Is this the biggest competition to date for the venerable Toyota LandCruiser 79 Series dual-cab?
Ineos, which launched the wagon version of its Grenadier four-wheel drive locally last year, has now doubled the size of its model range with the launch of its first ute.
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Dubbed the Grenadier Quartermaster, this dual-cab 4×4 ute is 30cm longer than the wagon and is available in either pickup or cab-chassis body configurations, plus three equipment grades as per the Grenadier itself.
Incorporating solid-beam axles and five-link coil-spring suspension at both ends, like the wagon, this dual-cab’s most obvious rival is the off-road-oriented Jeep Gladiator. The next closest rival is the iconic Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, which is now essentially four-cylinder-only given V8 versions are no longer available to order.
The Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster, also like the wagon, is offered with a choice of two BMW-sourced inline six-cylinder engines – petrol and diesel.
With a wide spread of variants and almost limitless choices for optional extras and genuine accessories, owners will be able to customise their vehicle to suit their exact needs.
First Australian customer deliveries of the Grenadier Quartermaster pickup began earlier this year, followed by cab-chassis vehicles more recently, and now we’ve had our first local drive of the all-new dual-cab ute at its national media launch in the Flinders Ranges.
How much does the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster cost?
Thanks to the introduction of the new Grenadier Quartermaster Cab Chassis, the entry price for the Grenadier model range has now been reduced to $102,000 before on-road costs, though you need to add a tray to this vehicle.
And that’s still a lot more than the Grenadier wagon’s original base price of $84,500, which rose to $97,000 even before its global launch in February 2023 and now stands at $104,000 – $2000 more than the ute.
The regular Grenadier Quartermaster with the pickup tub body starts at $105,000 before on-roads, like the similarly five-seat Station Wagon (as opposed to the $1000-cheaper two-seat Utility Wagon).
Our tester was an almost fully kitted-out Grenadier Quartermaster Fieldmaster, which had an as-tested asking price of $133,140 before on-road costs.
To see how the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool.
What is the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster like on the inside?
In the metal, the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster certainly has some presence. This dual-cab ute is big, boxy and bluff, which makes it stand out from the crowd.
Passing through small towns in the Flinders Ranges made some people with their LandCruiser 70 Series utes do a double-take.
Hopping in isn’t the easiest task in the world. Our tester was equipped with side steps, though they were tucked under the car more like rock sliders, meaning it wasn’t easy to put your foot on them.
There’s also no grab handle for the driver on the A-pillar to help with ingress. Interestingly, however, there is one on the passenger’s side.
Once you’re in you sit very high, almost looking down through the windows. In a comfortable driving position, I was also in line with the B-pillar.
All Grenadier Quartermasters come standard with Recaro seats, which are great for long stints behind the wheel and offer ample support for when the going gets tough. They’re manually adjustable, which is to be expected in such a utilitarian vehicle.
The only thing I was longing for was some adjustable lumbar support because after hours driving my lower back got rather sore.
Ahead of the driver is a chunky two-spoke steering wheel that’s befitting of such a substantial vehicle. Our tester’s was wrapped in saddle leather as part of an optional package, which is meant to create a patina over time but felt a little too flash in a rugged ute like this.
All the buttons on the steering wheel are logically placed and clearly labelled, so it’s easy to know which button needs to be pressed. I’m also a big fan of the toot button, which plays a less intrusive horn sound to politely warn pedestrians and cyclists of your approach.
Behind the steering wheel you’d typically expect to see an instrument cluster, but instead there’s only a small binnacle with key warning lights.
If you’re looking for the speedometer, it’s represented digitally as part of the centrally mounted 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, like in a Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. It takes a while to get used to, but after time becomes second nature.
This touchscreen multimedia system is the centrepiece of the cabin, but unlike in many other modern vehicles it doesn’t draw too much attention to itself. It appears to be an old BMW unit with reskinned graphics.
Critical driving information like the speedometer, tachometer and gear position are shown on the right-hand side of the touchscreen, whereas the infotainment is shown on the left.
