2026 Ineos Grenadier Drive: Give the People What They Want

[LRNAD90]

Latest Car and Driver article to drop on the 2026 changes..

2026 Ineos Grenadier Gives the People What They Want

In a rare example of a car company listening to feedback, the 2026 Grenadier steers better, cools better, and even off-roads better.

www.caranddriver.com

And Motor Trend..

2026 Ineos Grenadier First Drive: Steering Changes and Real-World Driving

The 2026 Ineos Grenadier gets revised steering and subtle updates aimed at daily driving. We take it on- and off-road to see what’s actually improved.

www.motortrend.com

Of course, it still seems to march on with the front driveshaft issue yet to be addressed. Far more concerning to me than the steering..

 

[Tenac]

That's awesome way more information than dealer was letting on when I was there this week. So they changed worm gear and added to the mechanical steering stops, hydraulic as well. But this means no snow chains up front?? (dont know much about chains). And they said the rear camera is different. Tomorrow I get to drive a 2026 model around so I'll take a look see but the screen is the same so wonder if it is just a better overall camera or lens they put on..... I'm also looking forward to how the steering actually feels.

 

[Tazzieman]

For those with an olden days Grenadier, you can use the rear camera in offroad mode. Just select reverse then go into offroad mode.

 

[Tenac]

For those with an olden days Grenadier, you can use the rear camera in offroad mode. Just select reverse then go into offroad mode.

I think that works the same on my 24

 

[bigleonski]

The Wombat’s getting its 30,000km lovin today at the dealers, so I have a loaner to drive today.

New diesel Trialmaster only done 2,000 so I’m assuming it’s a 26 model.
Have only done the 20km home so far, but the following is different to my 12/23 build:

. Steering both on the highway and around town in slow stuff is markedly better. No freeplay in the steering wheel (so no feeling like you need to adjust it all the time), better return to centre, and not as heavy in low speed turning, parking etc.
. Radio stays where it is set when you turn it off. Mine resets to Vol1 when started and you have you increase it. This one, if you left it on 6, it starts at 6.
. Surge off the mark is decidedly less harsh and agressive. And takeoff is more progressive, and you don’t need to kick it in the guts to get past the lag. I bought an EV6 throttle controller to help with that. I don’t think I would have bothered if it was like this one, it’s not noticeable.
. Rear camera seems better, but I might be wrong.
. Drivers Side mirror are still shit and doesn’t adjust out far enough - I can’t believe they haven’t fixed that - dead set dangerous.

I may notice more this afternoon, but the above are big wins in my view.

 

[Krabby]

You can set what volume you want the truck to default to on startup on NAS trucks. Might not be the same as you left it, but can set where it begins.

 

[C-Mack]

Does the 2026 still have the 3-2 downshift clunk while slowing down?

 

[FlyersFan76]

The Wombat’s getting its 30,000km lovin today at the dealers, so I have a loaner to drive today.

New diesel Trialmaster only done 2,000 so I’m assuming it’s a 26 model.
Have only done the 20km home so far, but the following is different to my 12/23 build:

. Steering both on the highway and around town in slow stuff is markedly better. No freeplay in the steering wheel (so no feeling like you need to adjust it all the time), better return to centre, and not as heavy in low speed turning, parking etc.
. Radio stays where it is set when you turn it off. Mine resets to Vol1 when started and you have you increase it. This one, if you left it on 6, it starts at 6.
. Surge off the mark is decidedly less harsh and agressive. And takeoff is more progressive, and you don’t need to kick it in the guts to get past the lag. I bought an EV6 throttle controller to help with that. I don’t think I would have bothered if it was like this one, it’s not noticeable.
. Rear camera seems better, but I might be wrong.
. Drivers Side mirror are still shit and doesn’t adjust out far enough - I can’t believe they haven’t fixed that - dead set dangerous.

I may notice more this afternoon, but the above are big wins in my view.

My drivers side mirror (USA) doesn't go far out enough either. I have the Suma mirrors, and I like to see a little bit of the side of the truck when looking at the mirrors but find that I see too much.

 

[Happyoldgit]

Given there is more than one thread regarding the 2026 model Grenadier so having had a play in one I might as well pop my [somewhat lengthy] thoughts in here...

Last weekend I had chance to have an unaccompanied test in a new MY26 petrol demonstrator, the following are my personal observations based on just that vehicle compared to my own petrol Trialmaster that now has 10,000 miles on the clock. I'm in the UK and mine has the standard winch and twin batteries and understandably "feels" less peppy than the 800 mile on the clock '26 and heavier especially in terms of braking effort required.

