INEOS Grenadier 4X4

Could there be a new king in the towing stakes?

The INEOS Grenadier has all the components that should make it a real player in the tow-vehicle market. We will look at what makes this new brand, and its vehicle, a challenger to the long-held Toyota dominance in the tow capacity stakes. First, let's identify tow capacity specs and what they mean before we jump into the Grenadier’s on-paper credentials and in-cabin feel to see where it sits in the mix.

The basics

• Gross combined mass (GCM) — the combined mass limit of car, payload, and trailer. This is your rig, your trailer, and everything inside and on both
• Maximum tow capacity – the mass limit, braked and unbraked, of the trailers you can tow measured as ATM (see below) 
• Gross vehicle mass — the limit of the mass of your rig alone (no trailer) with everything on it and in it (fuel, bull bars, people etc)
• Kerb weight — the minimum mass of your vehicle: what it weighs with nothing on or in it
• Payload — the maximum you can carry in and on your rig (typically the difference between GVM and kerb weight)
• Ball weight limit — the maximum downforce your trailer can exert on the tow ball of your vehicle
• Aggregate trailer mass — the maximum downwards mass of the trailer on the ground, unhitched (this is the weight at the tyres of the trailer and at the jockey wheel combined)
• Gross trailer mass — this is the maximum downwards force at the tyres of the trailer when hitched up (the trailer will have passed on some weight to the car via Ball Weight).

Why GCM matters most

GCM is the limit of the combined tow vehicle and trailer combo, including their respective payloads. It is important as often, and we’ll see below, manufacturers have GCM less than the sum of the GVM and max tow capacity. This means, when towing a big load, the usable payload in the vehicle is often a lot less than the unhitched payload of the car. 

Here is an example using a 2021 Toyota Hilux SR5 Double Cab with a factory tub, towing a 3500kg ATM van with a 200kg ball weight. 

The Hilux has a GCM of 5850kg and a braked tow capacity of 3500kg. Once you transfer 200kg of mass to the Hilux, its kerb weight plus ball weight is 2255kg, which can be seen as leaving 775 kilos of payload but it does not. Should you load the Hilux to its GVM of 3050kg and have a 3500kg van behind it, you would be over your GCM by a whopping 700kg. 

The actual useable payload is worked out as the GVM minus the sum of the braked tow limit minus the kerb weight, or 5850 – (3500 + 2055) = 295kg. There is one thing to remember though: ball weight will chip away at payload too. In the case of the Hilux, it does not affect the carrying capacity of the ute, as it has such a high unhitched payload, but for others it does. 

Take the ever-popular Landcruiser 300 Series Sahara as an example. You do the same sums and you’ll come to a payload when towing a 3500kg ATM van with a 200kg ball weight of 620kg or only 30kg less than its unhitched payload, but the 200kg ball weight has to be taken into account.

The 300’s 3280kg GVM cannot be exceeded, which would be if you added the kerb weight, the ball weight and the calculated payload together (2630 + 200 + 620 = 3450kg). So, for the 300 Series, you need to pay as much attention to its GVM as its GCM, as its usable payload when towing a 3500kg trailer with a 200kg ball weight is only 450kg. This is the GVM minus the sum of the ball weight and kerb weight. Not a lot once you start adding on bull bars, lights, a fridge, and bigger, heavier wheels and tyres. 

Why the INEOS Grenadier’s 7000kg GCM matters

Having a high GCM and reasonable kerb weights resolves most of these issues and the INEOS pairing does exactly that.

We know the GCM for all Grenadier models to date is 7000kg. We subtract the maximum tow capacity (3500kg) and we have what the car, with a load, can carry, which is 3500kg.

Subtract the kerb weight (2665kg and 2740kg) and you come to its payload before ball weight (using 200kg for this example), which once taken into account leaves 560kg for the turbo diesel and 635kg for the petrol versions of the five-seat launch models. 

The turbo diesel Grenadier, likely the most popular choice for Australian customers, has very strong credentials, with higher payload capacity than the Nissan Patrol Ti (439kgs) and the Toyota LC300 GXL (470kgs), widely considered the kings for towing in Australia. 

