First Drive: Can tweaks to the Ineos Grenadier make it more user friendly?

What is it?

Back in 2022, the Ineos Grenadier was launched with the aim of plugging a gap for an old-school off-roader. With the departure of the ‘classic’ Land Rover Defender, the Grenadier arrived as the brainchild of Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, built in the spirit of a traditional four-wheel-drive but with a flutter of more modern touches.

Fast forward to 2026 and the Grenadier remains a core combatant in the heavyweight off-roader segment. Some initial criticism of the original car surrounded its steering, but for this update, Ineos has seen fit to sharpen and tweak things slightly. We’ve been finding out what it’s like.

What’s new?

On the face of it, you’d think that not a lot has changed. The Grenadier has the same blocky design as before and you can still get it as a larger-than-life Quartermaster pick-up truck, too. The headlights have been tweaked, though, and you can now get a stealthy Black Edition specification with a range of gloss-black elements included across the car’s exterior. It’s been made in response to customer demands for a more ‘urban-looking Grenadier’.

But core to the changes made to the Grenadier involve the steering. The recirculating ball setup was core to the Grenadier’s design when launched, bringing – Ineos said – better control over rough surfaces. However, it also meant that the car felt a little wayward on the road, which is why new hydraulic assistance with a variable ratio has been introduced for the first time with the aim of bringing more reassurance to the steering feel.

What’s under the bonnet?

Ineos hasn’t mucked about with what’s powering the Grenadier, which is why you’ll still find a BMW-sourced 3.0-litre unit using either petrol or diesel under the bonnet of this car. It’s linked to an eight-speed automatic gearbox in both versions, but we’d argue that most people will opt for the diesel-powered model given its slightly improved efficiency.

Mind you, we wouldn’t anticipate some next-level fuel economy. Ineos claims that you’ll get just over 23mpg from the standard diesel car and if you’re doing some high-speed driving or venturing off-road, it’s likely that this number will plummet quickly. The petrol, in contrast, will only achieve a claimed 19.6mpg combined.

What’s it like to drive?

The driving character of the Grenadier was always quite rugged, but the changes made to this new version have definitely refined things. Those edits to the steering make the Grenadier a whole lot more settled on the road without forsaking its off-road ability. It’s the confidence off-centre that you now get; on the older Grenadier, there was a need for minor corrections at nearly all times to keep the car going in a straight line, but that has been removed entirely. It’s a big improvement, that’s for sure. The Grenadier’s turning circle has also been shortened, making it much easier to spin around in a hurry.

The rest is the same old Grenadier, which is to say heavy-duty but reliable. We tested it off-road across some very sodden green lanes and through larger areas of water, but it never felt troubled or in difficulty. It remains one of the best off-roaders on sale today, that’s for sure.

How does it look?

As we’ve mentioned, the look and feel of the Grenadier has largely been left alone. People didn’t have an argument with how this car looked, which is probably why Ineos has left it the same as before. There are some new specifications, of course, and you can still get it in standard Station Wagon, Utility Wagon or Quartermaster pick-up layouts to help tailor it to whatever job you’ve got in mind. Ineos has also tweaked the design of this car’s headlights.

Ineos also has a skunkworks team which develops Grenadier models with extra customisation. Called Arcane Works, it can transform this off-roader with a range of hand-finished features and greater personalisation. The sky is the limit – providing your pockets are deep enough, of course.

What’s it like inside?

There’s been little change inside the Grenadier, too. There’s still the massive overhead bank of switches which are pre-wired to allow you to connect a variety of accessories without needing to do any additional electrical work. Extra headlights or lighbars, for instance, can be installed easily and quickly for drivers looking to get out and adventure without messing about with wiring, for instance.

Rear-seat space remains a little tight in the back of the Grenader and the whole car feels relatively narrow inside, so sitting three abreast in the rear of the car will be a squeeze. That said, there’s plenty of storage dotted throughout and we love the grab rails dotted across the cabin which will come in handy when you’re off-roading. Some handy new nets have been added to the seatbacks to to help keep those loose items secure, too.

What’s the spec like?

Prices for the Grenadier haven’t actually changed despite these updates, which is certainly something to talk about in this day and age. Standard equipment is good; there’s a 12.3-inch BMW-sourced infotainment system which is packed with features and easy to control thanks to a rotary dial, while both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard as well. You’re also able to choose from a vast number of accessories to tailor the Grenadier to whatever it is you’re doing, ranging from a removable rear winch or roof rack, right the way through to a side awning or snowboard carrier. It’s a quick way to crank up the Grenadier’s price, but you can’t fault Ineos for offering such a wide range of features to pick from if you need to.

Prices for the Grenadier start from £62,495 for the standard Grenadier or £62,495 for the Quartermaster pick-up truck. If you’re after the Black Edition model, then you’ll need to spend £71,995 for the privilege. However, these prices aren’t out of the ordinary for the segment and in line – or under – those for key rivals.

Verdict

It’s hard not to have a soft spot for the Ineos Grenadier. It is unashamedly utilitarian and remains a car which may simply be too hardcore for some drivers. Compare it to a road-going SUV and you won’t get the same on-road refinement nor the same efficiency.

But as a tool, the Grenadier makes a whole lot of sense. The changes made to the steering have had a big impact, too, and transform the way this car goes down the road. For many drivers, that’ll be the revision that makes all the difference.