Paying Homage Goes a Long Way? 2024 Ineos Grenadier vs. Land Rover Defender 130 Comparison Test

There’s a certain magic when contrasting a somewhat aged vehicle with a new counterpart. It’s like blending nostalgic charm with cutting-edge convenience. On one side of this luxury SUV comparison test, the 2024 Ineos Grenadier proudly tips its hat to the legendary Land Rover Defender, featuring a boxy, upright design and unapologetic off-road prowess. It’s a tribute to the past that’s meant to compete against modern players. Meanwhile, the 2024 Land Rover Defender has evolved into a forward-leaping marvel, shedding its rugged looks and vintage hardware for a comfortable package without losing its extraordinary off-road capability. It’s the ultimate modern-day adventurer’s family wagon.

Visually, this comparison test might not seem like an obvious match. But on paper, these two British off-roaders align perfectly. They both pack a 3.0-liter inline-six engine, and they’re designed to conquer tough terrain while exuding rare charisma that sets them apart from other rivals. To really get to know them, we embarked on an adrenaline-pumping adventure through rugged trails near Big Bear, California, where we pushed these SUVs to their limits in extreme conditions while also assessing their on-road performance.

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The Players

For years, the 2024 Land Rover Defender 130 Outbound kept its distance from American shores. Now, though, the Defender has gained significant traction here ever since the new generation landed in the U.S. back in 2021. It’s a favorite among adventurous souls who crave a vehicle capable of conquering weekend camping trips and delivering a plush and luxurious ride in city life. The “130” designation in its name signals the fact this Defender has the longest bodywork its manufacturer offers, providing ample space and comfort for both passengers and gear. Meanwhile, the Outbound variant adds electronic air suspension and Terrain Response gear tailored for tackling the roughest trails.

Formula 1 racing enthusiasts likely know the name Ineos as a prominent sponsor of the Mercedes-AMG team. Founded by Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos is a colossal petrochemical company that embarked on an ambitious and abnormal venture—crafting the 2024 Ineos Grenadier as a modern-day successor to the original Land Rover Defender. With its unmistakably boxy silhouette, upright stance, and a wealth of nostalgic features, the Grenadier offers a compelling and retro-inspired package. Our latest encounter with the 2024 Ineos Grenadier Trialmaster station wagon was nothing short of enchanting from the moment we took possession of its keys. Its character and design set it apart as a distinctive contender in this arena, blending throwback charm with contemporary ruggedness.

The Land Rover Defender and Ineos Grenadier share a stage and purpose: conquering challenging terrain while bringing drivers joy. Each one achieves this objective through distinct methods, and our extensive testing shed light on their comparative strengths.

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On The Trail

Although most drivers will spend their time with these SUVs on pavement, a comparison test would be incomplete without testing them over the sort of terrain they were built to conquer. Our adventure began on Gold Mountain Road, a fire-road trail north of Big Bear Lake that served as a warmup for what lay ahead. This trail’s switchbacks provided an ideal setting to evaluate each truck’s steering behavior.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender impressed us with its electric power-assisted steering, which made maneuvering the SUV effortless. In contrast, the 2024 Ineos Grenadier’s hydraulic-assisted recirculating-ball design proved more challenging, requiring greater effort to turn the wheel and necessitating more frequent adjustments to navigate the trail. This type of steering is typical in vehicles prioritizing off-road performance over comfort, but its nearly four full turns lock to lock meant we had to adjust our steering inputs constantly to stay centered on the trail.

Maneuvering the Ineos at slow trail speeds felt like a workout—we often exerted considerable effort to initiate turns. This demanding experience aligns with Ineos’ intention for its off-roader, but the required effort was notably strenuous at times, reminiscent of off-road vehicles from the 1990s.

In contrast, the Defender offers a more modern interpretation, with responsive steering that facilitates smoother maneuvers. Its quick steering ratio reduces the stress of navigating challenging terrain, presenting a more user-friendly experience.

As we approached the top of Gold Mountain Road, we diverted to the John Bull Trail—a more demanding route that truly tested these off-roaders’ capabilities.

Navigating small trenches provided our first opportunity to engage low range. A dedicated button on the Land Rover’s center console engages 4 Low, simplifying the process. If the transmission isn’t in neutral, a reminder appears on the screen to allow the shift to happen and ensure proper engagement before the Defender begins crawling over rugged trails. Surprisingly, we didn’t need to lock the center differential to go over the trenches, as the Land Rover exhibited impressive traction across the challenging terrain.

Navigating the same obstacle proved more demanding for the Ineos Grenadier. Switching between 4 High and 4 Low also required significant effort. The Grenadier’s transfer-case shift lever is stiff to engage and didn't always operate smoothly, causing an obnoxious sound when putting it in gear.

Despite being equipped with a low range and three differential lockers—front, center, and rear—the trail posed challenges for this SUV. Even with the Grenadier’s permanent four-wheel drive and the articulation of solid axles, we still had to engage the center diff to get over the obstacles.

We still encountered instances of wheel slip once we had it engaged properly, but we managed to navigate the trenches successfully.

