear view features the full-sized spare with a cover, a ladder that is well-anchored and really heavy-duty, round LED taillights that are similar to a bullseye, and a thick steel bumper that houses rear tow hooks and a trailer hitch. The rear door setup is interesting, on the left there is a small door that opens if you want to shove something into the massive cargo area, and you can open the other side of the door, the larger side, for a massive opening to the cargo area.
I wasn’t sure what to expect on the inside, given the ruggedness of the exterior. I knew what price range the Grenadier Fieldmaster was in, so the first shocker was the beautiful grey and black leather Recaro seats that are slightly bolstered and have heavy stitching. Then I saw it and my mouth dropped: The overhead control panel. It’s the coolest damned thing I’ve ever seen in a vehicle. Think Boeing 747 when the pilot goes through his or her checklist before takeoff. It’s just like that and it is impressive to see.
That panel is for upfitter switches, assuming most people are going to add all sorts of accessories, light bars, and who knows what all the possibilities are. Also on the panel is buttons for the locking differentials and off-road switchgear. That panel matches the one under the touchscreen that also looks really cool. That panel handles all the climate controls, heated seats, park assist, you can turn off the start/stop system, and there is a knob for radio volume. The entire panel has exposed screws that give it a rugged look.
The 12.3” touchscreen is sort of old school, too. Besides using it as a touchscreen, there is also a knob on the center console that operates it if you prefer. The screen is not color, but it is easy to read. What is interesting, and a first for yours truly, is that everything is on that screen, even the speedometer. There is a small screen the driver can see in the middle, behind the steering wheel, but it is only for warning lights. I really thought the speedometer being in the center would be a hardship, but it really isn’t.
Also on the screen are the rest of the gauges, like fuel, fuel range, engine temp, a tachometer, and the odometer. All that is closest to the driver. On the right side of the screen is the menu for the off-road page, cell phone/Bluetooth, road sign recognition, audio choices, and settings. You also get the outside temperature and the altitude, and if you have Apple CarPlay activated, it will show there. Drill down into the off-road pages and you see pitch and roll degrees, wheel angle, and G-forces if you get seriously off the pavement. The settings page allows you to configure many of the functions of the Grenadier, including illumination and the vast safety features. Luckily, someone showed me how to disable a really annoying warning that happens when you exceed the speed limit. Some say I have “issues” with speeding, but I disagree. Center dash under the screen is a really attractive compass with altimeter.
The center console is home to the BMW ZF transmission shifter, a shift lever to lock in 4-wheel high or low, and I’ve already mentioned the knob to scroll through the touchscreen. There are shortcuts there to go directly to pages for the menu, audio, your favorite radio stations, and the off-road pages. There are also a couple of nice sized cupholders, and a lockable center console that also serves as a nice armrest.
Other things from the driver’s seat you need to know: There are steering wheel controls for the cruise control, and also to change the audio and to activate the voice command system. On the right side controls, smack in the middle, is a red button that says, get this: TOOT. Yes, that is one of two horns. The toot horn is the more polite horn for bicyclists and such. The regular horn is in the center of the steering wheel where the Ineos logo sits. This might be a good idea for all automakers as a way to cut down on some road rage.
Moving to the back seat, it is cavernous but understated. The raised roof gives passengers plenty of headroom, and the rear seats are made of the same beautiful Nappa leather the front seats have and they, too, are Recaro. Back seat occupants get their own air conditioning vents, USB-A and USB-C ports, a power outlet, and the rear seats fold down in a 60/40 configuration.
Utility
The cargo area is huge, not just in width, but also in height. With the second row seats in their upright position, you get a massive 41-cubic feet of storage, and if you fold the second row seats down, it grows to 71-cubic feet of cargo.
Also in back is a 12-volt power outlet if needed.