Having owned and driven many Land Rovers* and other solid axle vehicles over a lot of years** I am familiar with the characteristics and have never had an issue with the steering on my stock Grenadier but can understand people used to rack and pinion and IFS could find it a bit of a culture shock, same applies to parking, turning circle / radius. On that score I was able to get a good feel of the ‘26 on the highway and minor country roads doing a few 3 point turns, backing into spaces etc. I then got it onto the old airfield on my home turf to do some turning circle / radius comparisons and take a few photos. The '26 steering is indeed a bit lighter & tighter manoeuvring and more precise straight ahead at speed. The difference is somewhat subtle but return to centre at low speed was lighter and more effective but still needed a bit of nursing right at the end of returning the steering wheel back to centre. The turning circle / radius is certainly tighter but not massively - actually feels a bit like the difference between the 130 v the 110 inch wheelbase "Classic" Defender but not as much as the 90 v 110 [or 88 v 109 leaf sprung Series years before the coil sprung models came about].

HVAC: I ran out of time to have long enough play to come to definite conclusions so will reserve judgement, that said it seemed to do what it says on the tin - but there again so does the system in my vehicle - as long as I talk to it nicely and give it a bit of time to comply.

ADAS: Good news that the relentless audible clickety click overspeed warning is now a deeper, mellower bong that can be turned off. Scrolling through the other associated items brought back memories for other ADAS equipped vehicles we've had that sometimes proved to be irksome and occasionally downright dangerous. I want to drive the vehicle and not have the vehicle systems sometimes take control.

Unfortunately - and rather like my Grenadier when I first got it - I was unable to get the transfer case lever to engage low range or centre difflock in either range despite exhausting all the usual ploys. Under the circumstancesI did not want to be too heavy handed with the thing and put it down to newness / stiffness in the selector lever and cables etc., had the vehicle been mine I would have felt more comfortable using a bit more persuasion. Gear shifts up and down on the road seemed just as well timed and smooth but without the clunking downshift that some have mentioned.

My Grenadier lacks the sunroofs that the ’26 has and other Grenadiers I have driven. I’m still very happy with my choice.

I still don’t like the gap between the raw edge of the windscreen / windshield and the body. The gap makes the glass edges vulnerable to stone strikes and chips and is the reason why I have fitted the self adhesive glass edging that others have to my own vehicle. I think Ineos needs to rethink the design and certainly introduce a slightly thicker screen. I am of course mindful of weight constraints, the upright nature of the glass etc but having suffered gravel, stone and rock strikes bouncing off the equally upright [albeit unbonded] screens in “classic“ Defenders over the years I see the reported fragile nature of the bonded Grenadier screens to be somewhat of a model handicap.

Conclusion: Put it this way, when I returned the ‘26 I said the upgrades were not sufficient to make me want to trade mine, I added that if I am still around maybe I will revisit in 2027. I added that the improvements would likely be appreciated by those more used to modern, more road biased SUV’s.

As I say these are my personal views and observations.

*Going right back to Series models but also including classic Defender, Discovery, RR & Freelander.
** Plus a number of IFS 4x4’s.

 

[Tom109]

For this type of vehicle, fitting hydraulic steering stops that (presumably) are so large they prevent fitting front snow chains (!), seems like a Chelsea Tractor move.

Fix the front prop shaft!

 

[Karearea]

Am I right in thinking the new model has these hydraulic stops fitted?
If so then I suspect sales in NZ will take a large hit (albeit a micro market)!
Reason being all major ski fields here have a chains carried absolute requirement and this is frequently checked!
A LOT of people will only fit on the front for some reason and they will not like that change I think!
I use the advice from a truck driver who once told me “back up and front down” - mainly due to steerage on the descent I think

 

[Tom109]

Am I right in thinking the new model has these hydraulic stops fitted?
If so then I suspect sales in NZ will take a large hit (albeit a micro market)!
Reason being all major ski fields here have a chains carried absolute requirement and this is frequently checked!
A LOT of people will only fit on the front for some reason and they will not like that change I think!
I use the advice from a truck driver who once told me “back up and front down” - mainly due to steerage on the descent I think

I’ve never chained less than four wheels.

 

[Happyoldgit]

TBH I imagine you can still wind out the physical steering lock stop bolts to accept chains otherwise fitting aftermarket wider tyres from standard is not going to be an option.