The INEOS pairing does not have it all its way though. The industrial feeling Landcruiser 70 Series in Troopy and Double Cab guises still rule the roost when it comes to useable payload while towing at their full limits. 

How did INEOS do so well with towing specs?

At the recent Sydney 4X4 Show, we asked Grenadier’s Head of APAC region, Justin Hocevar, about the components used in the Grenadier which, on paper, have made it such an impressive tow vehicle. 

Hocevar said, “At the very outset of design, tow stability was a key attribute of this vehicle. We had quite lengthy discussions with the chassis engineers to ensure the vehicle was really set up for towing. One of their key targets was tow stability. The way the chassis of the vehicle has been designed, including all of its suspension architecture, was part of the design brief. As a new brand in the market, the use of best-in-class suppliers for the Grenadier's components shows we have produced a vehicle ‘Built on Purpose’”.

Asked further about those components picked for the Grenadier, Hocevar commented, “We have used Bosch electronics, BMW engines, Carrao beam axles front and rear, renowned transmission manufacturer ZF (8-speed auto), Recaro seats and Eibach springs. These known and trusted brands show how serious we are about producing a modern vehicle that has great capabilities. All with a nod to iconic off-road vehicles such as the Land Rover Defender and the Mercedes G Wagon”.

The suspension on the Grenadier is an old-school five-link, rigid axle with coil over struts. The suspension has a global tuning, which has come from rigorous testing across 15 countries, in the harshest environments the team could find. The Australian leg of testing was meant to test the strengths in hot and rugged conditions of the South Australian outback. A once-in-a-century rain dump changed the testing profiles to mud and long days behind the wheel as the team made its way back from the testing. You’ll find footage of their adventures online.

What we think of the INEOS Grenadier

Sitting in a recent prototype that mostly reflects a production model, the Grenadier cabin feels spacious thanks to its wide body. The seats are comfortable, and the layout is very functional. The overhead switchboard has a plane-like feel and is sure to be a favourite. The cabin has good viewing and layout. The central 12” touchscreen is bright and carries handy offroad tech like the ability to check the steering angle and torque being sent to each wheel. 

If you find yourself in a tricky environment, the Grenadier has a dual-range transfer case. Need a bit more traction? Engage the optional front and rear diff locks with individual switches for a full, three-locking diff setup. The standard configuration comes with a central locking differential. The ‘Built-on-Purpose’ rationale flows through to standard recovery points front and rear, as well as skid plates front and rear. 

The back seats fold up (60/40) creating more storage. Rear storage is 2000 litres in the wagon, with a cargo barrier installed. The rear door houses the spare wheel and has a split barn door for quick access. 

The Grenadier has full-time 4WD. You can add a myriad of options to increase the Grenadier’s offroad capabilities and you can tailor it to your own needs, with options added in the factory. While Toyota has stopped taking orders for some of its range, the Grenadier’s order books are wide open. You can build your own vehicle and order it directly from the website. Place the $5000 deposit and your order is in the system. The base model Grenadier five-seat wagon starts at $85,500.00 (excluding on-road costs).

Jason Hocevar commented, “There have been over 15,000 orders placed globally. The uptake in Australia has been very positive. This has led to more allocation to this market becoming available. The first Grenadiers will land in Australia in late December 2022 or early January 2023. Delivery is very much dependent on shipping allocation”.

This new entrant leads us to a very important phase in the Australian tow vehicle market, with Grenadier potentially hitting a market sweet spot with this vehicle. Time will tell in terms of its robustness. On initial specs and pricing, it sits beautifully at the higher end of capability but is both affordable and attainable.

With Toyota, the seminal king-of-the-offroad, facing a supply crisis, maybe INEOS is in with a fighting chance. Is it possible that a vehicle dreamt up and named after a pub in London that is built in a refreshing and market-challenging way with a combination of components from the best suppliers will be the thing to quench the thirst for Australians looking for their next tow vehicle? Time will tell, but we’re hoping to be along for the ride, I mean tow.