Americas I came, I saw, I drove then walked…

[Salj]

Took a 20 minute test drive at Holman in FL this afternoon. They had about 20 cars around the lot. There were 5 parked end to end that looked like they were mustering for a military exercise. Very purposeful design.
I’ve had Defenders, including the ‘97 D90 model.
Got to say, the steering lack of recoil was very odd. I can see maybe getting accustomed to it if it was my only vehicle. We shuttle between a couple and if you took the wheel of the Grenadier without expecting the steering idiosyncrasies I could see a “surprise” event.
I’ll pass.

 

[AngusMacG]

Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Seems like a trivial thing to reject this vehicle over. I’ve taken 2 Test drives and the 2nd one (a month after the 1st) I had no issues with the steering. Even with the first one it took me less than 5 minutes to get it figured out. I hopped back into my Lexus and no adjustment necessary.

To each their own. Someone will be happy you passed as they will take your build and have no issues.

 

[Asnes]

Took a 20 minute test drive at Holman in FL this afternoon. They had about 20 cars around the lot. There were 5 parked end to end that looked like they were mustering for a military exercise. Very purposeful design.
I’ve had Defenders, including the ‘97 D90 model.
Got to say, the steering lack of recoil was very odd. I can see maybe getting accustomed to it if it was my only vehicle. We shuttle between a couple and if you took the wheel of the Grenadier without expecting the steering idiosyncrasies I could see a “surprise” event.
I’ll pass.

It’s interesting to hear different opinions and what people sense when they get behind the wheel. I did 2 test drives of 20-30 minutes each and the steering was simply a non-event. It was fine for me. There was no getting used to it, it just worked fine.

My observation was that rig is vastly underpowered. When you floor it you simply sit and wait for the large metal mass to gain momentum. I also felt that it had quite a bit of body sway when you tossed it around. That being said we drive 2 teslas full time in our household currently so very few ICE vehicles can come close to compare ….so I was kinda like - meh, it’s an ICE vehicle, it’s slow, it is what it is

I’m incredibly excited to receive mine between now and March. So many things to like. It is truly purpose built. Things like steering and 0-60 are a rounding error in the big picture.

 

[Shopkeep]

Took a 20 minute test drive at Holman in FL this afternoon. They had about 20 cars around the lot. There were 5 parked end to end that looked like they were mustering for a military exercise. Very purposeful design.
I’ve had Defenders, including the ‘97 D90 model.
Got to say, the steering lack of recoil was very odd. I can see maybe getting accustomed to it if it was my only vehicle. We shuttle between a couple and if you took the wheel of the Grenadier without expecting the steering idiosyncrasies I could see a “surprise” event.
I’ll pass.

But if you owned the vehicle you would be expecting it, so not an issue?

 

[IG_in_AZ]

 

[bradb622]

It’s a non-issue.

 

[ADVAW8S]

Took a 20 minute test drive at Holman in FL this afternoon. They had about 20 cars around the lot. There were 5 parked end to end that looked like they were mustering for a military exercise. Very purposeful design.
I’ve had Defenders, including the ‘97 D90 model.
Got to say, the steering lack of recoil was very odd. I can see maybe getting accustomed to it if it was my only vehicle. We shuttle between a couple and if you took the wheel of the Grenadier without expecting the steering idiosyncrasies I could see a “surprise” event.
I’ll pass.

I have to ask. What's so wrong with lack of return to center? Why is it such a big deal for you? I am very intrigued to hear.

 

[AnD3rew]

Took a 20 minute test drive at Holman in FL this afternoon. They had about 20 cars around the lot. There were 5 parked end to end that looked like they were mustering for a military exercise. Very purposeful design.
I’ve had Defenders, including the ‘97 D90 model.
Got to say, the steering lack of recoil was very odd. I can see maybe getting accustomed to it if it was my only vehicle. We shuttle between a couple and if you took the wheel of the Grenadier without expecting the steering idiosyncrasies I could see a “surprise” event.
I’ll pass.

I shuttle between 6 vehicles, no issues at all, don’t even notice it anymore, I find it a pleasure to drive overall, for various reasons, mainly because I don’t need to, I don’t often drive it around town, mostly highway and bush, but on the odd occasion I do need to, it still doesn’t bother me, although you do notice you are working a bit harder but we have tighter streets and more roundabouts than most of North America

 

[AZGrenadier]

I’ll admit that when brand new the truck did take some getting used to. I don’t know if it was that everything was super tight or the tires were too new. Neither makes much sense. Both drive events I went too the trucks drive better then my new one did. Now after 1900 miles it is smooth as silk. I don’t know if it is just me or things loosened up a little but I am super happy I purchased the truck. I plan on keeping it a long time. Would other vehicles drive better, most likely. Have other vehicles figured out ADAS better, definitely. Does any other truck on the market have the same combo of personality, build quality and looks, I don’t think so.

 

[Baron von Teuchter]

OP I think you would be surprised at how quickly you adapt to the steering.

If it’s not for you then of course that’s absolutely fine but we have 7 cars in our household and I swap between them all the time and don’t find any problem with the grenadier steering after driving anything else.

I found it a bit odd for the first hour or so maybe, now it is completely natural.

