Ineos Grenadier review

Initially Ineos resisted the tyranny of Lane Assist and its like. Alas, no longer. But at least it hasn’t gone down without a fight, ensuring it only kicks in if certain criteria are met. Ineos even haggled with the regulator to make the speed limit warning sound less annoying (genuinely), and there’s a Mercedes-style off button permanently atop the touchscreen to kill the noise. Handy if the car falsely identifies the Savannah as a 20mph zone.

Otherwise, the Grenadier is a largely analogue experience. This is a car that glories in its large, well-spaced and chunky physical buttons rather than burying all the functionality in a touchscreen.

You can operate the main switchgear while wearing gloves. The climate control is done by big rotary knobs, and the hazard warning button sits slap bang in the middle of the console on a striped bezel with little metal hoops either side. It all works brilliantly.

Although that doesn’t mean they’ve done away with a touchscreen. The 12.3in Central Control System sits on top of the centre console, itself an impressively monolithic presence in the cabin, and its displays include speed, revs, gear, fuel level, and tyre pressures. There’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay multi-media connectivity, plus a display for bearing, steering angle, and vehicle attitude. There’s a clickwheel on the centre console if you really can’t get on with a touchscreen, but it’s a bit patchy in operation.

There’s no binnacle ahead of the driver, so the view is unimpeded (no head-up display either, which you can happily live without). An integrated compass with an altimeter is an option, and Ineos has designed its own Pathfinder navigation system. This is a fairly rudimentary system that records your GPS route as you go, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can upload routes to the system. However, it doesn’t have any built-in mapping or conventional satellite navigation of its own. You’ll have to use your phone. And off-line maps if you’re in the back of beyond. This is a significant oversight: a car built for adventure… that can’t tell you where it is.

What’s with the roof console?

If the Grenadier allows itself one moment of design showboating it’s probably in the overhead control panel. This houses all the off-road switchgear, including the buttons for the axle differential locks and the pre-wired auxiliary switches for winches or light bars. You’d only ever be fiddling about up there while stationary which is a good job because it’s not that easy to navigate. Great fun pretending to be a pilot though, isn't it?

Elsewhere, the gear selector is from BMW, and feels a little lightweight alongside the chunky lever that operates the transfer box. The Recaro seats are fantastic, the driving position merely tolerable due to the offset pedals. The standard trim is made of a cloth and vinyl material that’s stain-, dirt- and water-resistant. The interior can be easily cleaned; five drain valves mean it can even be hosed out, and the cabin components are all water and dust-resistant. Safari windows above the driver and passenger are standard on the Fieldmaster and an option on the Trialmaster. They can be opened or removed. Parking sensors are standard at the rear and optional at the front; a rear-view camera is also available.

Perhaps the door-bins could be a bit bigger, and the space at the base of the console is the only place to put your phone if the cupholders are… holding cups. There are six of those, six interior grab handles, a USB-A and C port, and a 12V front socket. You can add more.

Is it actually practical?

As mentioned above, passenger space is pretty modest and the seatbacks are upright. Put anyone back there for a long journey and they are going to complain.

The rear bench splits 60:40, and has a dry under-seat stowage compartment. There’s 1,152 litres of load space; with the rear bench folded flat, that rises to 2,035 litres. The split tailgate doesn’t operate electrically of course, but thunks shut satisfyingly, and opens to reveal a huge aperture. The boot floor is rubberised, and there is a huge selection of accessories for carrying things.