Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Ineos Grenadier

What's the difference?

A wise man* once said "Being first can sometimes feel like being wrong" and perhaps that's how it is with the 4xe, but at least Jeep Australia is giving the large SUV hybrid realm a good ol' try.

* Former CarsGuide Big Kohuna, Glen Knowles.

The company's first plug-in hybrid, the Grand Cherokee 4xe, is not perfect by anyone's standards, however, it is a definite move in the right direction.

It's a quiet and refined drive, it retains the brand's renowned 4WD capability, and even its hefty price-tag likely won't dissuade Jeep loyalists from giving it a go.

The Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon is an impressive four-wheel drive. This five-seat off-roader is stacked with features, is very capable off-road and it's actually not atrocious on-road. But its price will deter a lot of people and those who buy into the Grenadier lifestyle have to be prepared to endure some compromises and discomfort along the way… because this is not for everyone. And that’s kind of the point.

This is a new old-school 4WD – a niche within a niche – and while it’s bursting at the seams with an abundance of quirky features, those quirks may quickly lose their appeal and become annoyances. A lot of people will buy the Grenadier because they like the idea of it, but the reality of living with it day to day – or any old-school 4WD, for that matter – may be uncomfortable for them, similar to all of those people who bought a camper-trailer during COVID only to realise they hated camping.

When all is said and done, the Grenadier is a retro-cool 4WD with solid off-road capability.

As with any vehicle, some will like it, some won’t, and some simply won’t care all that much. 

The 4xe certainly has a distinctive Jeep look to it.

A few exterior design cues hint at its PHEV leanings: the plug-in point on the front left-hand panel and a ‘4xe’ designation on the rear door.

In terms of its design, you're either going to love the Grenadier or not. This is a big, tall, chunky four-wheel drive, with plenty of presence about it and if that’s your cup of tea you’re in luck.

This Grenadier is 4855mm long (with a 2922mm wheelbase), 1930mm wide, 2050mm high and a listed kerb weight starting from 2150kg, depending on how many accessories you have onboard.

In Trialmaster guise, this Grenadier has a raised air intake, sidesteps, big steel wheels and all of the sort of stuff that screams, "Hey, look at me. I'm an off-roader!”.

The interior is spare enough to retain the spirit of adventure the Grenadier so wants to conjure but with plenty of comfort and features on offer (more about those aspects in the next section).

But the Recaro seats, the profusion of buttons, knobs and dials, and this 4WD’s abundance of quirky design cues, all more than a bit of a novelty, combine to set this interior apart from the mainstream 4WD market.

It’s a military-style cockpit, but in a good way; this is a snug cabin replete with textured surfaces and durable materials, and again the dash and ceiling are seemingly peppered with controls.

So, in the design stakes, the Grenadier has it all over most rivals, except perhaps the Toyota LandCruiser 76 Series wagon, which also exudes old-school cool.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV retains the regular model’s level of functionality but adds a reasonably classy touch to everything.

All seats offer adequate comfort, support and room.

There are plenty of storage spaces, cupholders etc, and charging points - two USB-A and two USB-C plus a 12V socket in the front and two USB-A and two USB-C plus a 230V point in the back.

Controls are generally easy enough to locate and operate although some buttons are positioned in awkward places – including drive-mode buttons under the steering wheel – and it sometimes takes a few finger-stabs at the multimedia touchscreen to get to where you want to go in the operating system.

In terms of packability, the rear cargo area has a listed 1067 litres of space, and, with the second row folded and out of the way, that space opens up to 2004 litres.

There is a lot to like about the Grenadier cabin when considered through a lens focused on practicality and comfort.

I’ve revised my opinion on the Grenadier’s all-around practicality since I last tested the Quartermaster Trialmaster and, as a result, have uprated it from 7.0 to 8.0 – but it’s important to note here that our test vehicle is equipped with plenty of extra-cost add-ons which have helped bolster the cabin’s rating.

The interior is set up for the messiness of day-to-day life, with an abundance of hard plastic and other durable surfaces everywhere. Its big chunky rubber mats all cop a bit of a beating, but remember those come at an extra cost ($381, at time of writing).

The seats in the front and back – all Recaro – are comfortable, as you get plenty of room everywhere, and while the control panel is a bit of a confusion of dials and knobs and buttons, if you give yourself a time to get used to it you should be fine.

The Grenadier Station Wagon is a five-seater and with all five seats in use, there is a fair amount of space at the back for all of your gear. I had my vehicle-recovery gear in here, MaxTrax, two air compressors and there's plenty of space available.

The rear cargo space has a durable, hard plastic floor and that cargo area is equipped with movable tie-down points in the walls and fixed tie-down points on each wall and a 12-volt socket.

It's made for real life, it’s ready for dirt and mud and mess, so it's not too bad. For all-round robust practicality, the Grenadier bests its rivals.

The Grenadier station wagon is available in three spec levels: the entry-grade Station Wagon, the Fieldmaster Edition and the Trialmaster Edition.

We’re testing a Trialmaster, which has a starting price of $120,000, before on-road costs, but our test vehicle has $26,322 worth of accessories onboard, which push its as-tested price up past the $145,000 mark.

