4x2 Koleos confirmed for Oz

Renault will kick off its Aussie range of Koleos softroaders with a price-leading front-wheel-drive-only model.

Being launched to the international media this week in the medieval Moroccan city of Fez, the softroader is Renault's first 'proper' all-wheel drive and, based on the X-TRAIL, is the first true product of the Nissan-Renault alliance to hit the road.

Renault Australia spokesperson, Craig Smith, has confirmed the company will offer both front and all-wheel-drive models when Koleos debuts Down Under in September. Both petrol and turbodiesel engined models will be offered in the Australian-delivery Koleos range.

Smith told the Carsales Network: "The [Australian] Koleos range will kick off with a 4x2 model and then progress through a range of petrol and diesel 4x2s and 4x4s.

"We've nailed down our trim and specification levels, but for commercial reasons we can't release all the details at this stage," he said.

Carsales Network believes Koleos will offer up to three trim levels in the Australian marketplace. The 4x2 will likely only be offered at two levels powered by the X-TRAIL's existing 2.5-litre 126kW/226Nm petrol engine. Both six-speed manual and CVT gearboxes will be available.

Renault is banking on the six-speed, manual front-wheel-drive entry-level version of the Koleos arriving at under the 'magic' $30K mark, complete with full safety kit including ESP (but not the 4x4's Hill Descent Control et al) and six airbags. This would place the well-styled and cleverly configured five-seater Koleos in the heart of the burgeoning softroader marketplace and position the vehicle well to achieve the ambitious sales targets Renault Australia has set for the model (more here).

To date Nissan has resisted offering two-wheel drive versions of its X-TRAIL or recently-released Dualis crossover (in part due to the tariff break 'offroaders' receive). However, sales of Hyundai's Tucson City and (in larger segments) Toyota's Kluger and the Ford Territory show Aussies aren't averse to the type of amenity such high-riding, road-only vehicles deliver. A CVT-equipped petrol Koleos at, say, $31,990 could therefore be a surprise performer in terms of sales for Renault Down Under.

Renault is unlikely to offer a turbodiesel front-wheeler at this stage, however. The 4x4-only turbodiesel models will feature the same intelligent ALL MODE 4X4i all-wheel-drive system and identical 'stepped' outputs as the recently announced X-TRAIL oilers.

The six-speed auto equipped X-TRAIL turbodiesel pumps out 110kW/320Nm while the six-speed manual versions produces 127kW/360Nm.

Renault Australia had expected the turbodiesel engines to be Koleos' ace in the hole. Smith says the recent announcement from Nissan that it will offer a range of X-TRAIL oilers didn't catch the French brand by surprise, however.

The top-of-the-range turbodiesel and petrol Koleos models should top out in the mid-$40K range. They will feature upscale equipment such as leather upholstery, Xenon headlamps and keyless entry and start. A two-pane glass roof/sunroof option will also be offered, though the Euro versions' integrated satnav and infotainment systems will not be a starter Down Under.

All versions benefit from a neat two-piece clamshell tailgate and Scenic-inspired interior packaging. Two-row and five-place only, the Koleos gets a split-fold rear seat that can be 'tumbled' via levers on the tailgate opening. There's also a skiport and the front passenger seat folds forward for extra long loads.

Interior storage options are many and include underfloor bins for second-row passengers plus the normal door pockets, centre consoles, etc.

Using existing Nissan infrastructure allowed Renault to peg Koleos' development costs at around 400m Euros, says the project team on hand for the Fez launch. By way of comparison, the new Laguna cost around one billion Euros.

Under the Nissan-Renault alliance, Renault engineers set the parameters for the new vehicle and the Nissan and Renault Samsung developed the vehicle and productionised it. Real world testing of the vehicle included stints Down Under, Renault says.

Despite the shared componentry with X-TRAIL, Renault-specific suspension and steering tuning give the car a distinctive feel.

The Koleos will be produced exclusively at Renault Samsung's plant near Pusan in South Korea. The plant, which built around 180,000 vehicles in 2007, will also produce a Renault Samsung badged version of Koleos for domestic consumption.

Koleos officially goes on sale in Europe on June 6. The first right-hand drive market will be the UK in July. Once fully rolled out, the Koleos will be sold in more than 40 countries across five continents.

Look out for our launch review drive of the new Renault Koleos soon.

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