The colour really suited the car’s sporty looks, and I was also impressed by the tech on board, with a fine balance between touchscreen controls and physical switches, and an excellent Sonos sound system. Not so good was the slightly claustrophobic black interior trim – a panoramic roof would be an ideal addition to brighten things up inside.
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Ineos Grenadier
Dean Gibson, Senior test editor
It was an easy choice to pick my long-term highlight, because I only ran one car for more than a month. The Ineos Grenadier divides opinion, especially when it comes to how the steering wheel is connected to the front axle, so we wanted to see how it fared as an ownership proposition.
While the huge turning circle was frustrating, spending longer at the wheel meant I became accustomed to the slow rack, and I really enjoyed the fact that the Grenadier was a car that you have to put effort into driving. It certainly didn’t spoil the long-distance journeys I made to Scotland, Kent and Wales while I had it.
The latter trip played to two of the Grenadier’s strengths, the first being its unstoppable off-road ability. The Strata Florida is one of the UK’s most challenging off-road routes, but the Ineos took it in its stride. The triple diff locks weren’t even needed to negotiate steep slopes and adverse cambers, while all-terrain tyres provided lots of grip. It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip, while the flight deck-style cabin and extra-hot heated seats offered a decent level of comfort.