Standard features include a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), Recaro front seats and front, centre and rear diff locks.

On the exterior, our test vehicle has solid paint ($1155), contrast roof – Scottish White ($3450), exterior utility belt (mounting rail system), 18-inch steel wheels ($1580), safari windows ($2900), privacy glass ($770), differential locks front and rear, a raised air intake, Class III 1- 7/8-inch NAS tow hitch and electrics, winch electrical prep ($595), integrated 5.5-tonne front winch ($5395), spare wheel lockable storage box ($525) and an access ladder at the rear. It also has a 'roo bar' (bull bar - $2720), side runners ($1600) and a tailgate table ($636).

Exterior paint colours include standard Britannia Blue (solid) or you can choose from Scottish White (solid, $1155), Magic Mushroom (solid, $1155), Eldoret Blue (solid, $1155 – on our test vehicle), Sela Green (solid, $1155), Inky Black (solid, $1155), Devil Red (solid, $1315), Shale Blue (metallic, $1520), Queen's Red (metallic, $1520), Donny Grey (metallic, $1520) and Sterling Silver (metallic, $1520).

On the inside, our test vehicle has leather trim ($3900), heated seats ($715) Nappa leather driver’s pack, a lockable central stowage box, auxiliary battery, front seat-back storage nets, compass with altimeter, ambient door and puddle lighting, auxiliary charge points, interior utility rails, high load auxiliary switch panel and electrical preparation and rubber floor mats ($381).

The Grenadier more than matches rivals such as the Land Rover Defender 110, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Toyota LandCruiser 76 Series wagon in terms of standard features for the price.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-charged petrol engine, two electric motors (one on each axle) and a 17.3kWh battery.

Combined engine and electric outputs for power and torque are 280kW and 637Nm, respectively. The 4xe has it over any of its stablemates equipped with the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine because that yields 210kW and 344Nm.

The 4xe has an eight-speed automatic torque-converter transmission and regenerative braking.

Drive modes include 'Hybrid' (with combined engine and electric motor providing “maximum instant torque and impressive acceleration”, according to Jeep), 'Electric' (“zero emissions”) and 'eSave' (aims to save battery power). 

There are a few options available when it comes time to charge the 4xe.

The 4xe vehicle has a Mode 2 charging cable so you can charge it at home in less than 10 hours, according to Jeep.

With a full charge, the 4xe has a claimed driving range, on electric charge alone, of 52km.

Jeep reckons a Mode 3 (wall box) single-phase electric vehicle charger will fully charge the 4xe in less than three hours.

If out and about and looking for a charge, a 4xe driver can use the onboard 'UConnect' system to locate an appropriate public charging station.

The Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon Trialmaster is available with either a BMW 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (producing 210kW at 4750rpm and 450Nm at 1750-4000rpm) or a BMW 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – producing 183kW at 3250-4200rpm and 550Nm at 1250rpm-3000rpm.

Our test vehicle has the diesel. This Grenadier has an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and a dual transfer case (high- and low-range 4WD), as well as a front, centre and rear diff lock – those are Trialmaster-level features.

This is a nicely refined engine-and-auto combination that does, however, take some urging to keep this big blocky beast on the move but, all in all, it offers a decent punch of torque across a wide rev range when needed while 4WDing.

It may not be overly slick or smooth, but the Grenadier’s engine and auto at least put it on a par with the likes of the Toyota LandCruiser 76 Series.

As mentioned, the 4xe has a listed electric-only driving range of 52km.

On our official test day, we drove just under 50km on a full electric charge and then the rest of the trip was courtesy of the good ol’ petrol engine.

Jeep's official figure for the combined cycle is just 3.2L/100km, but that's predicated on keeping the hybrid battery charged at all times. On fuel-only we recorded 11.6L/100km.

The 4xe has a 72-litre fuel tank (you need 95RON premium to fill it), so going by that on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect to get a driving range of about 620km out of a full tank.

Add an approximate electric range of about 50km on a full charge to that figure and you have a total estimated driving range of 670km.

Fuel consumption for the Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon with the diesel engine is listed as 10.5L/100km, and that's on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle.

On this test, which included a lot of high- and low-range 4WDing, I recorded 12.2L/100km. 

This vehicle has a 90-litre fuel tank so, going by my on-test fuel consumption figures, from a full tank, you could reasonably expect a driving range of almost 740km.

The diesel Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon has a 17-litre AdBlue tank, which you’ll have to top-up as required.

None of its rivals are particularly impressive in terms of fuel efficiency, so the Grenadier holds it owns here.

We’re all time-poor, right? So, why should I take up your time and rattle on about the 4xe for a thousand words when I can get the essence of it across to you, the reader, in a few sentences? Call me, Mr Thoughtful.

This is generally a big, quiet and refined, easy-steering large SUV, but it feels bulky at times and tends to be quite fussy on irregular surfaces, exhibiting a jittery ride on even brief sections of light corrugations on dirt tracks.