The user interface is rather minimal and easy to navigate, though it’s also quite dark, which means it can be hard to see in direct sunlight. You can interact with the screen either by touch, or by using the rotary dial on the centre tunnel. Both are pretty seamless to use.
There aren’t many elements to the infotainment system, but there are a few page views that can be cycled through to see off-road information and telemetry, vehicle positioning, tyre pressures and operating temperatures. It’s all pretty functional stuff when you’re out in the bush.
The Grenadier Quartermaster comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto as standard. With an iPhone connected wirelessly during our testing it didn’t drop out once, though due to a lack of a wireless charger the phone had to be plugged into a USB port to stay charged.
An interesting move on Ineos’ behalf is that there’s no built-in satellite navigation system with turn-to-turn prompts. Instead you’re required to use mapping via smartphone mirroring.
This is generally fine, but unless you’ve got offline maps downloaded or a specialised off-road mapping app on your phone, you’ll have no navigation when’s there’s no phone service.
However, Ineos does offer a more basic co-ordinate and position satellite navigation system called Pathfinder, which allows you to create or download routes. It’s intended to be used on off-road tracks that aren’t typically mapped.
Beyond the infotainment screen there are a wide array of physical buttons and knobs on the centre console and overhead. It can actually be a little overwhelming at first, but once you realise everything is clearly labelled and grouped together it makes more sense.
All the off-road and terrain-related function controls are overhead, whereas the climate-related controls are on the centre console.
Looking around the cabin, it’s incredibly utilitarian and hard-wearing. There are plenty of hard finishes and only a select few softer surfaces in high touchpoint areas.
One of them is the door armrest, which is a large slab atop the door panel. You feel like a trucker when you’ve got your arm up there and it’s a little too high for my liking.
The levers up front feel familiar – the gear lever is sourced from BMW, whereas the transfer case lever has a similar operation to a classic Land Rover.
Although there are plenty of buttons, levers and switches, this leaves storage space at a premium in the Grenadier Quartermaster. There are only two cupholders, an adequately sized centre armrest box and glovebox, as well as small door pockets.
If you’re wanting to store you phone somewhere it has to go in an awkward spot ahead of the gear selector, or tucked away in the centre console box.
Our top-shelf Fieldmaster tester came standard with the Safari windows, which sound fantastic on paper but are a real pain in practice. These glass roof panels make the front feel a lot airier and can pop up to vent air out, although there are no covers and that means it gets hot in the cabin quicker and sun always shines through.
My main gripe with these Safari windows is that unlike a regular sunroof, they start a lot closer to the front of the car. When you’re driving towards the sun at a certain time of day, light can stream through the windows and unless you’re wearing a cap there’s no way to block it.
Moving to the second row, it’s obvious Ineos has had to compromise some space in the Grenadier Quartermaster compared to the regular wagon in order to accommodate a decent sized tub.
Ingress is still pretty tricky, like up front. It would be nice if there were chunky grab handles, like the one on the front passenger side.
Once you’re sat in the second row it can feel a little tight, but for the mid-sized dual-cab ute segment this is commonplace. At a leggy 182cm, I have just enough leg room thanks to scallops in the front seat backs, okay foot room, as well as fine head and shoulder room.
The rear bench seat itself is comfortable, though you sit very upright. Sitting in an outboard seat, there’s enough bolstering on the outside, though there’s nothing holding you from sliding into the middle.
There’s enough space for two moderately sized people in the second row, but pushing it to three becomes squishy. The middle seat also has to contend with the large centre console that intrudes slightly into the second row.
Amenities in the second row are limited. There are centre console-mounted air vents, USB ports, and tiny door pockets. Disappointingly there’s no folding centre armrest.
Around the back is where the biggest change for the Grenadier Quartermaster is most apparent. Pickup variants come with a tailgate that’s easy to open and close, plus it can support up to 225kg when open.
