The INEOS Grenadier has already made quite an impact during its short time on the market. Originally debuting in 2024, the midsize off-road SUV represents an enticing new alternative to some of the luxury segment’s more established names like the Land Rover Defender. Some might think that the Land Rover’s 40-plus years on the market would give it an obvious advantage over INEOS’ first model, but that’s not necessarily the case. The Grenadier was crafted by longtime Land Rover fan Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who founded INEOS after learning that the famed British brand would cease production of the body-on-frame Defender in 2016. But while the Grenadier certainly owes a debt of gratitude to the original Defender, it’s blazing a path all its own in an attempt to become the go-to name in the off-road luxury segment. The Grenadier offers an entirely new approach for those seeking a luxury SUV for sale and has already earned a loyal following amongst drivers who refuse to stick to the beaten path. Let’s learn how far the Grenadier has come in a few short years and see if it has what it takes to give the Land Rover Defender a run for its money.
Dependable Performance
Crafting a potent, reliable powertrain can prove to be a little tricky when you’re relatively new to the scene, but INEOS saved itself a lot of trouble by teaming up with one of the industry’s most experienced brands. Pop the hood on the 2025 INEOS Grenadier, and you’ll find a turbocharged 3.0L inline-six crafted by the automotive experts over at BMW. Providing the sort of precise, performance-oriented engineering that’s brought BMW so much success over the decades, the Grenadier’s turbocharged engine provides the perfect powertrain for the industry’s next great luxury SUV. The engine is rated for 282 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque, which provides drivers with all the power they need to overcome whatever obstacle might stand in their way, whether it be a tricky stretch of off-road terrain, a busy boat ramp, or the wilds of your local highway. The Grenadier’s powerful engine also gives the SUV the ability to tow up to 7,716 lbs, which is a pretty solid number for the midsize segment and is sure to come in handy when planning your next weekend excursion.
The 2025 Land Rover Defender’s engine lineup starts off a little undersized and overstressed, with a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine providing 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The base engine does return 19 MPG combined, but if you’re looking to maximize low-speed traction or tow a heavier load, you might need to opt for one of the SUV’s larger offerings. The Defender is also available with a turbocharged 3.0L inline-six, but it is paired with a more complex 48-volt mild-hybrid system and stresses raw power over reliability. There’s no denying the Defender’s available performance, but the high MSRP of the high-performance options starts to look a little suspect when compared to the INEOS Grenadier.
Extreme Off-Road Ability
Off-road performance is never treated like an afterthought when it comes to the Grenadier. The rugged SUV comes standard with all the heavy-duty equipment you’ll need to tackle the road less traveled, from a locking center differential and two-speed transfer case to front and rear skid plates, all-terrain tires, and roof rails that up the SUV’s already impressive 71.8 cu.ft. of cargo capacity. The Trialmaster trim sees the Grenadier treated to a full suite of off-road components that’ll make all the difference when the going gets rough. A raised air intake ensures the engine is supplied with a steady stream of oxygen, no matter how wet the journey might get, while a roof access ladder makes getting to your elevated cargo just a little bit easier.
The Grenadier is also prepared to accommodate a wide range of accessories that might prove useful to the off-roading set thanks to an auxiliary battery and high-load auxiliary switch panel that can help to power winches, light bars, air compressors, and other must-have equipment. The Trialmaster comes standard with the Rough Pack, which adds essential off-road gear like front and rear locking differentials and upgraded all-terrain tires to the mix. The Rough Pack can be added to the Grenadier’s two other trims, as can a front winch, Class III tow hitch, and a genuine INEOS roof rack complete with plenty of clever cargo-carrying accessories.
The Land Rover Defender’s off-road bonafides come as little surprise, with the SUV providing a full array of advanced tech and robust components. However, it can't quite match the Grenadier. A two-speed transfer case allows drivers plenty of access to low-range power, but the Defender lacks true locking differentials for challenging terrain. Instead, the focus is more on comfort. An adaptive air suspension gives the Defender a softer ride that’s a little unusual for an off-road model, and the off-road cruise control and Land Rover’s Terrain Response modes leverage advanced automotive tech to take a lot of the guesswork out of your next off-the-grid ride. These features all sound fine in practice but combine to make the Defender almost a little too accessible from an off-roading perspective. With automated systems doing so much of the heavy lifting, it’s all too easy for drivers to get themselves into a sticky situation that the Defender lacks the mechanical performance to get out of.
