“There’s a new off-roader in town (and country),” says Andrew English in The Daily Telegraph: the Ineos Grenadier, an “eagerly awaited” true utility four-wheel drive (as opposed to mere “lifestyle” SUV) that “aims to take up where Land Rover’s Defender left off”. It makes driving off-road effortless and it is in its element in the “rough, tough worlds” of construction, agriculture, and the armed and rescue services.
“Is it any good to drive? In a quagmire in Alsace not far from where it’s being made in a former Smart factory, most assuredly,” says Jason Barlow in Top Gear. The BMW-sourced 3.0-litre powertrain makes light work of even the most “heinous conditions” and is a truly hardy motor: “the Grenadier feels like a vehicle that could hold its own in Mad Max: Fury Road. It feels apocalypse-proof.” The top speed is capped at 100mph, but the car more than comfortably hulks its mighty 2.7 tonnes around on the road and off it.
The Grenadier looks striking too: “ruggedly handsome and undeniably imposing” with “shades of the G-Wagon and Jeep Wrangler”, says Vince Jackson on CarsGuide. Its unwieldy bulk may “cause a few car-park palpitations for urban buyers”, but there is an “uncluttered honesty about its styling” and “you instinctively know this isn’t some poseur’s chariot”: this car was built “primarily as a working tool”. The interior is built on similar principles, with a “blend of contemporary tech and no-nonsense utility”, says Yousuf Ashraf for AutoDaily. There is a 12.3-inch infotainment system and a navigation “pathfinder” function that will help those who like to adventure off-road.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Inside, Ineos has traded luxury for a hard-wearing plastic construction, but it looks almost charming, with an aircraft cockpit-like appearance and chunky centre consoles that you can operate even with gloves on, says James Drujon for CarWow. “In what is now quite a crowded segment of dedicated off-roaders, the Ineos Grenadier has the might to compete with the best of them.”
Prices from £48,000. See: ineosgrenadier.com.
-
How to find lost pensions, savings or investmentsLosing track of money is easy to do when moving house or changing jobs so if you’ve lost touch with your cash, we outline some simple steps to find lost pensions, investments, savings accounts and Premium Bonds
-
Frasers Group 'is a rare retail gem in a battered sector'Opinion Frasers Group is shunned for a reason, but brave investors should buy in now, says Jamie Ward
-
Global car shares slide amid lower demand in China – what happens now?Has the car sector run into trouble? Britain’s Aston Martin and Germany’s Volkswagen are among the key automobile brands that have issued profit warnings.
-
Volkswagen mulls closure of German factoriesWhy is Volkswagen considering the closures and how is the carmaker performing?
-
Is China winning the electric car race?China now sells more electric cars than conventional ones within its territory. Western countries seem determined to stop them from crossing their borders. Why?
-
Val d’Isère is a valley of delightsMoneyWeek Travel Matthew Partridge reviews Airelles Val d’Isere and Hotel Mont-Blanc in the famous French ski resort
-
Review: The Ozen Collection – a dream stay in the MaldivesMoneyWeek Travel Ozen Life Maadhoo and Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, where luxury meets nature, are almost too good to be true, says Nicole García Mérida.
-
Review: An odyssey through Sri LankaMoneyWeek Travel Merryn Somerset Webb explores the South Asian country’s ruins, jungle and fabulous food.
-
Flexjet review: the only way to flyMoneyWeek Travel Chris Carter flies with Flexjet, a provider of fractional ownership of private jets, to St Moritz in Switzerland for the Snow Polo World Cup.
-
South American nature holidays – take a walk on the wild sideTravel We find holidays in South America where you can explore nature in all its diversity.