It’s like having a fleet of cars some auto, some manual. Your brain just does what it needs to. Or having big cars and small cars. I go from a 5.5m x 2.2m Ford van to a 3.7m x 1.6m Peugeot and have never bashed the Ford because it’s bigger than the 106

Can you get a longer test drive?

Like I say, if you don’t like the ride or the looks or the price or the seating position or whatever, those are great reasons for not choosing the truck - you won’t adapt to those. I am 100% sure you’ll be fine with the steering in no time.

 

[Greg]

I’ll admit that when brand new the truck did take some getting used to. I don’t know if it was that everything was super tight or the tires were too new. Neither makes much sense. Both drive events I went too the trucks drive better then my new one did. Now after 1900 miles it is smooth as silk. I don’t know if it is just me or things loosened up a little but I am super happy I purchased the truck. I plan on keeping it a long time. Would other vehicles drive better, most likely. Have other vehicles figured out ADAS better, definitely. Does any other truck on the market have the same combo of personality, build quality and looks, I don’t think so.

Yup - that is my experience.
After 1000kms it is a completely different truck.
Engine has smoothed out so much that it is totally unrecognisable from when i first picked it up.

 

[acwiltshire]

Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Seems like a trivial thing to reject this vehicle over. I’ve taken 2 Test drives and the 2nd one (a month after the 1st) I had no issues with the steering. Even with the first one it took me less than 5 minutes to get it figured out. I hopped back into my Lexus and no adjustment necessary.

To each their own. Someone will be happy you passed as they will take your build and have no issues.

Well said. Might be better with a driverless model requiring less interface

 

[DenisM]

Took a 20 minute test drive at Holman in FL this afternoon. They had about 20 cars around the lot. There were 5 parked end to end that looked like they were mustering for a military exercise. Very purposeful design.
I’ve had Defenders, including the ‘97 D90 model.
Got to say, the steering lack of recoil was very odd. I can see maybe getting accustomed to it if it was my only vehicle. We shuttle between a couple and if you took the wheel of the Grenadier without expecting the steering idiosyncrasies I could see a “surprise” event.
I’ll pass.

No worries...though I do like your paraphrasing of Julius Caesar "I came, I saw, I conquered..."
In Caesar's case he was also particular ...his success meant the roar of his Triumph preceded him...

 

[SkiBum1]

Took a 20 minute test drive at Holman in FL this afternoon. They had about 20 cars around the lot. There were 5 parked end to end that looked like they were mustering for a military exercise. Very purposeful design.
I’ve had Defenders, including the ‘97 D90 model.
Got to say, the steering lack of recoil was very odd. I can see maybe getting accustomed to it if it was my only vehicle. We shuttle between a couple and if you took the wheel of the Grenadier without expecting the steering idiosyncrasies I could see a “surprise” event.
I’ll pass.

Kind of sounds like you don’t understand the point of the Grenadier and expect it to be identical to a soccer moms suv with big tires to make it look like it can go off road. Go buy a Honda man.

 

[Salj]

Do much defensiveness. It's just an OK vehicle with some flaws.
Keep the knives sharpened for additional critiques/alternate points of view.

 

[SkiBum1]

Do much defensiveness. It's just an OK vehicle with some flaws.
Keep the knives sharpened for additional critiques/alternate points of view.

You are a reservation holder, did enough research to find this site, went out of your way to do a live test drive, certainly knowing and understanding that the steering mechanism was designed for off roading. After all that and your research you show up and take the one issue that is well known since the idea for the grenadier was conceived, and post…yeah, not for me because of the steering, as if something is wrong with it.

Please, by all means, do a real analysis of the grenadier’s issues, but taking the single thing that is designed for a specific purpose and take a pot shot at the entire vehicle for that is, frankly speaking, a bit stupid.

 

[Mountain4x4]

I think you guys took the Troll Bait. It is difficult to imagine someone coming from an electric vehicle to a Grenadier, they are very different mind sets. An electric city car to a Purpose Built off-roader? Not likely. Could you imagine a Subaru driver even in a Grenadier

 

[anand]

I think you guys took the Troll Bait. It is difficult to imagine someone coming from an electric vehicle to a Grenadier, they are very different mind sets. An electric city car to a Purpose Built off-roader? Not likely. Could you imagine a Subaru driver even in a Grenadier

You would be surprised how many clients at the PTO2 tour stops were coming from EVs and/or had never driven off of pavement before

 

[LC0013]

Took a 20 minute test drive at Holman in FL this afternoon. They had about 20 cars around the lot. There were 5 parked end to end that looked like they were mustering for a military exercise. Very purposeful design.
I’ve had Defenders, including the ‘97 D90 model.
Got to say, the steering lack of recoil was very odd. I can see maybe getting accustomed to it if it was my only vehicle. We shuttle between a couple and if you took the wheel of the Grenadier without expecting the steering idiosyncrasies I could see a “surprise” event.
I’ll pass.

Ha Ha Ha! Like Defenders did not have their own "multiple" surprises!!

 

[thale10]

My daily is a Rivian R1S and the Grenny is my winter/off-road vehicle. Is the steering different and noticeable, yes, would it keep me from driving/buying the Grenny, no way.

Very soon you will be able to purchase a steering stabilizer from Roadmaster that will return the vehicle to center. I will purchase this because I like the return to center feel. If for some reason they never make it I will gladly keep driving the Grenny.