Top Gear Magazine review and online review (UK)

“For all it owes to the Defender and G-Wagen, the Ineos Grenadier has lots of character of its own”

Ineos Grenadier Review 2023 | Top Gear

For all it owes to the Defender and G-Wagen, the Ineos Grenadier has lots of character of its own

www.topgear.com

 

[tartan shepherd]

In Summary TG dislikes:

Wipers not covering enough of screen
Offset pedals and intrusion into footwell
Limited rear visibility
Problems on two vehicles with diff solenoids engaging
They score it 7/10

 

[OGrid]

I’ve just seen this on Facebook

Odd, the online Feb 2023 version doesn’t have the article that I can see.

 

[Krabby]

In Summary TG dislikes:

Wipers not covering enough of screen
Offset pedals and intrusion into footwell
Limited rear visibility
Problems on two vehicles with diff solenoids engaging
They score it 7/10

Wipers-probably fixable
Foot pedal-us LHD types are fine
Limited rear vis - not a surprise but of course more visibility is better
Solenoids-that’s the one thing on this list that concerns me. But it’s an early car and there’s time to work things out.

 

[jamesfielding]

I think in the images I’ve taken from Facebook there’s more info in this article, so if anyone subscribed to Top Gear or later today I’ll see if I can get hold of a copy and take full page images rather than snippets.

Edit: there is information missing from the images.

 

[emax]

Solenoids-that’s the one thing on this list that concerns me

This might be a result of the known behavior of the e-lockers. If you change direction from forward to backwards it takes (up to) a quarter turn of the wheels to engage. Maybe the described behavior in the article is a consequence of that.

 

[Eric]

Wipers-probably fixable
Foot pedal-us LHD types are fine
Limited rear vis - not a surprise but of course more visibility is better
Solenoids-that’s the one thing on this list that concerns me. But it’s an early car and there’s time to work things out.

Wipers are, I have found are usually setup for LHD cars, to be honest I can't remember how they are, it wasn't raining when I was driving!
I think the issue is looks, it is out of the ordinary. But once you start driving you forget about appearances.
Rear vision, yep, there is a bloody big spare wheel in the way. 4 wheel drivers live with it.
Problems on two vehicles with diff solenoids engaging - that is an issue!
What had they rated the new defender?

 

[Halliwell Jones Chester]

Wipers are, I have found are usually setup for LHD cars, to be honest I can't remember how they are, it wasn't raining when I was driving!
I think the issue is looks, it is out of the ordinary. But once you start driving you forget about appearances.
Rear vision, yep, there is a bloody big spare wheel in the way. 4 wheel drivers live with it.
Problems on two vehicles with diff solenoids engaging - that is an issue!
What had they rated the new defender?

9/10

 

[emax]

Wipers are, I have found are usually setup for LHD cars

The Grenadiers wipers are individually arranged for LHD and RHD.

 

[stickshifter]

Wipers-probably fixable
Foot pedal-us LHD types are fine
Limited rear vis - not a surprise but of course more visibility is better
Solenoids-that’s the one thing on this list that concerns me. But it’s an early car and there’s time to work things out.

Same. I've been a little concerned about the Eaton E-lockers. Would much prefer something manual, like the lever/cable actuated Ox locker, which would also be more in line with the Grenadier's emphasis on analogue. But Ox doesn't make lockers for Carraro axles (at least not right now), so that takes us down a different rabbit hole and into a discussion of axle choice for the project, so I won't go there.

 

[bemax]

The issue with the lockers sounds exactly like the problem I faced on my demo drive. rear andfront locker didn’t lock in. It needed some steering and driving to convince the rear one. The front one wasn’t keen to work at all. But that has been a PTO2.

 

[trobex]

Footrest RHD versions will be a fun one to see how drivers react after several 1-3hr trips...

 

[Pipm4000]

That seems a solid review, looking forward to seeing more of them.

 

[BD1]

Some of the positive comments:
- doors feel as solid as girders
- It rides extremely well
- it's also impressively refined
- hugely capable off-road
- It feels impregnable, post-apocalyptic
- Lane Assist is nowhere to seen. Hallelujah.
- It's also more accomplished on-road than it's rivals

 

[JOB]

I think that’s a good review - to compare it favourably with a G Class is as high praise as I could imagine. A car with a significantly higher price tag and a 40 year track record.

Re reluctant diff locks; I was invited as a +1 on a Land Rover off road experience in the new Defender this week. That car was very reluctant to select and de-select low range via the button. Not going to be an issue in IG, and I haven’t opted for the lockers so they’ll never be an issue for me. I’m more excited to hear how compliant and refined the car is on the road!

 

[BD1]

Full pages from Facebook:
Sorry, I had to delete as Facebook took them down.

 

[jamesfielding]

@Stu_Barnes apologies for not linking Top Gear magazine, very good call creating a new forum.

Thank you to @BD1 for the full pages!

 

[Tom D]

The E-lockers might not be too much of a concern, I suspect the journos not being experienced off road drivers were probably trying to engage them whilst a wheel was spinning. I have an alpine tractor (BCS not Cararro) but it has E-lockers on it and they have never given any trouble, they engage and disengage without issue. I have had the machine 5 years and never had an issue, I had another one before that too.

 

[Logsplitter]

The E-lockers might not be too much of a concern, I suspect the journos not being experienced off road drivers were probably trying to engage them whilst a wheel was spinning. I have an alpine tractor (BCS not Cararro) but it has E-lockers on it and they have never given any trouble, they engage and disengage without issue. I have had the machine 5 years and never had an issue, I had another one before that too.

I was thinking exactly that. Trying to engage a diff lock while a wheel is spinning is asking for trouble.

 

[BD1]

Facebook took down the review so I need to remove my pictures above.

We don't want Stu or the site to get in trouble. Reviews will be officially released soon.