New SUVs are too soft these days, they say. Buyers don’t need locking differentials; they crave more cupholders, endless features, and bigger touchscreens. Based on the number of crossovers on sale today, this is clearly what most car companies believe. Ineos isn’t most car companies. For those who are unaware, Ineos Automotive is a brand-new car brand that just started building vehicles in 2022, though its parent company (Ineos Group Limited), is the ninth-largest chemical company in the world.
The 2025 Ineos Grenadier SUV is one of two vehicles sold by the company, alongside the Grenadier Quartermaster pickup truck. The Grenadier basically came about because Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner and founder of Ineos Automotive, wanted to buy the rights and tooling to build the outgoing Defender, but Land Rover wouldn’t sell them; so he decided to make his own from scratch.
Base Trim Engine
3L I6 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
8-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Four-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
282 HP @4750 RPM
Base Trim Torque
332 lb.-ft. @ 1750 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
15/15/15 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
Infotainment & Features
7 /10
Pros & Cons
- Looks and feels like an old-school SUV
- One of the coolest interiors on sale today
- Genuine off-road capability
- Some buyers won’t love the steering
- Many features cost extra
- You pay more for simplicity
Ratcliffe wanted a vehicle that carried on the spirit of the original Land Rover Defender, bucking the modern designs employed by most SUVs. To that end, the Grenadier has the required amount of technology to meet safety standards, but little extra. Ineos benchmarked various Jeeps, Land Rovers, Toyotas, Nissans, Broncos, and even military vehicles to reach the end product.
The Grenadier entered production in 2022, built in Hambach, France, with engines supplied by BMW. Ineos now sells two body styles (a “station wagon” or SUV, and a pickup truck) and a special edition 1924 model. We spent a week with the “station wagon” in the Fieldmaster Edition configuration, and fell in love with this back-to-basics take on an off-road SUV. But it may not be the right choice for everyone.
Exterior Looks: That’s Not A Defender?
Strengths
Weaknesses
- Looks like nothing else on the road today
- Fieldmaster and Trialmaster offer different styles
- Plenty of fun color and customization options
- Not everyone will love the base steel wheels
- Upgrades get pricey
- Split tailgate causes visibility issues
Despite the visual similarities, the Ineos Grenadier shares nothing in common with the Land Rover Defender. In fact, Land Rover tried to sue Ineos for trademark infringement, but failed in court because the vehicles are legally distinct… the best kind of distinct! The vehicle is built on a ladder frame chassis with heavy-duty axles at each end, giving it excellent durability and off-road capability. Buyers can order the base Grenadier, which Ineos calls a “blank canvas,” or they can opt for one of two themed models: the Trialmaster Edition or the Fieldmaster Edition.
The former is the most extreme off-roader with additions such as a snorkel, rear access ladder, and BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires. The Fieldmaster is geared more towards lighter outdoor adventure with pop-up safari roof panels, the same access ladder, and standard Bridgestone all-terrain tires (KO2 tires are optional). Lastly, there is also the limited edition Grenadier 1924, named after a British clothing brand, which comes in a pre-configured specification in either Magic Mushroom (white) or Inky Black.
While less extensive and expensive than a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Ineos lets owners customize the Grenadier in a variety of ways. It comes in 11 colors, all of which are named in ways that are important to Mr. Ratcliffe. Devil Red, for example, is the nickname of Manchester United, a soccer team owned by Ratcliffe and Ineos. Those colors can be paired with a white or black roof ($1,875) and a painted ladder frame ($1,125) in black, red, or grey.
Ineos also offers up to five wheels, ranging from 17 to 18 inches. Other details, such as the access ladder ($500) and safari windows ($2,300) can be added à la carte. We also love small details, such as the combined British-German flag on the passenger side, a nod to the car’s ownership and powertrain. Ineos can also swap it out for an American flag ($96), though not if you get the snorkel. We should also note the Grenadier’s odd 80–20 opening trunk – it looks cool but makes it difficult to see out of the rearview mirror.
