What's the difference?
The Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster is the dual-cab ute version of the Ineos Grenadier wagon, which arrived a few years ago to much fanfare.
It’s a body-on-frame / ladder-frame 4WD with live axles, a dual-range transfer case, front, centre and rear diff locks, and plenty of features – onboard and optional – intended to turn you into an off-road expert.
The Quartermaster is a purpose-built work-and-play ute aimed at taking on the likes of the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series and it’s a real breath of fresh air in a dual-cab ute market that’s increasingly looking same-same – although admittedly the Kia Tasman has also rattled the cage, but that’s another story.
So how does this Land Rover Defender-inspired ute perform off-road?
Fancy a Ford Ranger Wildtrak, Toyota HiLux Rogue or Isuzu D-Max Blade, but need something that’s a bit bigger, bolder and brawnier?
Behold the Ram 1500 Rebel. No, not a Rambler Rebel from the Mad Men era, but a full-sized pick-up truck that’s aimed at younger and/or more-adventure-minded buyers.
Rivalling the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2, it brings a sporty off-road vibe to Australia’s best-selling big US-made ute. Let’s check it out.
The Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster is best regarded as a charming old-school oddity in an increasingly cookie-cutter dual-cab ute market.
In the same vein as the Suzuki Jimny, Jeep Gladiator, and Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, this ute is for those of us who really like driving to be a fully immersive experience and donβt mind a few sacrifices and some discomfort along the way.
Good on Ineos for giving it a crack.
As with all current-generation Ram 1500s, the Rebel remains one of our favourite full-sized American utes on the Australian market.
Yes, it is not cheap, and a few items standard on the Laramie Sport have been deleted for better or worse, but the Rebel offers better off-road capability without losing any of the regular 1500βs driver enjoyment, comfort, refinement and overall class.
An upsized Ranger Wildtrak with more civility than its redneck reputation suggests.