2026 Ineos Grenadier | PH Review

For a ground-up new car, Grenadier made a respectable splash at launch - can the updated version go one better?

It’ll come as no surprise to find that the return of TVR, announced all the way back in 2017, is one of the most commented on news stories in all PH history - with 1,703 responses at the time of writing. And what could that possibly have to do with the Ineos Grenadier? Well, the forum thread for its first drive in February 2023 is almost as long, at 1,557 comments. Whether it’s the Defender-aping design, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Hambach factory, the BMW engines or - heaven forbid - plain and simple enthusiasm, PH always has something to say when it comes to the Grenadier.

Now, almost three years after that first drive, there’s a new Grenadier. Well, an updated one, in truth; with projects like the Fusilier on hold as the world decides exactly what the future of combustion is, the core Ineos model is getting a refresh. The BMW petrol and diesel powertrains continue unchanged (that Arcane Works V8 remains a dream for now), with the fundamentals largely as was. Primarily, this refresh is aimed at making the Grenadier more liveable on road without sacrificing its off-road USP. Ineos has found a lot of success selling the Grenadier to fleets that appreciate its hardiness, from the RNLI to European police services, but they’re obviously a fraction of sales when set against private customers. Enticing a few of those away from Land Cruisers and the like must surely be the aim.

The significant change, in response to customer feedback, is the introduction of a variable steering ratio. In the 45 degrees off centre (i.e. the kind of lock that sees you through most everyday driving), the MY26 Grenadier is more direct than it used to be. After that, it’s the same as before, to prevent anything unexpected off-road (the rack is officially 3.85 turns lock to lock). Given it tended to be the biggest Grenadier grumble before, a steering change sounds worthwhile. The turning circle has been reduced as well, no doubt a boon to urban customers (there are always more than you might think!), which has required some fiddling with steering bump stops to make it less suitable for snow chains. It’s those kinds of compromises that have been considered.

There have also been upgrades to the HVAC system, introducing more motors to better circulate conditioned air around the cabin. Alongside changes to the driver assists, like a less obtrusive set of sounds and more easily disabled speed warning, the Grenadier should be less like hard work in day-to-day driving.

What hasn’t changed very much is the design. Why would it? The headlight design has been tweaked ever so slightly, the tyres are different and there’s now a Black Edition, though unless you know your Fieldmaster from your Trialmaster, a MY26 will probably just be another Grenadier. Which is great, actually; it’s a 4x4 that isn’t pretending to be anything other than a 4x4, and the unpretentiousness of its design is still easy to appreciate.

The inside is starkly familiar, too, and just a little bit overwhelming on first acquaintance. It’s like being invited up to the cockpit as a kid, surrounded by buttons and levers and dials without any real idea of what they do. (That really isn’t as much of an exaggeration as it sounds: Hill Descent Control is in the roof.) There still isn’t a conventional gauge cluster, with speed displayed on the centre screen, and the footwell remains cramped in RHD cars because of space stolen by the transmission. Nevertheless, it’s a likeable interior for being so different to anything else, and as a driver you feel like a commander of some great craft, up high and surrounded by stuff. Quality is broadly pretty good, with some switchgear feeling less substantial than might be expected.

As a road car, the Grenadier is perfectly fine. While its ladder frame origins are easily identified in the telltale structural wobbles, it’s more than agreeable company: refined, comfortable and accelerative enough. That the steering largely goes unnoticed is probably the greatest mark of approval for the work done; only at the fiddliest of junctions do you really have to think about how much lock is being wound on and wound off. The driver assist warnings are like lullabies compared to most klaxons you hear for doing 22mph, which aids the impression of fuss-free, imperious progress. You feel content, very quickly, to point the Grenadier just about anywhere and see where you’d end up, even if 20mpg would mean more stops than is ideal.

This time it means directing that front end towards some green lanes. Not the kind of off-roading that would really test the Ineos’s mettle (or metal, for that matter), but a good indication of what can be achieved with absolutely nothing altered. No diff locks or fiddling with low range, just a turn off the beaten track to something more testing. Obviously, the Grenadier takes it all in its stride, because this is nothing more demanding than sludgey, slimy Surrey, but its ability remains considerable.

Nothing squeaks, rattles or shows any signs of protest whatsoever, even when the bumps are pretty severe and the puddles seemingly quite deep. Here is where the off-road experts will scoff (there was a Jimny on the route as well; it was patently not Dakar), but it was hard not to be impressed. You felt secure because the car seems so strong, confident to continue because it copes with everything thrown at it so disdainfully. The car park at Big Feastival this year will be a breeze.

All of which makes the new Grenadier sound a lot like the old Grenadier. To a large extent, it is: not quite to the typical SUV standard on road, unflappable off it, and a whole lot more assured than the car that inspired it. But the differences become apparent with a brief back-to-back go in a MY25 car: against the new Ineos, the old one makes everything much harder work - for no discernible benefit. You toil at the steering like a tillerman, always correcting and adjusting apparently regardless of the scenario. Which makes any journey more tiring, heaving the wheel to and fro and never entirely confident in the front axle. The relaxation that comes relatively easy in the MY26 never materialises in the MY25. The improvements to the ventilation are noticeable as well, the previous Grenadier requiring a lot more fiddling to keep a desirable temperature.

All told, then, this feels like the Grenadier as it always should have been. Like when Caterhams have proper windscreens instead of aero screens or GT3s have a proper wet tyre option, the changes implemented here have improved everyday usability without impacting the core appeal. This is still going to reach where others can’t in the rough (and we’ll aim to test that properly in due course), while offering up a much less taxing on-road experience. For those to whom the Grenadier’s ruggedness appeals, this latest raft of updates will make it more attractive than ever. And for those that aren’t so keen, there’s an Ineos comment count to beat…

SPECIFICATION | 2026 INEOS GRENADIER TRIALMASTER

Engine: 2,993cc, straight six diesel
Transmission: 8-speed automatic with two-speed transfer case, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 249@3,250-4200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 405@1,250-3,000rpm
0-62mph: 9.8
Top speed: 99mph (limited)
Weight: N/A
MPG: 23.3-25.9
CO2: 286-317g/km
Price: £69,995 (as standard, base Quartermaster; price as tested £85,102, comprising Magic Mushroom Solid Paint for £650, Inky Black contrast roof for £1,700, Contrast frame - Red for £995, Exterior Utility Belt, Diff locks front and rear, Raised air intake, Privacy glass for £455, Safari windows for £1,695, 17-inch alloy wheels for £855, Fixed Tow Ball and electrics for £630, Winch electrical prep for £395, Integrated front winch - 5.5t for £3,120, Spare wheel lockable storage box for £345, Black leather trim for £2,095, Heated front seats for £360, Nappa leather driver’s pack, Central lockable stowage box, Premium sound system for £625, Rubber floor mats for £229, Side runners for £958 ),

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wistec1

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