The tub space is pretty standard for a dual-cab ute, though the full-size spare wheel is mounted in the tub and not under the vehicle, which eats into storage space.
One small benefit of this, however, is that there’s a small lockable storage space inside the spare wheel cavity for items. The only other amenity the tub provides are tie-down points.
The last thing I’ll mention in this section is that despite the ute offering an ample amount of tub space, you need to keep in mind how much weight you’re putting in the tray.
The Grenadier Quartermaster has a payload of only 907kg in petrol guise and 832kg in diesel guise. It’s better than the Gladiator, but is down on the one-tonne benchmark for mid-size dual-cab utes, and is nowhere near as good as the LandCruiser 70 Series.
Hopefully a factory upgrade for the Quartermaster’s gross vehicle mass (GVM) is on the horizon.
To see how the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool.
What’s under the bonnet?
The Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster ute, like the Grenadier wagon, is available with the choice of two BMW-sourced 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engines – petrol and diesel. The majority of our driving was in the latter.
To see how the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool.
How does the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster drive?
Before properly discussing the driving experience, I want to talk about getting settled behind the wheel.
The Grenadier Quartermaster, like the wagon on which it’s based, has an exaggerated driver’s footrest that feels rather awkward at first. This feel does eventually go away but you’re reminded of it every time you start driving.
The footrest is actually slightly larger and more pronounced than in left-hand drive examples, with a small cutout from the firewall protruding into the footrest space. I kept bumping my toes on it as I wanted to stretch out more.
To start up the Grenadier Quartermaster you’re required to turn a key, which seems appropriate in such a utilitarian vehicle. There are few of those ‘bells and whistles’ seen in other modern four-wheel drives.
When the engine turned over the first time, I was instinctively expecting to hear and feel the grumble of a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Instead, you get a smooth and clatter-free inline-six sound, which is a nice and refined change.
In short, the diesel engine is the pick for the Grenadier Quartermaster. It better suits the character of the dual-cab ute and the extra torque makes it more settled at speed.
The petrol engine, on the other hand, sounds zestier and revs out further. But from a touring perspective, it doesn’t really make quite as much sense as the diesel as it frequently drops back to seventh gear to maintain highway speeds due to it having less torque, widening the real-world fuel consumption gap between the two engines even further.
Ineos itself also says that 80 per cent of Grenadier wagon buyers in Australia are opting for the diesel, and it expects that number to skew even higher for the Quartermaster ute.
BMW’s B57 twin-turbo diesel is an absolute peach of an engine and in different tunes has powered the likes of the BMW X3, X5 and X7, among others, for years.
Progression is smooth and rather effortless, which defies the ute’s 2.7-tonne unladen kerb weight. Don’t go expecting to win any traffic light grands prix, however, as you’ll be come out as the loser. But the sounds the straight-six diesel makes when pushed are rather addictive.
Like all those aforementioned BMW models, the Grenadier Quartermaster also has a ZF-sourced eight-speed torque-convertor automatic transmission that pairs perfectly with the inline diesel six.
All the gear shifts are smooth and measured. Typically the revs are kept low in a higher gear to minimise fuel consumption and thankfully there’s oodles of torque available just above idle to lean on. Push a little harder on the accelerator, however, and the transmission will flick down a cog or two to speed things up.
Driving around town and in built-up areas certainly isn’t the Grenadier Quartermaster’s cup of tea. It has one of the worst turning circles of any modern car I’ve driven. Ineos claims it is 14.5 metres kerb-to-kerb, which is one metre more than the wagon.
This makes parking an absolute nightmare. There were multiple occasions when I thought I’d left enough room to do a U-turn, but instead I embarrassed myself and had to do a three-point turn.
It doesn’t help that the reversing camera quality isn’t great. That said, it’s better quality than the Toyota HiLux’s 480p-like surround-view camera system.
Thankfully, there are also front and rear parking sensors as standard on our Grenadier Quartermaster Fieldmaster tester.
