Lexus NX vs Ineos Grenadier

What's the difference?

So, is the cheapest Lexus NX the grade you’d skip? Depends on where you live and drive.

If you’re urban based and bound, save up a bit more and go the petrol-electric hybrid; otherwise, out on country roads especially, the spirited and sporty NX 250 is more than up to the task.

Either way, though, the latest NX is finally fit to fight the other premium brands’ medium SUV efforts, head on and held up high. Welcome to big mid league, Lexus.

Ignore or underestimate at your own peril, everybody else.

The moral of the story here is not to confuse traditional thinking with flawed thinking. Just because an analogue concept has been around in a fast-moving, electronically-driven industry for a while, doesn’t mean it can’t still be relevant in special circumstances. And as an off-roader, the Grenadier is among the very best of them.

Yes, the Ineos suffers to an extent as a road car because of its off-road bias, but owner familiarity will likely be the key to those compromises fading into the background over time.

Meantime, it’s also true that the original design brief of the Grenadier has been diluted a little as market research and safety realities forced an extra layer of complexity on to some of the major systems.

But even the vehicle’s systems that have remained analogue or old-school have forced their own technology into the frame. The live front axle, for instance, forced the use of recirculating ball steering rather than rack-and-pinion, while Ineos also insisted on the more complex (but arguably more reliable) hydraulic power steering rather over a simpler electric set-up.

Look closely and it’s easy to see how keeping a car rugged and serviceable can become a technically involved process. Simplicity, it seems, can easily breed complexity. It was probably Dolly Parton who put it best when she said, "It costs a lot of money to look this cheap".

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals and accommodation provided.

Lexus says that nearly one million of the original-shape NX versions were produced, so there’s no way that the brand was going to mess with the styling of the latest version. Which explains why picking new from old is a serious case of trainspotting.

But that migration to the TNGA GA-K platform has brought some benefits from a design point of view. The styling now breathes more, especially when viewed rear-on, thanks to a body that’s 20mm longer and wider, as well as a handy 30mm wheelbase stretch.

Drilling into the details, the headlights have an LED ‘tick’ motif, the corporate ‘spindle’ grille isn’t as in your face and the rear gains ‘LEXUS’ lettering spelled out, probably to accentuate stance.

Crisp and elegant, the design works well. This is a handsome machine. Looks expensive too.

This is where the Grenadier makes its statement. It’s resolutely old school with engineering designed to survive the roughest off-road conditions rather than pamper or flatter its occupants.

That starts with the basic construction; a ladder chassis onto which is bolted the body. This is how all off-roaders used to be made and while it has limitations in refinement and weight terms, it’s still an effective way to build something with lots of wheel articulation and strength.

Wheel articulation is also the job of the solid axles front and rear. While having independent suspension is great for ride control and comfort, solid axles allow the maximum wheel travel which is what off-roading is all about. Coil springs, rather than leaf springs, are about the only concession to comfort.

The four-wheel drive system is also traditional with a high and low-range gear set that works permanently in four-wheel drive.

A locking centre differential that works in high and low-range is standard and front and rear diff locks are optional. The Grenadier also complies with the old adage that a proper off-roader has a minimum of two gear-sticks, and not a rotary gear-selector knob in sight.

Even the steering system is aimed at off-road prowess with almost four turns lock-to-lock.

Such a slow ratio suits off-road work where large steering inputs are more likely to get you into trouble than out of it.

And while we now live in a world where power steering is almost always electrically-assisted, the Ineos sticks with hydraulic assistance in the name of reliability and durability and restricting electronics only to where they are essential.

The cabin, too, is distinctly retro with analogue gauges wherever possible and large, tactile switchgear.

But it’s also novel in layout terms with most of the information displayed on the 12.3-inch central info-screen and the area directly in front of the driver kept clear to maximise the view ahead.

The roof-mounted switch panel recalls aircraft practice and, with the Fieldmaster’s glass roof panels in place, the view is reminiscent of sitting in a military helicopter. Mounting electrical gear in the roof also keeps it out of the water during deep river crossings.

Much has been written, meanwhile, about the exterior of the Grenadier. Mainly that it looks like a copy of the old Land Rover Defender. 

But Ineos has previously, er, defended this, claiming that when you design a car purely for functionality, its exterior will usually look something like this.

As it is, the body with its exposed door hinges (although the bolts are fake) short front and rear overhangs and even the utility belt (from which accessories can be slung) are all business.

The rough-and-tough angle even extends to details like the tyres’ valve stems which are metal rather than traditional rubber as a means of making them stronger and less likely to be damaged.