2025 Ineos Grenadier Exterior Dimensions
Length (w/ spare wheel)
191.2 inches
Wheelbase
115 inches
Width (w/without mirrors)
84.5/76 inches
Height
80.7 inches
Ground Clearance
10.4 inches
Interior & On-Board Technology: Only What You Need To Survive
Strengths
Weaknesses
- Airplane-style switches are so cool
- Buttons and knobs are appreciated
- Decent amount of space
- Technology is just ok
- Lacking many safety features
- You aren’t paying for luxury
The interior is unlike any other on sale today, including “simple” off-roaders like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. Ineos truly wanted the Grenadier to have only the bare minimum number of features to get past strict safety regulations, and not much more. That being said, everything in this cabin feels intentional and executed to carry out the mission of simplicity. You get simple buttons and knobs that are well-labeled, including some on the ceiling that make you feel like an airplane pilot.
The Grenadier is strictly a five-seater with no third row available, and cargo space is pretty generous, but compromised compared to a crossover of similar proportions thanks to the wheel arch intrusions and inability to fold the rear seats flat.
2025 Ineos Grenadier Interior Dimensions
Seating Capacity
Five Seater
1st Row
2nd Row
Headroom
39.4 inches
39.3 inches
Legroom
39.3 inches
30.4 inches
Behind 1st Row
Behind 2nd Row
Cargo Volume
40.6 ft³
71.8 ft³
Ineos doesn’t include much as standard; you get manual cloth seats from Recaro, though they can be upgraded to leather for $2,400 with heating for an additional $500. Other unique features of the Grenadier include a built-in compass with altimeter, a quieter “toot horn” for pedestrians because Ineos owns a cycling team called the Grenadiers, and Ratcliffe wanted a horn that wouldn’t scare them. Our Grenadier Fieldmaster also included the safari windows, which can pop up to let in some air, or be removed entirely.
Infotainment: A Decent First Effort
2025 Ineos Grenadier Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet
The Grenadier is not a tech-focused vehicle – far from it – but Ineos did an admirable job creating a bespoke infotainment system on its very first attempt. It’s nothing to brag about, but we’ve used worse from more established brands. A 12.3-inch touchscreen handles radio and navigation duties, and displays your speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and trip computer since there is no screen in front of the steering wheel. This won’t be a big deal to Tesla owners who are used to a central speedometer, but it takes some time to adjust to the positioning. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both available, and only work via a wireless connection. We experienced no issues with the former, except a slightly longer pairing time if the Grenadier hadn’t been driven for multiple hours overnight. There is also a rotating knob on the console, if you don’t want to reach for the touchscreen. The audio system is very unimpressive, even the upgraded “Premium Sound System” for $750, which literally just adds a subwoofer.
You aren’t buying this car for the premium music experience, nor are you purchasing it for the back-up camera, which is pretty low resolution. In terms of other safety technology, there isn’t much to talk about. The Grenadier is available with parking sensors, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, driver drowsiness detection, and intelligent speed assist. There is no adaptive cruise control (non-adaptive only) and no blind-spot monitoring available.
Performance: BMW To The Rescue
Strengths
Weaknesses
- BMW engine is smooth and gutsy
- Intuitive four-wheel-drive controls
- Quieter than you’d expect
- The steering is heavy
- Fuel economy is lackluster
- You need to love an analog experience
Building an engine from scratch would have been far too expensive, so Ineos needed to purchase one that could meet both European and American emissions standards. BMW answered the call, supplying its 3.0-liter turbocharged B58 inline-six. We adore this engine in BMW models and in the Toyota GR Supra, but here it has been de-tuned slightly to deliver 281 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. Opting for a less powerful B58 should increase the engine’s reliability and service intervals, which is a worthy trade-off in an off-road SUV. Power is routed through a ZF eight-speed automatic that uses a BMW-style shifter to a full-time four-wheel-drive system with low range and available front and rear locking differentials.