The 4xe’s PHEV set-up is smooth and highly responsive on-road and you can switch between the aforementioned drive modes to suit the circumstance.

Driving range on electric only is listed as 52km. I only recorded a total distance of just under 50km, and it’s a very quiet and smooth drive while relying on electric power.

It regenerates power rather quickly down big hills and via braking, but we’d exhausted all electric charge by the time we’d reached our 4WD test track.

As expected, this Grand Cherokee tackled every off-road challenge without any strife. 

The air suspension, set to full off-road height, is a bonus.

Our 4WD test track consists of difficult set-pieces, including one small steep rocky hill that I’ve seen heavily modified vehicles struggle to conquer and, to the Jeep’s credit, it climbed the incline, no sweat.

The 4xe’s efforts were only ever hampered by its 'all-season' Continental CrossContact tyres (275/45R21) which are much better suited to blacktop driving and the fact the 4xe costs upwards of $129,950 and I didn’t want to risk any damage to it.

The 4xe has a listed wading depth of 610mm but our test track was dry so I never had the chance to do any water crossings. 

The Grand Cherokee has a solid enough rep as a towing vehicle but, take note, the 4xe is rated to tow 2722kg.

There’s a pleasant surprise in store for you if you haven’t been in an Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon before. It's not terrible on road, it’s actually quite nice to drive.

Keep your expectations in check, though. This is after all a tall, blocky four-wheel drive wagon, so there is wind noise around the mirrors and the straight up-and-down windscreen and there is some tyre noise, especially from the Trialmaster’s BFG all-terrain tyres. But overall, it's not too bad.

You have to constantly make minor corrections in the steering to keep this chunky mongrel in line, and it takes some urging to get moving, but otherwise it is quite reasonable on sealed surfaces.

However, this one of those vehicles that is, of course, best exercised off-road. And the news is mostly good.

An impressive over-arching aspect about this vehicle is the fact you can drive it straight out of the dealership into some challenging 4WD-only terrain and you shouldn't have a problem as long as you drive it with consideration. This Grenadier is pretty much fully kitted out for hardcore four-wheel driving – or as close as you can get to it in a standard (albeit very well-equipped) off-roader.

The six-cylinder, as mentioned, works well with the eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s a punchy combination, but not over the top.

It has impressive low-range gearing, plenty of torque on tap, quietly effective driver-assist tech (including hill descent control), and, in this Grenadier, you have front, centre and rear diff locks, so all of those factors help to make this a willing and able four-wheel drive.

As well, off-road angles (36.2-degree approach, 36.1 departure and 28.2 ramp-over) all check out for a vehicle of this size. Ground clearance is a listed 264mm, wading depth is 800mm and if you happen to touch earth with the undercarriage of this vehicle it has solid underbody protection for such occasions. There are, however, some trade-offs worth noting.

The tweaked steering still lacks the pinpoint precision that is handy, especially when you're four-wheel driving. It has a very floaty ride on road because it is a big vehicle and it's more at home in a four-wheel drive scenario.

You have to drive this vehicle with plenty of mechanical sympathy, it has to be used with reasonable use in mind. This is after all $150,000 worth of rolling machinery and if you want to keep it as new, then you'd better drive it with care.

And, while that underbody is well protected, it needs to be because it’s quite vulnerable to tree roots, rocks, rocky steps and any other kind of natural hazard you may encounter in the bush.

Also, like any decent old-school-style four-wheel drive that's worth its salt, engaging the diff locks requires some patience, because it’s a process that has to be done in a strict sequence. First, engage the centre diff, then the rear and then the front. The diff lock buttons are on the ceiling control panel so give yourself time to get your head around it and you’ll be fine. This vehicle demands your attention because it is a real driver-focused experience, which is great.

If you plan to use your Grenadier station wagon as a tow vehicle, it’s handy to know its capacities are 750kg (unbraked trailer) and 3500kg (braked).

The Grenadier matches or betters its rivals in terms of on- and off-road driving.

The Ineos Grenadier Station Wagon Trialmaster does not have an ANCAP safety rating because it has not been tested.

As standard, it has six airbags, electronic stability and traction control, tyre-pressure monitoring, and park assist front and rear. It does not have AEB (Auto Emergency Braking), adaptive cruise control or blind-spot monitoring. It does have a rear-view camera, but the screen is small.

As part of the most recent updates, its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) have been upgraded for the modern market to include one-touch deactivation of the audible Intelligent Speed Assist alert via the touchscreen.

Though it does not have an ANCAP rating, the Grenadier has a comprehensive list of safety gear.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a five-year/100,000km warranty and a lifetime roadside assist service.

Servicing is set at 12-month/12,000km intervals and capped price servicing keeps what you pay for each appointment at $399 for the first five.

The Ineos Grenadier Trialmaster Station Wagon is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty.

No capped price servicing is available and service intervals are scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs soonest, and total cost for the five years is $5992 for the diesel and $5832 for the petrol.

At time of writing, there are 16 approved INEOS Automotive dealerships in Australia.

If you buy a big 4WD you should expect big 4WD ownership costs, right? The Grenadier remains competitive with its rivals in this space.