Renault Koleos Intens Diesel 2018 Review

Cynics might say car-makers will do anything to quickly plug a potentially lucrative hole in the market.

Some of the past alliances set up to achieve just that are far from holy: In 1989, Toyota made a deal with Holden to rebadge the VN Commodore and create the Lexcen; Nissan re-badged an XF Falcon ute to climb aboard the light-duty tradie segment in 1988; and more recently, Mercedes-Benz figured the best way of achieving a workhorse ute quick-fix was to get its hands on Nissan’s Navara.

Renault, although it went a lot further than a simple re-badge job, did a similar thing when it launched its first Koleos SUV in 2008.

Based on the strong-selling Nissan X-Trail – since 1999 Renault and Nissan are the same company - the Koleos masqueraded as being French although it was anything but. There are big differences though between the first Koleos and other trans-brand deals. One: The car belonged to an already established partner company and, two: Its true origins were effectively concealed behind Renault-styled body markedly different to the X-Trail’s.

And the Koleos did what it was intended to do. It gave Renault a foothold in a hitherto unrepresented segment and, more importantly in Australia, it quickly became Renault’s biggest-selling model.

The launch of the second-generation Koleos in August 2016 gave the mid-size SUV more market heft. Where the first version was seen as somewhat underdone, particularly in a styling sense, the new model showed a mix of visual panache and a newly-attained general air of competence.

If there was a major shortcoming with the second generation Koleos it was the lack of a diesel engine. The newcomer was exclusively powered by a hard-working 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine producing a reasonable 126kW/226Nm and returning, in AWD form, a combined fuel consumption average of 8.3L/100km.

But that’s all changed now. The long-awaited turbo-diesel option arrived in August 2017 to immediately bring more power and (a lot more) torque. At 130kW/380Nm it’s a true grunter which, at 6.1L/100km, also offers better fuel consumption, plus lower exhaust emissions (150g/km against the petrol version’s 192g/km). If the power and torque outputs – even the consumption and emissions figures – have a ring of familiarity, you need look no further than Nissan’s current diesel X-Trail.

Renault Koleos takes on the Carsales Challenge

Leveraging this off the Koleos’ established attributes makes for a better overall deal and mostly justifies the $2500 added to the price of the only model in which the diesel is available: the top-shelf AWD Intens.

Reiterating what the second-generation Koleos brought to the table, it’s notable that a good representation of current safety technology, including autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and self-parking capability makes it on board top-level Intens models. Not so good: the safety tech is still not standard further down the range.

The Intens being the most expensive Koleos, there’s not a lot lacking from the equipment list which essentially duplicates the petrol version: auto-dipping LED headlights, panoramic sunroof, 12-speaker BOSE audio and leather trim with powered, heated and ventilated front seats are all part of the deal.

On one hand, technophiles will love the dashboard, particularly the big, vertically-oriented 8.7-inch touchscreen which dominates the centre, but on the other, they probably won’t be praising the standard-Renault hidden right-side column stalk controlling functions such as audio volume and source (mind you it’s easier to adjust volume this way rather than vainly finger-stabbing the touch-screen).

So, if potential Koleos owners previously bemoaned the lack of a diesel, how does the Nissan-sourced 2.0-litre, oil-fired four-cylinder influence the character of Renault’s biggest seller?

Well, it’s not surprising to discover - despite Renault’s claims of quieter-than-usual diesel operation - it’s more rowdy and less refined than the petrol engine. Although the volume reduces once you’ve attained cruising velocity, it certainly affirms its presence on start-up, and when accelerating from low speeds.

Renault has also worked-over the XTRONIC transmission to minimise the less-desirable CVT aspects, but there are still elements which make it sometimes uncomfortable to live with. These include a propensity for backing-off revs under initial part-throttle acceleration which makes for sluggish take-offs (it’s a bit strange watching the rpms actually falling as the Koleos accelerates). If you want a swift standing-start getaway, or are keen to spend minimum time in the passing lane, more pedal to the metal is necessary. Then, the solid 380Nm of torque deals effectively with the diesel Koleos’ hefty 1743kg bulk (the equivalent petrol Intens is a wispy 1608kg).

Of course, the gains in fuel consumption are not to be ignored. The 60-litre fuel tank suggests a potential cruising range of around 900km.

Dynamically, the diesel Koleos is pretty much a replica of the petrol version. While there’s nothing bad to be said about the way it rides, steers and handles, there’s not a lot standing out in a positive way either.

The steering is light, relatively quick at three turns from lock to lock, and the 225/60R18 tyres strike a nice balance between comfort and road grip. That said, the suspension is a bit noisy and, despite the relatively absorbent tyres, initial bump impacts are on the firm side. Nevertheless, overall the ride is pretty well damped and controlled, even if it’s a far cry from what we’d normally expect of a vehicle with a purported French character.

Then there’s the Koleos’ remarkably generous interior. Even before the seats are laid down, in a quick and simple action, to unveil a load space measuring 1690 litres, the boot itself, with five passengers on board, will accept as much as 458 litres which places it in the top echelon of mid-size load carriers. And it’s all accessible via a powered tailgate which can be actuated by the mere waving of a foot below the rear bumper.

In terms of passenger space, the Koleos is equally impressive. It crosses almost into the large SUV category with loads of leg, shoulder and headroom in both front and rear seats. Ticking plenty of boxes for family buyers here.

That said, the leather-trimmed seats in the Intens Koleos are not notable for their lateral support. Comfortable enough for a long-distance jaunt, they don’t do a particularly good job of holding passengers in place when the road gets a bit curvaceous.

In terms of after-sales support, Renault’s five-year, unlimited-km warranty is a good thing, as is the extended service interval programme providing owners 12 months or 30,000km between workshop visits. Generously, Renault extends its roadside assist programme to cover the full five-year warranty period.

What it will do for Renault’s market penetration remains to be seen: The Koleos is travelling a lot better in its second generation and it may be the company’s top-selling model in Australia, but it’s an absolute minnow in its marker category, recording something like one tenth of the sales racked up by Mazda’s segment-leading CX-5.

That the diesel will have a positive effect on sales is certain. The $2500 premium is pretty much ballpark (Mazda charges $3000 extra for a top-spec diesel CX-5 Akera) and the significant torque increase alone should be an attraction. The diesel will cope better with full passenger loads, or towing, yet will prove thrifty at the fuel pump while also satisfying those with an environmental bent because of its lower CO2 outputs.

In terms of expanding buyer choices, a pretty good mid-size SUV just got better.

2018 Renault Koleos Intens diesel pricing and specifications:
Price: $46,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 130kW/380Nm
Transmission: continuously variable
Fuel: 6.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 159g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A

Renault Koleos takes on the Carsales Challenge