First Drive: 2025 Ineos Grenadier

Look in the dictionary under “retro” and you’ll find a picture of the Ineos Grenadier. Okay, not really, but it should be. Ineos designers made no attempt to make Grenadier pretty. It’s got a classic look that underscores the SUV’s go-anywhere, any time capabilities. To get a feel for what it could do, Headlight.News headed out to Aspen, Colorado and a perfect timed snowstorm.

If you’re at all familiar with the Ineos name you’re likely to know that it’s the world’s fourth-largest chemical company, with nearly 200 manufacturing facilities in 29 countries. Until recently, its sole link to the auto industry was as one-third owner of the Mercedes-AMG Formula One team. But Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the richest man in Britain, and the head of the chemical giant, decided a few years ago that he wanted to get into automotive manufacturing.

The Grenadier is the start-up’s first product and, like those set to follow, the SUV is designed for only the most serious off-roaders. When Ratcliffe founded the automotive operation back in 2016 he initially hoped to acquire tooling for the old Land Rover Defender. When that bid was rejected he set his team out to come up with an old-is-new alternative that put the focus on function over fashion.

What debuted in 2020 – and has been modified only slightly since then – does, indeed, strongly resemble older-generation Defender, but my goal in heading out to Colorado was to see if Grenadier lived up to the claim that was even more capable.

Design

One thing’s for sure, Ineos designers made no attempt to make it pretty – though I’ve found some folks who’ll debate that with me. It’s clearly a case of form-as-function, with its massive front end, nearly vertical windows and rugged, slab-sided body panels. One of the more unusual features: a split 70/30 rear hatch that makes it easy to access the 40.6 cubic foot cargo compartment when parked in a tight spot. (Drop the rear seats and that jumps to 71.8 cf.)

Grenadier uses a traditional ladder-frame platform and measures 191.2 inches in length, with a 115.0-inch wheelbase. It stands 80.7 inches in height, with a width of 76.0 inches. But there are other numbers that should appeal to serious off-roaders, like its 10.4 inches of ground clearance and the ability to ford up to 31 inches of water. It also matches or exceeds the approach, breakover and departure angles of virtually everything out there, from the Jeep Wrangler to the Mercedes-Benz GL – and, of course, today’s prettier new Defender. With plenty of armoring underneath, it can slam over rocks with little reason to worry.

As with the exterior, the Ineos product development team put functionality first when it came to interior design, as well. There are lots of bolts, hard panels and switchgear, lots of switches and knobs that can take a first-timer a while to fully master. Many of the controls are built into an overhead panel at gives Grenadier an almost aircraft like feel.

The seats are attractive and well padded. And passengers in the front row will have plenty of room to stretch out, with 39.6 inches of legroom. The rear is more cramped, however, at just 30.4 inches.

Powertrain

Depending upon the market, two powertrains are available: including astump-pulling diesel rated at 248 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately, it currently isn’t scheduled to reach the U.S. where diesels have largely fallen out of favor but for a handful of products.

U.S. buyers get a 3.0-liter turbocharged gas engine making 283 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. It’s a competent powertrain, with good grunt on trails — but hardly inspiring when you’re out on pavement. It takes about 9 seconds to launch from 0 to 60. A lack of sound deadening material means you get a lot of engine noise when you’re running at high speed – or in 4-Low off-road.

Like the diesel, the gas ngin is mated to an 8-speed automatic which directs power to all four wheels through a two-speed transfer case and a center differential. Among options, serious off-roaders should add electronically locking front and rear “diffs.”

Grenadier an haul a payload of up to 1,889 pounds, while trailering tops out at 7,716 lbs.

More Ineos News

• First Drive: Ineos Quartermaster Pickup
• Ineos Unveils Fusilier — One Off-Roader, Two “Green” Powertrains 
• Q&A: Ineos CEO Lin Calder Talks Current & Future Products, U.S. Sales and Trump Tariffs

Technology

While the basic look of the Grenadier may be a throwback, it does offer some useful technology onboard. That includes a widescreen touch-operated display atop the center console. The downside is that there’s no gauge cluster. Other than a few idiot lights visible through the steering wheel, everything else appears on the left side of that touchscreen which takes a bit of time to get used to – and means a bit more time when your eyes are off the road.

Also missing: built-in navigation, though the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions make that less of a problem. Curiously, Grenadier does offer a “breadcrumb” function that drops waypoints on a basic, topographical map to help you retrace steps coming back from an off-road adventure.

When it comes to advanced driver assistance systems, Grenadier offers a good mix of standard features, including automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning.

Driving Impressions

I began a long day’s driving from one of the ski resorts dotting the hills outside Aspen. It was a gray, cool morning with what felt like a sense of menace hanging in the air. The skies were closing in and, well before I headed back to my room, a blinding snowstorm would sweep in. Perfect weather to check out the Grenadier’s capabilities.

I spent hours wandering through hill country, the SUV’s knobby tires keeping a firm grip on pavement and trails. Then, I arrived at Dunbar Ranch for the opportunity to push the truck closer to the limits. Hollywood fans might recognize the name as the sprawling 160-acre ranch owned by actor Kevin Costner. It’s crisscrossed with trails and bisected by a crystal-clear stream. The route I took alternated between rocky pavement and deep snow.

Something you immediately learn about Grenadier is that it uses a recirculating-ball-type steering, rather than the rack-and-pinion approach offered on essentially every other light vehicle on the market today. It takes a bit of time to get used to, among other things, requiring you to muscle it both into and out of a turn, manually unwinding the wheel. That said, it proved much more manageable on the winding mountain terrain outside Aspen than I had expected.

The good news is that there a number of different drive modes, along with the various differentials, the hill descent control and other functions. The bad news is that it takes time to figure it all out and put it all together when approaching particularly difficult terrain.

Final Word

There’s been an explosion over the past decade in the number of folks who take to the trails – especially following the COVID lockdowns. That’s translated into booming demand for off-road capable vehicles.

For most folks, soft-roaders like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V or Subaru Forester will manage. Beyond that, there are plenty of more capable models, more and more of them targeting upscale buyers. Think Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Lexus GX and a whole family of Land Rover/Range Rover offerings. The Ineos Grenadier falls into a much more narrow niche, the sort of vehicle that can muscle and maneuver its way ac3ross pretty much anything, including the toughest Moab tracks and the legendary Rubicon Trail.

You will make some sacrifices with Grenadier in terms of comfort and convenience. It could use a bit more power and for all the potential benefits, I’d prefer a more modern steering box. That said, if you like the retro look and don’t want rocks, streams or blizzards to slow you down, the Ineos Grenadier is worth checking out.

Do be aware that it doesn’t come cheap, at a base price of $75,100 for Fieldmaster package. That climbs as high as $86,950 for the range-topping 1924 edition. And those prices are pre-Trump tariff. Expect to see a sharp increase when inventory now in the country is depleted in the next month or so.