This is a thoroughly considered vehicle.

Though distinctively attractive and obviously well built, the previous NX was quite small for a medium-sized SUV inside, with tight rear legroom.

It also had a nonsense mouse-operated multimedia controller that was fiddly, annoying and counter-intuitive to use.

Thankfully, the new-from-the-ground-up design has rectified both these issues in the latest version.

Now the NX is properly medium-sized, and so easier to get in and out of, as well as palpably roomier front and rear. Employing the RAV4’s TNGA architecture results in a lower and roomier cabin, that benefits all in terms of packaging.

Being the entry-level 250, you might not expect much in terms of interior presentation or style, but Lexus Australia’s product planners have been deft in specifying this grade to make it look luxurious and on-brand.

Body-hugging bolstered perforated leather front bucket seats, in our example finished in a black/cream hue with orange stitching, belie the base-grade reality of the 250. This scheme is also found on the centre console, armrest and door cards, lifting the ambience no end. It looks, feels and smells expensive in here.

The only thing that seems to be missing is a smartphone charger. That's part of a $3K option pack that also throws in a sunroof and foot-operated actuation for the electric tailgate. Not bad.

Then there’s the driving position, with an electrically-operated reach/height adjustable steering column and a multi-configurable seat to help find the right spot. All-round vision is also better than you might expect, no doubt helped out by huge exterior mirrors and a large reversing camera screen.

Typical Lexus-style classy digital instrumentation, directly ahead, are positioned in such a way that you’re not really aware of/missing the available head-up display in higher grades. Though it takes a quick amount of familiarisation, all the info there is ultimately clear and easy to take in.

The same applies to the now touch-only centre screen, which has a slick rich finish and tactility, and also encompasses the climate-control display.

Along with banishing the dreaded mouse pad, kudos to Lexus for also installing physical switches or buttons for the most-used items – audio volume, temperature setting, and front and rear window demisting.

These and the simplified sub-screen menus for navigation, wireless telephony/audio streaming, vehicle diagnoses and vehicle settings amongst other features, is quickly second-nature in their accessibility and operation. And the sound system quality is great too.  

One of our very few complaints concerns the Apple CarPlay experience, which seems needlessly complicated to return to if you temporarily switch away from it to the NX’s native multimedia system. Confusing and distracting. 

Never mind. There are minivan levels of practicality at work here, from the superb and easily manipulated ventilation system to the seemingly endless storage options, that include bottle holder capability in the doors, a clever lid operation for the huge centre console and properly engineered cupholders.

Lovely lush materials of satisfying quality are further plus points.

We’re also fans of the NX’s electric door opening system with a failsafe handle, meaning you can grasp the door handle inside or out and a solenoid activated by a press in of a thumb releases the door quickly and naturally in a single action; it feels… upmarket and ergonomic once accustomed to.

Accessing the back seat is easy due to the latest model’s larger proportions. Much of the same applies out back as the front seat area in terms of quality of finish and attention to detail. Sculptured and enveloping backrests (adjustable for two reclining positions), a well-padded cushion and more-than-sufficient space for two burly adults or three smaller people means this NX is more family friendly than the swoopy exterior styling suggests.

We’re also happy to find large people-facing air vents, two USB and a 12V outlets, one-touch electric windows with that premium-car soft close mechanism, overhead LED lights, grab handles, centre armrest with cupholders, map storage behind both front seats, coat hooks and good lines of vision further enhance the appealing and comfortable back seat environment. It feels like a Lexus should.

Further back than that, after releasing the electric tailgate via either an interior button or exterior switch, you’ll find that the boot has a fairly high loading lip, but then offsets this with a long, flat floor with matching levels of appropriate-quality finishes. Another 12V plug and two bag hooks are included, along with ample lighting and tie-down hooks. There’s also a hidden deep storage compartment underneath the floor, due to the discontinuation of a spare wheel (due to runflat tyres, remember).

Capacity is rated at a fairly ordinary 520 litres, extending to 1411L with the split/fold backrests folded. You’d expect a remote actuation for the latter like Mazda wagons have had for decades, but none is found at this price point.

Note there is no solid cargo cover either, just a flexible/flimsy fabric item that’s foldable and easily stored.

Overall, though, despite of its base positioning within the NX hierarchy, the 250's interior experience is in keeping with the brand's image.

This is, of course, the Grenadier’s reason for existing in the first place. With a mantra of 'Everything you need, nothing you don’t' the Ineos attempts to be as competent, capable and practical as possible within the parameters of a car that has to also be useable, day-to-day comfortable, safe and legal.