The steering is another point of contention about the Grenadier Quartermaster. Like the regular wagon, it has solid-beam front and rear axles, as well as a Bosch-supplied hydraulically assisted power steering system.
At lower speeds it’s a little firm and at higher speed there’s a fair bit of vagueness and play before it actually changes direction. On the highway it feels like you’re constantly making minor adjustments just to stay in a straight line.
The suspension can also wallow bit over high-speed bumps, and there’s plenty of body roll. So it’s not overly confidence-inspiring when leaning into lumpy bends, especially on the all-terrain tyres.
All this makes the Quartermaster a rather hands-on vehicle to drive, but so too are its direct rivals. If you’re after a more comfortable on-road driving experience in a ladder-frame ute, look at a Ford Ranger, or perhaps a larger Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford F-150, or Ram 1500.
Thankfully, the inline-six diesel engine is a redeeming quality out on the open road. It can really stretch its legs and will basically lock itself in top gear unless you meet a hill. It also feels like it has plenty left in the tank for overtakes, even at 110km/h.
Due to the ute being extremely blocky and therefore aerodynamically inefficient, fuel consumption while travelling on the highway is pretty high. In some sections with strong winds I saw around 15L/100km unladen.
There’s also heaps of wind noise on the highway. It’s a lot to drown out and even the sound system can barely keep up.
But of course, where the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster really steps into its own is off-road. From the seat of my pants it feels like a modern-day LandCruiser 80 Series ute conversion. This makes sense because, like the 80 Series, it has coil suspension all around.
On gravel tracks and trails this ute is almost untouchable in terms of how much comfort it provides. Even during rougher stuff you don’t get bounced around nearly as much as in any of its rear leaf-sprung mid-size ute rivals.
After you’re acquainted with how the ‘Off-Road’ mode works (you need to press and hold the button on the overhead panel for a second, and then press it a second time), its operation is largely seamless.
What this mode does is turn off all the traction control aids and parking sensors to ensure your off-road driving isn’t impeded be electronic nannies. It’s a rather mechanical feeling.
Further to this, there’s a two-speed transfer case operated via a shift lever that takes some effort to use. Topping off the off-road goodies is a total of three locking differentials.
Given the type of driving we did in the Flinders Ranges, we barely scratched the surface of what the Grenadier Quartermaster is capable of off-road.
During some sand driving, however, it felt heavy, yet planted on the tracks. You need to keep a bit of momentum up in this kind of car, otherwise you’ll get bogged down.
But for general off-roading, it doesn’t feel like much could stop the Quartermaster. It’s very confidence-inspiring.
On the safety front, there’s not a whole heap to talk about with the Grenadier Quartermaster. This ute doesn’t have any advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) or even autonomous emergency braking (AEB).
Instead, one of the notable things it does have is a regular cruise control system that works well at maintaining the set speed.
One of the others is a tyre pressure monitoring system that can also tell you the temperature of the tyre. During our testing, the car frequently bounced between having low and high tyre pressure warnings go off on the touchscreen during long stints both on- and off-road.
To see how the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool.
What do you get?
There are three trim levels for the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster.
2025 Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster highlights:
- 17-inch steel wheels
- Bridgestone Dueler AT 001 all-terrain tyres
- Full-size spare wheel
- LED headlights
- LED auxiliary high-beam lights
- Heavy-duty coil suspension
- Front and rear skid plate
- Front and rear towing eyes
- Roof rails and roof protection strips
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Pathfinder off-road navigation
- Recaro seats
Grenadier Quartermaster Trialmaster adds:
- BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tyres
- Front and rear locking differentials
- Auxiliary battery
- Raised air intake
- Exterior utility belt
- Cargo bay utility rails
- Pick-up bedliner
- Front parking sensors
- Power heated exterior mirrors
- Heated windscreen washer jets
- Lockable central stowage box
- Puddle lamps and ambient door lighting
- Auxiliary charge pounts
- High-load auxiliary switch panel and electrical preparation
- Compass with altimeter
Grenadier Quartermaster Fieldmaster adds (over the base variant):
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Bridgestone Dueler AT 001 all-terrain tyres
- Locking wheel nuts
- Safari windows
- Front parking sensors
- Power heated exterior mirrors
- Heated windscreen washer jets
- Lockage central stowage box
- Puddle lamps and ambient door lighting
- Auxiliary charge points
- Premium sound system
- Leather upholstery
- Heated front seats
- Carpet floor mats
Optional Equipment
There are almost limitless optional extras and accessories available for the Grenadier Quartermaster, allowing buyers to personalise the ute to suit their needs.
