Renault Koleos 2016 Review

Renault Koleos Zen 4x2 and Koleos Intens 4x4
Local Launch
Mid/North Coast, NSW

Renault's largest SUV offering in Australia has just got larger. The Koleos in its second generation runs on the Common Modular Family architecture, just like its cousin the Nissan X-Trail. And Koleos also runs the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and continuously variable transmission powering the Nissan. Renault has managed to set the Koleos apart from the X-Trail, however, with bespoke styling and distinctively gallic interior design for a value-conscious starting price of just $29,990.

Australia is the first market in the world to see Renault's new Koleos close-up and personal. SUVs hold a special fascination for Australian buyers, and Renault Australia anticipates this new Koleos could be its biggest seller in the local market.

It's also true that Australia could be one of the bigger markets – if not the biggest – for the Koleos, a vehicle representing an amalgam of input from different nations to bring it to market. Styled by the French and built in South Korea from Japanese componentry, the Koleos may just be the most 'multicultural' SUV in our market.

Properly speaking, it's not styled by a Frenchman. Dutchman Laurens van den Acker took the lead on the project. The Renault designer has visited Australia in the past, when he was employed by Mazda in that company's pre-Kodo days. There's little doubt that his international experience has contributed to the vehicle's modern and muscular style – relative to its predecessor.

For the local launch Renault let the media loose in two different variants of Koleos from the four-variant range. There was no opportunity to test the base-grade Koleos Life, or the all-wheel drive Koleos Zen, but we did get to cover both drivetrain variants, in the form of a Koleos Zen front-wheel drive and a Koleos Intens, which is all-wheel drive by default.

Although the Koleos promises to deliver frugal fuel economy in either drivetrain variant, it (and the X-Trail) fall somewhat behind some of the better offerings in the medium SUV segment, most of which generate more power and torque to compensate for the extra fuel used. During the drive program the Koleos posted a figure of 10.1L/100km for the Koleos Zen 4x2, and the Koleos Intens – spending much more time on the open road – posted a figure of 8.2L/100km.

While it's not the sort of the engine to stir the soul, the 2.5-litre engine powering the Koleos is quiet at cruising speed, and is well matched to the continuously variable transmission (CVT). Peak torque arrives at 4400rpm, but the engine is well and truly giving its all from about 1000rpm lower. It's plain that the engine does its best work in the mid-range, because the CVT won't let it reach redline, if left to its own devices, adjusting the ratio automatically.

Engineers who've worked on the CVT for Koleos (and X-Trail) deserve an elephant stamp for making the CVT behave more like a conventional automatic with torque converter. There's relatively little of the elasticity and droning often experienced in CVTs from other brands. It's a generally good match for the engine, and the combination produces brisk acceleration for overtaking with the CVT pegging the revs in the mid range, above 3000rpm. Additionally, the CVT will automatically hold lower ratios on hills for enhanced engine braking.

The front-wheel drive Koleos was actually closer to neutral than the all-wheel drive model most of the time. On a trailing throttle it could be prompted to oversteer on dirt, whereas the Koleos Intens was more prone to understeer than the front-wheel drive car, when I tested it on bitumen. However, there was no torque steer evident in the case of the Koleos Intens, and it rode better too. Both variants feel like they ride harder than the X-Trail.

Along with its new styling, the Koleos is a significantly larger vehicle than before. Renault Australia claims that the SUV has gone from being the shortest in its market segment to the longest. It's an old-fashioned six-inch Subway sandwich longer now, or about 150mm.

That means the Koleos is nothing if not roomy inside. Renault insists that a six-foot (180cm) occupant can sit in the back, behind a six-foot driver, without knees making contact with the driver's seat. Having sat in the back (and being almost 180cm tall), I see no reason to dispute that. Adding to the amenity for the kids and adults seated behind, the Koleos has adjustable vents in the back, as it should.

Boot space is decent, at 458 litres, but the boot floor is high, which might be a problem for people of smaller stature lifting heavier objects into the compartment. The tailgate (unpowered) in the Koleos Zen is a shade heavy, but the range-topping Koleos Intens has a powered tailgate.

From behind the wheel, the Koleos features a really nicely designed dash, with instruments that are very easy to read at a glance in both variants tested. As is occasionally the case with vehicles designed for left-hand drive markets first, the driver's side mirror won't adjust outboard far enough.

The Koleos Zen displays two bar graphs for power and torque alongside the speedometer, and this would have been useful (or at least interesting) to see in the Koleos Intens. Instead, the flagship model, which is only available in part-time all-wheel drive configuration, shows the percentage of torque split being redirected to the rear wheels. Most of the time, the 4x4 Koleos drives through the front wheels alone, as the graph indicated on the road.

The infotainment system is easy to use, but lacks Apple CarPlay for that ultimate car/phone interface buyers increasingly demand.

The interior is stylish and well finished, with materials looking and feeling prestigious, plus the layout designed to be stylish and functional in the same breath. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out how to operate the various comfort and convenience features of the Koleos.

I personally found the seats to be oddly shaped, but they proved quite comfortable over the course of three or four hours' driving. There's not enough side bolstering to hold occupants properly secure when cornering harder, but they're generally a match for the car's roadholding.

Renault anticipates that the mid-range Koleos Zen will be the volume-selling model in the range. Although the 4x2 variant feels a bit livelier to drive, it also feels less compliant in the ride department, and the 4x4 variant is bound to be more capable, with the added traction to back up its 2000kg towing capacity.

But if you settle for the Koleos Zen, you're depriving yourself of a huge list of comfort and convenience features (including the 8.7-inch portrait-oriented infotainment touch screen) in the Koleos Intens, which is also packed full of safety-related driver-assist systems. And at $43,490, it's pretty competitive.

Price: $33,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder
Output: 126kW/226Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 8.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 188g/km
Safety Rating: TBA

2016 Renault Koleos Intens 4x4 pricing and specifications:
Price: $43,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder
Output: 126kW/226Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 192g/km
Safety Rating: TBA

Also consider:
>> Ford Kuga Titanium (from $45,190 plus on-road costs)
>> Hyundai Tucson Highlander (from $45,450plus on-road costs)
>> Kia Sportage Platinum (from $43,490 plus on-road costs)