With the much-anticipated Ineos Grenadier making its debut in the market, competition is hotting up for vehicles that combine strong off-road credentials with dedicated load-carrying space aft of the front seats.
It joins an expanded range of Land Rover Defenders and an additional spec option for the Discovery Commercial.
See also: First drive: Land Rover’s commercial-spec Defender Hard Top
At the other end of the size and sophistication scale, the limited number of Suzuki Jimny Commercials allocated to the UK have all been sold, but it remains in the guide as dealers are hopeful that supplies will resume in 2023.
In this year’s listings, four-wheel-drive light vans – which these days are civilised enough for personal as well as commercial use – are included; namely, the Vauxhall Combo 4×4 and Volkswagen Caddy Cargo 4Motion.
This reflects their purpose-built ability to carry loads and to venture off road or cope more confidently with rural winter driving conditions – an ideal combination for a diversified farm business needing a delivery vehicle but not the greater off-road ability and ground clearance of an SUV.
Vauxhall Combo
The Vauxhall is a conversion by traction experts at Dangel in France that, in addition to a transfer case, clutch, propshaft and new rear axle arrangement, pays attention to the suspension and steering.
When “auto 4wd” is selected on a dial, the transmission sends an amount of torque to the rear wheels if loss of traction is detected at the fronts, and rear-axle drive can be permanently engaged in more demanding conditions.
A limited-slip diff can be added, along with underbody protection for the fuel tank and rear axle, and a lift giving 205mm of ground clearance – 20mm more than standard.
Vauxhall’s Combo Cargo 4×4 adds on-demand or locked four-wheel drive © Vauxhall
Volkswagen Caddy
VW’s all-new Caddy Cargo comes with a mid-range 2-litre turbodiesel and six-speed manual gearbox when equipped with 4Motion four-wheel drive, which engages when the front wheels lose grip.
It is available on the regular-wheelbase Cargo and also the longer Maxi version that can be equipped with one or two side access doors. Three equipment levels are available, giving a choice of how civilised the vehicle is to operate.
Drive to the rear wheels cuts in as needed on VW’s Caddy Cargo 4Motion © Volkswagen
Dacia Duster
Hill descent control and a locking centre diff are available for Dacia’s latest Duster Commercial 4×4 © Dacia Duster
The latest version of Dacia’s Duster Commercial also makes it into the guide in four-wheel drive form, and now with a choice of two spec and equipment levels.
The higher-spec Expression model brings practical features such as electronic hill descent control and a locking centre differential for added tractive performance, as well as a rear camera and parking sensors.
There is a flat floor, steel bulkhead and steel upper guard in the Duster Commercial’s load space © Dacia Duster
Land Rover Defender
Despite its practical, high-sided, rubber matted cabin interior, Land Rover’s Defender Hard Top is pretty refined – even in its most basic form.
Short wheelbase Defender 90 Hard Top now matches the 110 Hard Top spec and engine options © Land Rover
It sports six-cylinder power with electric motor support, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and full-time four-wheel drive for sure-footed travel on- and off-road.
The 200hp diesel has been dropped from the 90 Hard Top but there are more variants to match the line-up of longer wheelbase, five-door 110 Hard Top models. These are available in base, SE and HSE specifications with a 249hp inline six-pot Ingenium mild hybrid engine, and two fancier “X” spec models with the 300hp version.
All Defenders can have a host of options, including a locking rear axle diff to complement the mid-locker, air suspension for the 110 Hard Top, and multiple interior and exterior storage solutions.
Defender Hard Top has lockable storage compartments beneath the flat floor © Land Rover
Ineos Grenadier
The new five-door Grenadier is purposefully utilitarian, as emphasised by its Carraro beam axles with coil spring suspension and practicality-biased interior.
It can now be ordered online using a detailed configurator, or through a fledgling network of dealers – including agricultural dealerships Compass Tractors in Somerset, Chandlers in Lincolnshire and Lloyd in Cumbria – and comes with a five-year warranty.
The Ineos Grenadier is now available to order online or with dealers © INEOS Grenadier
A crew cab pick-up is on its way to join the five-seat Station Wagon, which is certified as a commercial vehicle, but for now there is the two-seat Utility Wagon for people wanting more load-lugging space than seating.
There are two engines: a 286hp 3-litre fuelled by petrol and a 249hp 3-litre diesel, both coupled to an eight-speed auto transmission, with full-time four-wheel drive in both high and low ratios, and a centre diff lock as standard.
Optional front and rear locking diffs are available for drivers expecting to get into some serious off-road situations, and 18in steel or alloy wheels can substitute the standard 17in steelies.
The Grenadier sits on a 2.92m wheelbase and, in Utility form, comes with a full height mesh guard at the front of the 1.51m-long flat load bay, which is accessed through one narrow and one wide rear door and the two rear side doors.
The Grenadier’s lengthy load space is fronted by a full-height mesh guard © Ineos Grenadier