Like a lot of high-riding vehicles, getting in and out of the relatively small door openings is not as simple as it might be. Sometimes it seems as though the side-steps are your friend, other times they exist only to smear mud all over your legs.

But once you’re in, the almost vertical windscreen and side glass keep the sun at bay and the front seats seem to be designed for big people which is a nice change.

The tilt and reach-adjustable steering column means everyone can get comfy and even though the back seat feels a bit firm in the cushion, the backrest angle is pretty agreeable.

It’s also nice to see that Ineos has used a proper gearstick with linkages for the high-low range shifter rather than a rotary knob to control an electric motor.

The plethora of tie-down points in the luggage compartment is great but we do wonder about the use of some fairly hard plastics around the cabin, and how they’ll look in a couple of years.

The luggage space is adequate but not hugely generous and while the rear seats do fold down, the location of the battery beneath them means they sit up a bit and don’t form a flat floor.

An accessory drawer system for the load space should fix that, however, raising the floor height to match the folded seats.

Maximum load volume behind the first row in the Utility Wagon is 2088 litres dropping to 2035L in the Station Wagon. Load volume in the wagon with the second row upright is 1152 litres.

There’s lot of evidence of careful thought in the way the Grenadier is laid out and equipped, including a roof that can cope with a rooftop tent or a decent load (hence the ladder) and flat front mudguards that form an impromptu work-bench or, if you add the optional checker-plate sections, a look-out post capable of supporting 150kg.

The 30/70 split tailgate has an optional drop-down work-bench when open but the smaller section is a bit narrow for gaining easy access to your luggage without also opening the larger side.

Other quibbles include the driver’s foot-rest which is huge and placed at a truly bizarre angle, and the small reverse camera screen.

Grouping all the instruments in the centre stack might be good for left- and right-hand drive production, but it means you have to take your eyes off the road to read the digital speedo. A head-up display in front of the driver would be much better.

You might want to find a comfy seat for this, because it all gets a it involved as a brand-new model with a broad array of possible configurations. But let’s start from here.

The Ineos is available initially as the Grenadier station wagon, and within that bodyshell, in three distinct specifications.

The first is the base Grenadier trim which is aimed at fleet buyers and misses out on things like extra auxiliary power outlets, the compass and altimeter, some interior tie-downs, front and rear diff locks, the rear access ladder and even the spare-wheel cover.

However, it does get the centre diff lock, choice of petrol or diesel power, 17-inch allow wheels, a Nappa leather tiller, hose-out interior, and bash plates.

On top of that, pretty much everything that’s not included can be optioned into the Base variant, thanks to the built-to-order nature of the production process.

From there, the range splits down two distinct paths. There’s the Trialmaster aimed at the very roughest, toughest terrain and the identically priced Fieldmaster which aims for a slightly more pampering experience for day-to-day comfort and convenience.

On that basis, the Trialmaster sticks with 17-inch allows, but wraps them in Goodrich KO2 all-terrain tyres. This model also gets the utility-belt which allows accessories to be slung off the vehicle’s sides, front and rear electric diff locks, a snorkel, the Ineos tow-pack and a dual battery set-up with the batteries located under the rear seat.

The Fieldmaster, on the other hand, gets 18-inch alloys (with locking nuts for security) leather trim, heated front seats, carpet and a premium sound system.

But again, more or less everything from the diff locks to the K02 tyres can be optioned on to the Fieldmaster and it seems pretty unlikely any two Grenadiers will be identical.

But, as they say on the TV adverts, that’s not all. Because if you don’t need the Grenadier station-wagon’s levels of comfort, there’s a cheaper alternative called the Grenadier Utility Wagon which does away with the rear side windows for solid panels and, interestingly, can be had as a two- or five-seater.

With cargo barriers and a hose-out interior it’s designed to be the workhorse option.

That said, like the station wagon variant, the Utility Wagon comes with the same trim level options and can be optioned right up to any level, including substituting side windows for the solid panels. Yes, it’s complex.

So is the pricing structure once you’ve factored in those options, but as it stands with no accessories or options, the range kicks off with the Utility Wagon base variant two-seater at $109,000 with either the petrol or diesel engine.

The Utility Wagon Trialmaster and Fieldmaster two-seaters are the same $122,000 regardless of which engine you choose.

Move up to the five-seat Station Wagon version and the base model lands at $110,000, leaving the Trialmaster and Fieldmaster at an identical $123,000.

There are two ways of looking at this.

