Why You Shouldn’t Buy An Ineos Grenadier (And Which 4x4 You Should Buy Instead)

The English chemicals conglomerate-owned, Austrian-engineered, French-made, German-powered Land Rover replica isn’t—by far—the best 4x4

You guys have been reaching out to ask about the Ineos Grenadier since it debuted two years ago. I’ve been laughing it off piecemeal, but figured it might be helpful to assemble my thoughts all in one place. I’m about to save you $100,000, plus a lot of time spent waiting on tow trucks. You’re welcome.

What Is The Grenadier?

According to designer Toby Ecuyer, the Grenadier is meant to be a direct replacement for the old Land Rover Defender, just one, “that doesn’t leak and is comfortable.”

So the basic Defender formula of a ladder chassis, coil springs, and live axles is there. To that, Ineos has added BMW motors (only the gas option is available in North America), a ZF 8-speed auto, and some bodywork that manages to capture most of the Defender’s awkwardness with very little of its charm. A major upgrade is an option for locking diffs front and …