Those trenches were just the beginning of numerous obstacles we encountered, though they were relatively manageable compared to others on the trail. As we progressed, we encountered a challenging obstacle involving rock crawling and a narrow passage. It was here where the Grenadier made an impression. Its 36.2-degree approach angle, 28.2-degree breakover angle, and 36.1-degree departure angle significantly helped it to go up and over a slippery rock unscratched. The transfer case and lockers also helped the Grenadier get the traction it needed to clear the challenge.

The Defender 130’s air suspension enhances its ride height and significantly improves its approach, breakover, and departure angles for greater clearance when tackling obstacles. At its maximum height, the Defender achieves impressive angles: 37.5 degrees for approach, 27.9 degrees for breakover, and 28.8 degrees for departure. However, its width and 4-inch-longer wheelbase present challenges on rugged trails. The extended wheelbase compromises the breakover angle enough that the belly pan scraped the ground occasionally. Although we didn’t incur body damage, this is an area where the Grenadier outperformed the Defender.

Overall, the Land Rover Defender emerged as the more user-friendly option on the trail. When facing the same challenging obstacles and rugged terrain, its modern hardware and intuitive technology facilitated smoother navigation. The Ineos Grenadier, while still impressive with its robust off-road capabilities, relies on traditional off-road technology that proves effective but is more cumbersome to engage. It also features less refined steering and ride quality compared to the Defender.

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On the Road

These two SUVs exhibit distinct behaviors on pavement. As expected, the Defender offered a plusher ride with superior comfort and convenience compared to the Ineos.

Thanks to its unibody construction and independent suspension, the Land Rover has exceptional ride quality. Driving it on paved surfaces feels like gliding, as it effortlessly absorbs cracks and potholes. This stands in stark contrast to the Ineos, which features a body-on-frame architecture and coil-sprung live-axle suspension setup designed to maximize traction and articulation when driving off road. However, this setup comes at a cost on pavement, where the ride can feel bouncy and unpredictable. While drivers can acclimate to this characteristic, we prefer the Defender’s refined ride.

Just like on the trail, the Grenadier’s steering is its biggest drawback on the road. On straight sections we frequently needed to make minor input adjustments. When negotiating turns at intersections or maneuvering into parking lots, it often required more effort compared to the Defender’s setup. The Land Rover felt inherently natural, offering effortless steering that remains manageable even during extended road trips.

The Grenadier excels in exuding a charming personality that harks back to a classic automotive design. Its boxy look coupled with a cabin reminiscent of jet-inspired aesthetics and old-school technology appeals to enthusiasts nostalgic for vehicles of yesteryear. In a market increasingly dominated by software-defined vehicles, the Ineos Grenadier stands out as an anomaly, emphasizing robust hardware and off-road prowess to captivate its audience. Inside, its cabin provides generous space and ample headroom, benefits of its tall roof. However, entry and exit can be challenging, especially for individuals with mobility issues, given its substantial 10.4 inches of ground clearance.

Meanwhile, the Defender’s cabin represents a modern interpretation that seamlessly complements the vehicle’s overall design. The current-gen Defender feels like a complete reimagining, featuring distinctive lines and contemporary styling that set it apart not only in this comparison test but also within its segment. Its blend of go-anywhere capability and refinement makes it a standout choice.

The Defender 130 offers exceptional spaciousness, providing adult passengers with ample room in both the front and second rows. Modern conveniences abound, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the front passenger’s dashboard area includes a practical tray designed to accommodate long, slim items such as umbrellas. Naturally, the Defender’s cabin incorporates luxurious touches—the seats are firm yet supportive, and its overall design has a premium feel.

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Decision Time

The 2024 Land Rover Defender and the 2024 Ineos Grenadier offer distinct strengths catering to different audiences while sharing a common purpose. They excel in transporting families and outdoor enthusiasts to remote destinations, appealing also to urban audiences drawn to their rugged designs. Yet whether tackling off-road trails or cruising on pavement, one SUV emerges as superior in both scenarios.

The Land Rover Defender claims the top spot in this comparison test. Its modern features make it a more enjoyable vehicle to drive, as demonstrated on the trail where its unibody chassis, advanced transfer case, and independent suspension delivered exceptional capability. While the Ineos Grenadier charms with its nostalgic appeal and matches the Defender’s off-road prowess, its classic persona comes with compromises such as a bouncy ride and less responsive steering. These traits, while intentional to maintain the Grenadier’s character, highlight a noticeable gap in comfort and handling compared to the Land Rover. Put simply: In today’s choice-filled automotive landscape, the Ineos evokes nostalgia whereas the Defender combines desired modern features with uncompromising capability.

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2nd Place: 2024 Ineos Grenadier

Verdict: The Ineos Grenadier pays faithful homage to the original Defender, but its old-school approach means it doesn’t entirely match today’s comfortable and equally capable off-roaders.

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1st Place: 2024 Land Rover Defender 130

Verdict: The Defender has changed drastically from the model the Ineos pays tribute to, but today’s Land Rover suits an audience seeking technology and comfort that’s more than capable off-road while returning good overall ride quality.

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