Yes, the NX 250 is powered by a variation of the same engine found in the humble base Camry Ascent in Australia at almost half the price. On the other hand, it’s a Toyota powertrain and everything that’s good and reliable and dependable about that. Which is not always the case with premium SUVs.

Dubbed Dynamic Force, which may imply forced-induction like a turbo or supercharger but there isn’t any, the 2487cc 2.5-litre naturally aspirated direct-injection D-4S twin-cam four-cylinder engine delivers 152kW of power at 6600rpm and 243Nm of torque at between 4000rpm to 5000rpm.

Drive is sent to the front wheels only, via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic. Tipping the scales at a pretty hefty 1705kg, it’s nonetheless the lightest NX, and manages a power-to-weight ratio of 89.1kW per tonne. That’s about the same as a GLC 200, which uses a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine.

This is probably the one area where the Ineos can claim to be a product of modern thinking. And that’s because the engine choices – a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol or diesel – and the eight-speed automatic transmission are all sourced from BMW and ZF, respectively.

Both engines use four-valve-per-cylinder technology and while the petrol boasts 210kW of power and 450Nm of torque.

The diesel isn’t far behind in the power race with 183kW, but trumps the petrol version for torque with 550Nm. Interestingly, the turbo-diesel engine uses all alloy construction, which, while now common in petrol units, is more of a novelty in the diesel world.

The eight-speed transmission feeds into the two-speed transfer-case where it’s sent to each axle via the permanent all-wheel drive system.

Ineos claims either version will get to 100km/h in under 10 seconds and top speed, in deference to the tyres as much as anything, has been limited to 160km/h.

Approach, departure and ramp-over angles are all among the best in the business and Ineos claims a safe wading depth of 800mm. The optional snorkel air-intake is likely to be a very popular addition among Australian buyers.

Rated Euro6b, the NX 250 demands 95 RON premium unleaded petrol. Same as Camry, actually,

We recorded a decent 9.7 litres per 100km during our time using the NX 250 in city, urban and rural conditions, against the trip computer’s 9.5L/100km and the official combined average of just 6.9L/100km.

Note this may be so because there was a lot of fast back-road driving, as the engine loves a rev and there’s a palpable wave of power that comes on strongly between 5000rpm and 6500rpm. A bit like Mazda’s naturally-aspirated units, but just not as sonorous.

At 55 litres, the fuel tank will allow for up to 797km based on the combined average cycle between refills.

The official combined cycle fuel economy figures for the petrol and diesel engines respectively are 12.6 litres per 100km and 10.5 litres per 100km.

Realistically, these will be your highway consumption figures and the relatively hefty and aerodynamically blunt Grenadier will never be a fuel sipper. Hitch up a big caravan and use most of the vehicle’s 3500kg towing capacity and that consumption will blow out massively.

As it is, the 90-litre fuel tank should give the petrol model a cruising range of 715km or so, while the diesel should achieve closer to 850km.

It’s worth noting, too, that the diesel version uses AdBlue, so factor that, as well as the currently higher cost of diesel over petrol, into running costs.

The NX 250 truly is a tale of two cars.

Around town, it is utterly capable and benign. The 2.5-litre atmo four-pot petrol unit is a revvy, raucous sort of engine, pulling away strongly off the line, responding quickly to pressing down on the throttle, shuffling up through seven of the lower gears smoothly (top is a highway overdrive), and generally being an easy vehicle to drive.

About the only concern is how noisy the engine can become if you’re needing to accelerate hard, with a definite mechanical zing that gives the Lexus a bit of a hoon attitude. We’re also a little hesitant about using the Sport mode in built-up areas, as ratios are held on to whether up or down shifting, amplifying the loud nature of this powertrain.

Other aspects of the NX 250’s driveability around town rate highly: light yet linear steering, with a tight turning circle providing easy manoeuvrability and parking; firm yet still absorbent suspension, offering an appropriately isolating ride over most bad road surfaces; and an overall sense of sound engineering. It seems quieter than an equivalent RAV4, more importantly.

Which led us to initially conclude that, in an urban environment, you’d naturally pay the extra $3K for the NX 250 Hybrid, to eliminate that noisy engine when pushing down hard on the throttle. Easy.

However, then we ventured out on a long rural drive, a few couple of hundred kilometres from the big city. On country roads, the NX 250 really sparks up in a most compelling way.

Yes, the engine is still a bit rowdy, but as the revs rise and the needle edges near the 6800rpm red line, the Lexus just keeps on building up speed rapidly, providing an unexpectedly sporty edge. Above 5000rpm this thing still has plenty of oomph, relying on a deep well of power to really extend its legs.

