Ineos Grenadier vs Lexus LM 500H

What's the difference?

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.

The Lexus LM 500h is luxurious, comfortable, practical, easy to drive and expensive. While it may appear to be the ultimate family car, with only four seats it's limited in terms of how many kids and their friends you can carry. On top of that, the privacy screen introduces accessibility issues to the kids you wouldn't encounter on other vehicles. If you are thinking of a Lexus people mover as your next family car I'd suggest looking at the LM 350h which has seven seats and no privacy screen. If you’re looking at a business class executive van the LM 500h would be perfect. 

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.

The LM 500h doesn't look real. More like a concept vehicle with its vertical face wearing that enormous grille. Feels like if you watched it for long enough you’d catch it transforming into some kind of robot. Yet, at the same time its styling is elegant and prestigious.

I have a confession to make. I used this Lexus as my office. Its interior is that comfortable and spacious. I'm also a parent and there were times where it was the quietest place to get some work done.

It also let me observe people's reactions as they walked past with their dogs not knowing what was going on inside behind those tinted windows. The people that noticed were clearly car enthusiasts as they knew what they were looking at and couldn't pass without gaping it awe.

The LM 500h’s interior is superbly plush with thick carpets, beautiful copper metallic trim and nappa leather seats.

As I’ve said, the cockpit up front is less luxurious than the extravagant first class section in the back behind that dividing wall.

And yes, I’ve seen large screens before but nothing that stretches the width of the vehicle.

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 be able to take Lexus out of Toyota but it's very hard to take Toyota out of Lexus and this particularly applies to the practicality of the LM 500h.

Every day I discovered new compartments, tray tables and storage areas. There are so many cabinets, lockers and hidey holes that we almost left my belongings (an entire family of plushie toy capybaras) behind because there are so many places to check.

Of course, I'm talking about the rear compartment here because up front there's not much storage. In fact, it proved to be quite a problem in that I had nowhere to put my bag with somebody sitting next to me and no area behind the front seats to stow it, either.

Talking of seats, the LM 500h only has four of them, with two up front and two in the rear. Up front, the seats are supportive and large, but the rear seats - those are, well... have a look at the images.

We’re talking two large captain's chairs that look as though they’ve been removed from the first class section of a plane.

And while this might be suitable for businesses shuttling a couple of executives to and from meetings, for a family, even with two children, the extra couple of seats a third row offers would come in handy.

The LM 350h has seven seats over three rows and no privacy screen. A far better choice for families.

For device charging there are USB ports up front and in the rear. There are wireless phone chargers for those in the back seats but not up front.

The LM 500h has a cargo capacity of 752 litres with all seats in place.

The Lexus LM 500h sits at the top of its range and is without a doubt one of the most expensive people movers on Earth with its list price of $220,888.

As you would imagine the standard features list is as extensive as it is extravagant.

For starters, while the regular LM 350h has two rows of seating in the rear (seven seats all up, including the front two), the 500h has the third row removed and just two super luxurious and enormous fully reclining seats fill the entire space. It’s like a theatre back there.

That theatre theme keeps going with a media screen in the back so large it stretches the width of the vehicle. Seriously, it's a 48-inch screen to watch movies or connect to your device.

The sound system is probably the best I’ve experienced - a spine tinglingly incredible 23-speaker Mark Levinson set-up.

What else can I tell you? Those rear seats are upholstered in beautifully soft semi-aniline leather. They’re heated and ventilated with a massaging function and... ridiculously comfortable.

There’s four-zone climate control, windows which have an electronic shade that turns the glass opaque, there are wireless phone chargers in the doors and carpet throughout so thick you sink down into it as you step inside.

Our LM 500h was upholstered in the 'Solis White' leather which also brings contrasting and mesmerising copper metallic trim.

Oh, and there’s a wall with an electric glass screen that can be raised or lowered to separate the rear passengers from the driver.

I should have mentioned this earlier. The kids loved it, but these parents spent a lot of time telling the 10- and three-year old not to put the screen up again.

The rear occupants, aka the kids, can also lock the screen in place. Which they did, and so sound proof is the dividing wall that we can only just hear their uproarious laughter.

Up front, the cockpit is comfortable but it’s clear all the space and luxury is for those being driven around.

Still, the front seats are leather with heating and ventilation, there’s a 14-inch media screen and 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, plus a head-up display. Sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

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.

The LM 500h is a petrol-electric hybrid with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine which makes 202kW/460Nm and works in concert with two electric motors.

The front motor makes 64kW/292Nm and the rear makes 76kW/169Nm. The combined maximum power output of the two motors and the petrol engine is 273kW.

The LM 500h is all wheel-drive and has a six-speed automatic transmission.

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.

Lexus says after a combination of urban and open roads the LM 500h should use 6.6L/100km. In our own testing we found consumption was higher at 9.4L/100km.

Worth noting my driving environment was mainly a hilly suburban one filled with school drop offs. Achieved some personal bests this week, with one long run to Sydney’s outskirts, only to return in nightmarish peak hour traffic.

Premium (95 RON) fuel is required and the tank size is 60 litres. In theory the driving range is a smidge more than 900km, which drops to around 640km using our real-world average.

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.

Quite simply, driving the LM 500h is like piloting a limousine on stilts. Superbly comfortable, but with an elevated driving position that offers outstanding forward and side visibility, the LM 500h is an easy vehicle to drive for long periods of time.

A digital rear vision mirror means visibility behind is good and unobstructed by the privacy screen or the seats.

The drawbacks are down to the lack of space up front, with the driver’s chair limited in its ability to recline or slide back due to the bulkhead behind it.

And that's compounded by the lack of cabin storage for bags if the front passenger seat is taken.

As for the rear passengers there aren't many people movers offering this level of comfort, except perhaps the Zeekr 009.

Variable suspension that adjusts continuously keeps the vehicle composed and provides a high level of comfort for those in the rear. At the same time, the LM stays nice and flat through roundabouts while remaining civilised over speed bumps.

And then there's the acceleration, which, while not supercar-like is incredibly brisk for a van. The all-wheel drive system provides outstanding traction in wet and slippery conditions, too. 

Our family used the LM daily for everything from school runs to shopping trips and weekends away and not only was it fun to drive, our lucky rear passengers enjoyed sitting high and being able to see clearly out their windows along with the luxury of a giant movie screen.

The Lexus  LM 500h is yet to be tested by ANCAP so it doesn't have a safety assessment score. There is, however, a high level of safety tech onboard including AEB which can detect pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other vehicles, emergency steering assist, lane keeping assistance, road sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors as well as six airbags.

For child seats there are ISOFIX points and top tether anchor mounts on the two rear seats. We have a forward facing child seat and found it easy to install.

A space-saver spare wheel is located under the boot floor.

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.

Lexus covers the LM 500h with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. 

The Lexus Encore Platinum program is complimentary for LM owners for three years, providing 24-hour roadside assist, a loan vehicle or pick-up/return service at service time, 'On Demand' vehicle evaluation options, valet and airport parking benefits as well as exclusive offers and event opportunities.

Servicing is recommended annually or every 15,000 kilometres, and impressively, pricing is capped at $695 per service over five years.