My tester has the Smooth Pack, which is standard equipment on all Grenadiers and includes: Rear-View Camera, Park Assist Front (PDC), Power Heated Exterior Mirrors, Heated Windshield Washer Jets, Central Stowage Box (Lockable), Puddle Lamps & Ambient Door Lighting, Auxiliary Charge Points, and Advanced Anti-Theft Alarm and immobilizer. It also has the Rough Pack, which is the locking differentials, and the Goodrich tires. A roadside emergency kit also comes with each Grenadier.
Other notable features include rearview camera, the front power winch, roadside emergency kit, the side step bars, floor mats, and heavy-duty load space flooring. There are also Safari Windows to look out of in the roof over the driver and the passenger. Those are really neat, but although they are tinted, the August Texas sun beating down on them creates more work for the air conditioning system. What I did not find on this vehicle is blind spot warning, navigation system, ventilated seats, remote start, and neither front seat is power controlled, they are manual.
What you can’t see, and what makes the Grenadier such a capable off-roader is a box-section ladder-frame chassis (which you can choose in several colors, although I’m not sure why) with beam axles, a two-speed transfer case, permanent four-wheel drive, a locking center differential and locking differentials at the front and rear. If the current Defender has anything superior as far as the frame and off-road systems, I can’t find it.
Ride and Drive
I was most interested in the driving characteristics in the concrete jungle, and remember, I have owned a string of Land Rovers. In a word, the Ineos Grenadier is different. That is not to say it’s better or worse than other luxury SUVs, it’s just different. The steering is heavy and is a hydraulically assisted recirculating ball steering box, produced by Bosch. This is a proven system and is truly a benefit when climbing over rocks and through rivers, but in daily driving on the road, it takes some getting used to. Steering is precise, but you don’t get the feedback you get from most rack-and-pinion systems. The turning radius is not short by any stretch, but again, you get used to it.
Acceleration is not overly fast but remember what this beast weighs in at. It will get up to speed in a very steady fashion, but you won’t get a whiplash pressing the accelerator hard. Speed is electronically limited to 99-miles per hour. As with the Rovers and Mercedes off-roaders, fuel economy isn’t great either, coming in at 15 in town, 15 on the highway, and you guessed it, 15 combined.
Those are the only negatives I found. On the plus side, the ride was smooth, and it was surprisingly quiet in the cabin. I expected some tire noise from the Goodrichs, and expected some road noise, but it flat isn’t there, and I thought that was terrific. The ride is actually quite smooth, and the handling is extremely good. Visibility is exceptional and you get the feeling you are king of the road when you are behind the wheel.
When I went to Sewell Ineos in Plano, TX for a quick tutorial on the Grenadier, Chance Fuller the GM told me they were currently selling 50 to 60 Grenadiers per month. They had a nice inventory and this SUV comes in some really attractive colors. For now, they are not able to order vehicles for their inventory, but due to some long delays, many people were not willing to wait the almost two years it took, so the dealership is able to have some available. For now, the best way to get one is to let one of the 17 Ineos dealers in America spec out your dream SUV and order it. You’ll need help, these are wildly configurable.
I saved the best for last. The price. As regular readers of my reviews, and people who listen to the show, know I always get first impressions of my review vehicles and then guess at the price on the window sticker. I’d have expected well north of $125,000 and to be honest, $150,000 would not have shocked me in the least given the price of the competition. Imagine my surprise when the MSRP came in at just $94,165. Given that, I am comfortable saying this is a spectacular value for what you get. According to the Sewell General Manager, the average MSRP of those they sell is $85,000.
The Ineos Grenadier is a pretty amazing SUV all around, but when you consider the price, the off-road capability, the interior quality, the quietness, and a vehicle that you won’t see yourself on every corner, I encourage you to give this one a try. This is a very solid SUV and you’ll be reminded of that every time you shut the doors.
Many thanks to the good people of Sewell Ineos Grenadier and Chance Fuller the General Manager for allowing me to enjoy this beauty for a week. If you would like to drive one of these amazing SUVs, you can drop Chance an email: cfuller@SEWELL.com.
To view larger photos see the slideshow below on CarPro.com.