Performance Impressions
2025 Ineos Grenadier Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet
Ineos didn’t design the Grenadier with straight-line performance in mind, as evidenced by the boxy shape and lack of a sport driving mode. The closest thing is a manual mode on the shifter that also doubles as a sport shift setting, which enabled a 0-60 mph run in 8.37 seconds during our testing. That’s slightly behind the four-cylinder Ford Bronco Everglades (8.19 seconds) and far behind both the Land Rover Defender 90 V8 Carpathian Edition (5.0 seconds) and Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Final Edition (4.65 seconds). While certainly not rapid, the Grenadier has plenty of torque to overtake traffic at highway speeds, and it doesn’t feel underpowered on public roads. The top speed is limited to 99 mph, likely due to the shape and the tires.
Ride and Handling
The Grenadier is one of the last truly analog experiences left on the market, so when off-road enthusiasts beg automakers for a “back-to-basics” SUV, this is what they want. This is one of only a few modern vehicles to still use a hydraulic power steering rack, and it feels heavy when driving the Grenadier at slow speeds. In fact, the wheel often won’t even self-center without the driver’s manual effort because Ineos says it’s better for keeping it angled during off-roading. We thought the steering would be more of a nuisance on the highway, but after driving the Grenadier from South Florida to Central Florida, it was actually more comfortable and well-mannered than we expected. It didn’t take any major steering corrections to keep it straight, and we could have a phone conversation over Bluetooth without a raised voice.
2025 Ineos Grenadier Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet
The Grenadier’s solid front and rear axles make it one of the most capable vehicles money can buy, though it has fewer electronic assistants than competitors. Entering low range is done using a big lever jutting out of the dash, and the optional front and rear locking differentials are controlled using buttons on the ceiling. There is downhill assist that applies the brakes on declines, but that’s about it for the off-road aids. Ineos also programmed an Off-Road Mode, which reduces the electronic stability control and disables the engine stop/start, parking sensors, seatbelt reminders, and door adjar warnings. A Wading Mode can even shut off the side engine fans (plus all the warnings) and limit the vehicle to 18 mph to help to get through water obstacles. For off-roader who like to feel like they are conquering the terrain without the help of technology, this is your SUV.
Fuel Economy
2025 Ineos Grenadier Jared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet
BMW’s B58 inline-six engine can be pretty efficient, depending on the application, but not here in the Grenadier. The boxy shape and off-road tires result in some abysmal EPA ratings of 15 mpg across the board. The Trialmaster is worse, only getting 14 mpg. For comparison, in the Wrangler lineup, only the V8-powered Rubicon 392 is thirstier, rated at 13/16/14 mpg city/highway/combined. From Ford, the twin-turbo V6 Bronco Raptor is also quite a gas guzzler with EPA ratings of 15/16/15.
Verdict & Pricing: Simplicity Isn’t Cheap
Let’s get something straight here; the Ineos Grenadier is not a modern vehicle masquerading as an old school off-road SUV; it’s a genuine old school off-roader that just happens to be built today with modern tools and parts. This isn’t the vehicle you buy to make people at the country club think you are outdoorsy and adventurous, it’s actually made for the type of people who will take it on a trail and leave the mud on as a badge of honor. Unfortunately, it turns out that building a back-to-basics SUV like this is not a cheap proposition, as demand for this sort of vehicle will never reach the same heights as something like a Toyota RAV4 or even a 4Runner.
A base Grenadier currently starts at $71,000, though prices have fluctuated greatly due to tariffs, especially for the Quartermaster, which is subject to the infamous Chicken Tax. The Trialmaster and Fieldmaster each start at $79,000, but add many standard features that cost extra on the base Grenadier. Our tester rang in at $92,100, including a $1,600 destination fee, preparation for a winch, tow hitch, and KO2 tires. That amount of money could get you nearly any other off-road SUV on the market outside a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, but none of them have the charm of the Grenadier. You could also toss that money around on a restomod to get the same style and attention as the Grenadier, but without the OEM-level fit and finish. What some might consider “charm,” others might consider unrefinement, so you need to make that decision for yourself. We have no doubt the Ineos Grenadier caters to a vanishingly small market, but for those lone few who want a true classic-feeling SUV, it is perhaps the only option.
