All - This is my somewhat lengthy / long-winded review of the Grenadier after 6 weeks.
If you follow Tesla at all, Elon Musk is always quick to say, 'Prototypes are easy; manufacturing is hard.' INEOS seems to have figured out both the prototype and manufacturing sides! Great job on that.
Overall, I love the Grenadier. Looks, style, color choices, options, engine, transmission, interior, seats, storage/cargo space, rear doors, the list goes on and on.
I anticipated issues with a first-generation vehicle/first-time manufacturer. Overall, I am pleasantly surprised. Some software bugs are here and there, a few fit-and-finish things here and there, but nothing that dramatically takes away from what I love about the Grenadier.
I hesitate to use the word 'hate,' so I will say there are a few things I 'strongly dislike.' It's a very short list and includes the way INEOS implemented the ADAS system in the USA (I know, big surprise coming from me).
But that's not what this post is about. This post is about 'FRICTION.'
I have a few vehicles, but I'm going to focus on my 2006 Land Cruiser. It has 175,000 miles, center locking differential, BFG K02s, Rock Sliders, Bluetooth add-on, heated seats, and an old-school key. It has airbags and seatbelt reminders but no other meaningful safety features like lane departure, blind spot awareness, speed alerts, etc., because of its age.
The Land Cruiser is my utilitarian, do-anything, go-anywhere, anytime vehicle. Bad weather? I take the Land Cruiser. Trail run? I take the Land Cruiser. Lowes/Home Depot? I take the Land Cruiser. Dog park? I take the Land Cruiser. Road trip? I take the Land Cruiser. You get the point.
Why is this important? For me, the Land Cruiser is the type of utilitarian, purpose-driven vehicle the Grenadier was designed to replace. And, so far, it's not.
For a frame of reference, the Grenadier is better than my 2006 Land Cruiser in 'almost,' and maybe even 'every way.'
So, after having the Grenadier for almost 6 weeks, I am still somewhat defaulting to the Land Cruiser. Why? There is no 'friction' when I get in the Land Cruiser and GO. For the most part, it has everything I want and nothing I don't. This is really important to me.
An important side note: My friend with a 2021 G-Wagon has defaulted to the Grenadier.
So, where are the 'Friction' points with making the Grenadier my 'Get in and Go' vehicle?
It's New: To be fair, maybe the 'newness' hasn't worn off to the point I'm ready to use it the way it was designed to be used. Maybe I don't want the dog scratching the leather seats (Seat covers ordered and on the way). Time will tell.
Physical Ignition Key: I don't mind the physical key. The Land Cruiser has one as well, and it slides right in. However, in the Grenadier, the key is awkward to get in the ignition, pretty much every time, day or night. Maybe it's me, maybe it's the angle, maybe it's just hard to see the angle, or maybe the 'ignition and the key' don't like each other. Not sure about this one.
Auto Start/Stop: The Auto Start/Stop is not bad. It's not abrupt, and it doesn't rock the whole vehicle like other cars I've been in do. And, importantly, the button is in a great location and easy to turn off! The problem is, if I don't turn it off, it often activates when I'm trying to do a three-point turn (more on this up next). I shouldn't have to deactivate Auto Start/Stop trying to park. More on parking later.
Steering: Why do new car companies mess around with steering? Tesla with the rectangular steering wheel and now INEOS with old-school steering box or whatever makes the number of turns so many and the turning radius so bad?
Unrelated to the Grenadier comparison to the LC, there is a night and day difference between the steering dynamics of my '76 Bronco and my '97 Defender D90. The D90 tracks straight down the road in all conditions, and the turning radius is good as well. I have no idea if the steering wheel returns to center because it's largely effortless. The '76 Bronco, less so. Somewhere along the way, manufacturers figured these things out, and they seem to be missing in the Grenadier.
I understand (and appreciate) the mentality of 'it's an offroad vehicle first,' but sometimes you go into town for supplies or a movie or dinner or go to the city for the weekend.
Others have complained about the 'lack of return' to center. I put this in the 'tolerate' category, but parking lots/parking garages are tough to navigate and somewhat embarrassing with people watching. Parallel parking, especially in somewhat tight spots, is an athletic event. It's difficult at best and, in some cases, impossible.
Automatic Driver Assistance System (ADAS): ADAS, which includes AEB, Land Departure, Traffic Sign Recognition, Speed Alert, and a few other things, is actually good, but the Alerts and the ability to configure the system are 'terrible bordering on intolerable' in my opinion.
The major issue (for me) is that you must turn it partially off every single time you start the vehicle if you don't want to hear the clicking (8 CLICKS in a row) when you go a few miles an hour over the speed limit. Repeat these clicks in your head because it happens over and over and over and over as you speed up and slow down in traffic.
The Lane Departure feature in ADAS, which I would argue is a 'more relevant' safety feature, gets 'one' very tolerable chime. Simple and to the point. No Friction!
ADAS, unfortunately, does not have 'Blind Spot Assist.' I would say it is one of the best and most important safety features a car can have.
In the case of the Grenadier, I would think this would be one of the most important safety features given the lack of visibility with the B Pillar (that's what you see when you turn your head directly to the left and can't see the car next to you) and the lack of visibility with the double rear doors and spare tire.
Height: Yes, I know, it's an off-road vehicle. And, yes, it's somewhat of a pain to get into at 5'9". The optional Side Steps/Sliders unfortunately don't help much. Both seem to be mounted too far inside the frame. The Sliders can't be used as even a partial step like on my Land Cruiser, and the side steps are also too close to the vehicle, and feet get caught between the step and the underbody when getting into the vehicle. My G-Wagon friend pointed this out, and I agree.
Pre-Flight Routine: This is the Major Friction Point for me, and this is what makes the Grenadier not a 'get in and go' vehicle. Every time I get in it, I must go through the same routine.
Here is what the Pre-flight Routine looks like in both vehicles:
Land Cruiser: Unlock w/ Key Fob, Open Door, Climb in, Close door, Seatbelt on, key in ignition, Start car, GO.
Grenadier: Unlock w/ Key Fob, Open Door, Climb in, Seatbelt on, key in ignition, Start car, Turn off Auto Start/Stop, Wait for display to boot, Hit Favorite Button (Usually works the first time), Turn Off Speed Limit Warning, Push CarPlay button, GO.
That is a lot of Friction. Maybe not on a long drive, but as a daily driver, it is too much, in my opinion. Leave the house, Pre-Flight Routine, Get gas, Pre-Flight Routine, Go to the grocery, Pre-Flight Routine, Stop at FedEx, Pre-Flight Routine. I probably sound like a soccer parent (I'm not), but there is a version of this even when you are offroad if you're not on an identified road with a posted speed limit.
Finally, and importantly, I really like the Grenadier as a new vehicle, but I want to love it like an old one.
The 'problem' here is that the 2% of things I can 'handle' and 'strongly dislike' overshadow the 98% I love. Why? Because the 2% is on my mind, in my face, and in my ears 100% of the time. Customer satisfaction lives and dies in that small but important 2%.
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