It also makes sense to slot the auto lever into manual, and use the finely positioned paddle shifters. That’s when you’re most aware of the gearbox being a torque-converter auto, with defined and assertive selections. It’s a good way to feel involved in the experience too.

Actually, as a mechanical ensemble, it all comes together at speed; that light and easy steering remains relaxed yet reactive, weighing up nicely if you choose Sport. The handling maintains a fluid, connected feel, with ample levels of grip from the Bridgestone tyres.

It occurred to us that driving the NX 250 Hybrid out on rural backroads would deny the enthusiast of the base model’s lightness and agility, since the latter weighs hundreds of kilos less; the brakes are perfectly modulated instead of feeling vaguely mushy and/or trigger happy as with many electrified SUVs; and – even with the road noise being well-supressed – you’re far less aware that the atmo petrol engine is singing loudly at speed.

Plus, the ride out in the sticks, even on our craggy old test strip that would jar the bones of some other midsized SUVs, remains calm and comfortably firm. That’s real progress for the NX.

We’d appreciate a bit more nuance in the way the stability control kicks in (quite late) to catch the tail; while the driver-assist tech like the adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist do their jobs admirably, the latter’s constant chiming can be annoying; and there's a fair amount of road-noise intrusion over coarse bitumen. Like most midsized luxury SUVs, actually. Still quieter than a RAV4, though.

No jarring faults then. Lexus has done its homework and fixed most of the things that annoyed or infuriated us about the previous generation version. Good work.

The first impression when jumping behind the Grenadier’s wheel is that the vehicle is super easy to place accurately at the front.

That’s because the two front corners are easily visible (thanks to the bluff, bull-nose front) and you sit nice and high.

In fact, the Ineos has the knack of immediately feeling smaller than it is, which is a great confidence booster for somebody new to off-roaders.

The steering also helps make a good first impression with no trace of looseness despite the slow ratio and almost four turns lock-to-lock.

The turning circle is also vast, and all of this makes the Grenadier anything but a car to hustle along a twisty road, but the pay-off is when you’re off-road.

In the bush is where this vehicle hits its straps, of course, and take it as read that this thing will go anywhere any other off-roader with number plates will take you.

The live axles give superb wheel articulation (at the expense of a little body roll on the bitumen) and that slow steering makes for accurate wheel placement in low-range going.

The coil springs only add to the wheel articulation, but there’s a small degree of impact harshness on patchy bitumen as a trade-off. We’d happily live with that.

And when you finally do run out of articulation and the Grenadier starts to spins its wheels on loose surfaces and at mind-blowing angles, you simply grab the lever for the centre differential lock and continue on.

And if that’s not enough (provided you’ve optioned them) the front and rear locking diffs turn the vehicle into the next best thing to a bulldozer.

The Ineos is also the car that proves petrol and diesel technologies are getting closer and closer to each other.

The diesel is smooth, refined and quiet, while the petrol’s twin-scroll turbocharger means it grunts like a diesel used to. Our choice would, then, probably be the diesel if only for its greater fuel economy and range.

The eight-speed transmission does a great job on- and off-road and is calibrated separately for the latter with the ability to second guess what’s going on and hold gears where necessary.

We’d still like to see paddle-shifters, however, as the standard T-bar shifter doesn’t allow for the sort of instinctive ratio swapping sometimes required off road.

The Grenadier is a bit of a mixed bag in safety terms with some important driver aids not available. But you do get aids such as autonomous emergency braking, stability control, hill assist, hill descent and lane departure warning.

But you won’t find blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert or adaptive cruise-control.

The Ineos also lacks the increasingly common centre air-bag and makes do with six bags, including full-length side curtain air-bags.

Driver drowsiness warning and tyre-pressure monitoring are included on all Grenadiers. Crucially, too, the reversing camera is standard on all models.

The vehicle has not been independently crash tested by ANCAP, and the Australian distributor says there are no plans to do so.

Since the beginning of 2021, Lexus offers a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assistance. It used to be four years.

Service intervals are at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

The NX also includes three years and 45,000km of capped-price servicing, with each one costing $495 – and as we’ve noticed in the recent past, that is very highly competitive pricing for a luxury brand.

Plus, there’s also Lexus’ ‘Encore’ aftersales subscription program offering myriad offers and services.

The Grenadier is covered by a factory five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. The chassis and body components are also covered by a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.

Service intervals are every 12 months or six months in the case of a vehicle being used in harsh conditions.