The base Grenadier Quartermaster is available with the following optional packages.
Smooth Pack ($2320) adds:
- Front parking sensors
- Power heated exterior mirrors
- Heated windscreen washer jets
- Lockage central stowage box
- Puddle lamps and ambient door lighting
- Auxiliary charge points
Rough Pack ($4105) adds:
- BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tyres
- Front and rear locking differentials
Other optional accessories available across the range include the likes of rock sliders, roo bar, winches, and a roof rack, among countless others.
Is the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster safe?
No Ineos model has yet been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Six airbags
- Reversing camera
- Rear parking sensors
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
Trialmaster and Fieldmaster variants add front parking sensors.
A reversing camera and rear parking sensors are standard, but you won’t find any active safety technology like autonomous emergency braking.
How much does the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster cost to run?
The Grenadier Quartermaster is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Ineos doesn’t offer capped-price servicing for the Grenadier Quartermaster.
To see how the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool.
CarExpert’s Take on the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster
If you’re looking at buying an Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster because you like its boxy design, you’re better off looking elsewhere because you’ll likely be disappointed by its on-road manners. This is not a vehicle for the city.
Despite that, this dual-cab off-roader is a fantastic first foray into the ute space for the fledging four-wheel drive specialist brand. I look forward to seeing how the Australian market adopts this vehicle, because for some it’ll likely be the ultimate LandCruiser 70 Series ute replacement.
With the Grenadier, and now the Grenadier Quartermaster, Ineos has done a great job of creating a thoroughly modern take on the original, go-anywhere Land Rover Defender formula, delivering a delightfully analogue and old-school-feeling off-road wagon and now ute in an age of high-tech off-roaders.
It may be a handful in the suburbs and lack the safety and multimedia technologies to keep modern families happy, but this hardcore dual-cab 4×4 ute has the right quirks and character to make it rewarding in the environments for which it was designed. Once you’re off-road, it’s on another level in terms of comfort compared to the array of leaf-sprung alternatives.
The BMW-sourced engines shine in this ute. They’re both impressively refined and offer oodles more character than a typical four-cylinder turbo-diesel. The diesel in particular stands out as the pick, offering plenty of highway performance and refinement, and a great spread of torque for off-roading.
However, it may not suit many people who actually buy this type of vehicle for its intended purpose, and place a high value on durability, reliability and longevity, as well as the widespread availability of affordable spare parts and even the ability to address breakdowns themselves in the bush or remote areas.
More sticking points for the Grenadier Quartermaster include its payload compared to similar rivals, and how the spare wheel takes up precious cargo space in the tub. And of course there’s no single-cab version with a full-size tray.
One last thing to note is the pretty hefty price tag. It’s not quite in the realm of full-size US pickups, but it’s a big step up from the comparable 79 Series and Gladiator, let alone premium versions of Australia’s most popular dual-cab 4×4 utes.
Interested in buying a Ineos Grenadier? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Ineos Grenadier
Pros
- Sweet inline-six engines
- Comfortable off the beaten path
- Lots of physical switchgear
Cons
- Spare wheel eats into tub space
- Payload down on top-selling rivals
- Huge turning circle
Top Line Specs
- Power: 210kW
- Fuel Type: Unleaded Petrol
- Economy: 12.6L/100km
- CO2 Emissions: 292g/km
- ANCAP Safety Rating: Untested