Then there’s the Defender’s construction. While Land Rover’s luxurious off-road SUV can keep pace with the Grenadier in most categories, there’s a sizable gulf in off-road utility when it comes to what lies underneath. Land Rover made the questionable decision to ditch traditional body-on-frame construction in favor of the unibody approach when the SUV was revived in 2020. While this makes sense from a cost perspective and brings a few advantages in terms of comfort, it comes at the expense of actual off-road ability. A body-on-frame vehicle is simply better equipped to deal with the extreme torsion, impacts, and abuse that come with off-road driving. Body-on-frame vehicles are also easier to modify and can often be repaired at a fraction of the cost of a unibody model. The unibody Defender not only represents a departure from some long-held beliefs about off-road engineering; it can also be credited with inspiring the Grenadier's very creation. The lack of a true body-on-frame option left many longtime Land Rover fans feeling a little lost, which has allowed the INEOS Grenadier to fill an important gap in the market.
Interior Luxury and Functionality
The INEOS Grenadier’s base trim sets itself apart with a utilitarian approach to interior design. It’s certainly a gamble in an industry where brands drive sales by offering the latest comfort, convenience, and tech features, but INEOS’ unorthodox design philosophy is sure to pay dividends when it comes to attracting drivers who value true performance over bells and whistles. The Grenadier’s base trim offers a well-rounded package that prioritizes functionality without losing sight of the brand’s luxury focus. The Recaro front seats serve as an interesting case study. Designed to enhance comfort and support, improve cornering, and better resist the intense conditions that are all a part of the off-road experience, the Recaro seats are a great example of INEOS’ commitment to building a better adventure-ready vehicle. The seats are not only water-resistant and stain-proof; they’re also designed with side bolsters that cradle the driver as they carve through turns, hit the accelerator, or navigate a particularly bumpy section of the trail.
The SUV’s heavy-duty floor with drain valves follows a similar function-over-form ethos, but greater luxury is available if you desire. The Fieldmaster Edition is where the INEOS designers really got a chance to show off. The luxury version of the 2025 Grenadier comes complete with all the comfort features a driver could ask for, from leather upholstery and heated front seats to carpeted floor mats, a Nappa leather steering wheel, a premium audio system, and twin moonroofs that INEOS has dubbed Safari windows. The trim’s luxury credentials are hard to deny and allow the model to fold in a generous slate of modern comfort features without sacrificing the Grenadier’s off-road reputation.
The Land Rover Defender offers a well-appointed cabin, but that doesn't come as much of a surprise when you consider the price. The base S trim is probably the best value out of the bunch, with heated power-folding mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel, and a power-adjustable steering column all coming standard, but the higher trims really up the ante with interior ambient lighting, a Meridian audio system, and tri-zone climate control. It’s an impressive arsenal by any definition, but it also raises some questions about Land Rover’s off-road focus. While some of these comfort features and premium materials might be nice after a long day at work or an extended road trip, they don’t make a terrible amount of sense in a vehicle that is designed to withstand the rigors of the off-road lifestyle. The Defender can hold its own when venturing off paved surfaces, but it starts to lose the plot when it comes to the overengineered interior.
A Return to the Segment's RootsLuxury SUV for sale
The INEOS Grenadier’s dependable powertrain, extreme off-road ability, and function-first interior might represent some of its best assets, but they don’t tell the whole story. The SUV also provides a full raft of modern driving tech, including a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display, advanced driver-assistance systems, and a custom navigation system with a specialized off-road mode, making it hard to argue against the Grenadier when you’re in the market for your next luxury SUV. The Land Rover Defender represents another intriguing option, but there are a few shortcomings that are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore in today’s ultra-competitive market. Sure, the Defender is as lavish as they come, but that luxury increasingly comes at the cost of the sort of off-road ability on which Land Rover has built its reputation. The INEOS Grenadier represents an attempt to return the segment to its off-road roots, and it’s proven pretty successful in just a few short years. If you want to learn more about this enticing addition to the off-road luxury SUV market and see what other surprises the INEOS Grenadier has in store, visit us at Hendrick INEOS Grenadier of Charleston today.
Categories:
Luxury SUV for Sale