INEOS Grenadier interior revealed

First images and full details of the interior of the upcoming INEOS Grenadier confirm the hard-core 4x4 wagon will sacrifice neither comfort nor in-car technology in its aim to become the most capable off-roader on the planet.

As part of its unveiling, carsales was given an exclusive up close and personal tour of the INEOS Grenadier's cabin before sales begin Down Under in July 2022.

The interior of the all-new spiritual successor for the previous-generation Land Rover Defender was inspired by aircraft, boats and even agricultural vehicles like tractors, bucking the trend of clean, minimalist cabin designs that shun buttons in favour of large infotainment screens.

Instead, the centre console and even the roof panel above the gear lever are littered with toggle switches and dials that are spaced and designed to be operated by drivers wearing thick gloves in artic conditions.

It's the same for the large 12.3-inch touch-screen infotainment system, which has a supplementary rotary dial on the centre console to ensure you don't need to de-glove to plug in your destination or engage diffs.

Speaking of infotainment, both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity will be standard, as will an off-road 'pathfinder' guidance system. But there won’t be inbuilt satellite-navigation, because INEOS says its research revealed that most drivers use their smartphones for guidance anyway.

In keeping with its working role, the entire cabin has been designed and developed for a good soaking. As standard, there's rubber floor mats and drain plugs, allowing farmers or off-roaders to hose out the interior after a hard day's work or fun, although engineers say you should still avoid pressure washing.

Deliberately engineered with long-travel, soft springs, INEOS claims the Grenadier offers good ride quality that will be at odds with other ladder-frame rivals like the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series.

It has also teamed up with Recaro to create waterproof, stain-proof and hard-wearing fabric-trimmed seats that are claimed to maximise comfort and reduce fatigue during long periods on the road or trail.

Heated and leather-clad seats will also be an option, along with a leather-covered steering wheel made out of hide usually used for saddles – and designed to wear and age with the vehicle, giving it character.

The multi-function two-spoke steering wheel also features a novel 'quiet' horn to politely warn other road users like walkers or cyclists of your approach.

Ahead of the wheel is a slim-panel screen for the speedo, but there's no heads-up display option.

INEOS says it considered a centre front seat like that available in the new Defender, but ruled it out due to poor comfort. Instead, a mechanical lever to operate the high- and low-ratio transfer case, plus a shift-by-wire gear shifter clearly borrowed from BMW, take pride of place alongside a traditional handbrake.

All Grenadiers will come with a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic as standard, which is probably fortunate because an unusual transmission tunnel intrusion sees both the brake and accelerator pedals offset to the right.

Catering for those who use their vehicles for work are optional auxiliary switches on the roof panel that can operate everything from a 2000-Watt AC converter to extra lights and equipment.

Space within the cabin seems generous, both up front and on the rear bench, with significantly more shoulder room than in an old Land Rover. Storage space is limited to a storage box under the rear seats, a lockable central cubby and two one-litre bottle holders in the doors.

Access to the rear cargo bay is via a pair of asymmetric barn doors that open wide, like those on a base-model LandCruiser. Opt for the commercial version of the Grenadier and the station wagon will swallow a Euro-sized pallet.

On the safety front, an array or airbags and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) will be standard, but semi-auto driving aids like radar cruise control and lane-keeping will be absent, preventing it from achieving a five-star safety rating.

However, along with class-leading capability, even the base model will offer a long list of standard equipment when the INEOS Grenadier goes on sale in Australia from July 2022, priced from around £45,000 ($A82,000).