'Definitely a big market' for smaller 4X4s, but will companies like Ineos build Suzuki Jimny-sized 4WDs to meet demand?

As demand for full-sized American utes seems to be approaching a plateau, small SUVs with some off-road nous like the Suzuki Jimny are on the way up in terms of sales this year.

So, it makes sense then that the head of Australian (and Asia Pacific) operations for Ineos Automotive Justin Hocevar would bring up a model smaller than the existing Ineos Grenadier as something he thinks would suit the local market.

In a recent interview with CarsGuide, Mr Hocevar said he’s keen to see Ineos become a “fully fledged auto brand with a range of products” but ruled out more road-focused things for the foreseeable future.

“Yeah, I don't think we'd be doing hot hatches, and don't really see the need for it. I think we really want to stay in our lane,” Hocevar told CarsGuide.

“We want to be a specialist 4X4 brand, but I would say: we've got a large 4X4 right now, and there's definitely a very big market out there for something that would be smaller, and so that's something that would be very much welcomed for us.”

The answer was a response to a question about the potential for something smaller, perhaps even as small as the Suzuki Jimny (given its popularity), but Hocevar added that even a ‘smaller’ version of the Grenadier could be the next step given the resources that have gone into that model.

“Probably one of the ones that we get a lot of feedback about, specifically for Australia, and maybe the South Africans do a little bit, too, is a single cab. Just to get a larger bed area, and also, I guess, more payload. 

2024 Ineos Grenadier

“But I think the payload is something that we can address anyway, but the single cab is probably… it's getting a business case up for - you know, we're not doing tens of thousands of units here, and then to say, ‘okay, well, we're going to have another version on’. The cost to engineer, develop, crash test, homologate, etc, etc, would be a really big one. 

“We've probably got a bit more work to do to understand the market better before we would be promoting that business case a bit heavier,” he said.

Of course, Ineos already flagged it would build another model in the form of the electric Fusilier, a sibling model to the Grenadier that during its development switched over to being a range-extender hybrid model.

“Certainly the company's got great ambitions to be a fully fledged auto brand with a range of products.

2024 Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster

“And of course, you know, the Grenadier has been the core platform so far to launch the Quartermaster and cab-chassis.

“We will look at launching other models, the first of those that we announced was Fusilier.

“So that's battery electric and range extender. We have put that program on hold, however, is definitely still has life, but it’ll take a different form in time. And we're just, let's say, pivoting on that at the moment.”

For now, Ineos’ focus is squarely on the Grenadier and its variants, especially the newly launched Quartermaster dual-cab ute, a rival to the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series.

2024 Ineos Fusilier

“So, for now, particularly here, we think we've still got a lot of opportunity with the Grenadier, still a large 4X4 market.

“You know, the willingness for people to still take a combustion engine for this type of vehicle, there's still plenty of demand. And of course, the ute market’s really strong.”