After a brief hiatus, Renault has now returned to this end of the local market with the second-generation Koleos, which not only replaces the Kadjar as its new flagship model but sees the moniker return to South Africa after the first generation bowed out in 2012.
On sale in a number of markets since 2016, the Koleos is aimed at the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson and indeed the model on which it is based, the Nissan X-Trail. I attended the recent South African launch to get the lowdown on Renault’s comeback-kid.
The looks
In all honesty, I never took an interest in the previous Koleos as it came across as somewhat dull. With the latest model though, Renault has created something that stands out a lot more in that it gets the brand’s trademark C-shaped headlights, flowing chrome grille and rounded character lines.
It looks handsome to say the least, and with the same full-length taillights as the Megane and tall stance thanks to the 210mm ground clearance, I am willing to stick my neck out and say it rates as the best looking contender of its type currently on the market
Inside hospitality
From the moment I got into the Koleos, I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the interior is. The quality is relatively good with the addition of soft-touch materials on the dashboard and doors, comfortable seats and an ergonomic facia. The design of the dashboard is similar to that of the Megane in that it features the same 8.7-inch portrait infotainment screen, which now comes with gloss black surrounds as opposed to the plastic finish of the Megane.
While still not perfect, the system does boast Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Bluetooth. Just as impressive is the interior space on offer. In the rear, passengers now have 289mm worth of legroom, while the boot measures 464-litres or 1 785-litres when you drop the rear seats forwards. It is, however, worth noting that the Koleos provides seating for five with no seven-seat option like the X-Trail.
On the road
The launch route saw us meandering around the Cradle of Mankind in wet and cold weather, an ideal environment for the Koleos that is offered in two trim levels, Expression and Dynamique, and with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Most of my time, however, was spent in the latter equipped with the all-wheel drive system, the same All Mode 4x4-i system as the X-Trail, with all models being powered by one engine, 2.5-litre petrol that produces 126kW/233Nm and comes connected to a CVT designed to feel and react like a conventional torque converter automatic.
Traversing the slippery conditions was made easy by the aforementioned all-wheel drive system, which comes with three modes; 2WD, 4WD Auto that can send as much as 50% of the available torque to the rear wheels and 4WD Lock that provides a 50/50 torque split between the front and rear axle.
As for on-road antics, I found the Koleos to be comfortable and compliant. I did, however, find the engine to be lacking in eagerness, meaning that careful planning will be required when going up a hill or overtaking. In reality, though, the Koleos is more of a long distance cruiser, which it does with ease even though the indicated fuel consumption was rather high at 8.1-litres/100km.
Verdict
Regardless of which model you opt for, the Renault Koleos is a worthwhile addition to the mid-size SUV pack, and indeed a way more accomplished returnee to the French marque’s line-up than its predecessor. With an expansive range of standard equipment and a very attractive starting price of R399 900, the Koleos rates as a worthwhile option that comes highly recommendable.
Pricing
Koleos 2.5 Expression CVT - R399 900
Koleos 2.5 Dynamique CVT - R439 900
Koleos 2.5 Dynamique 4WD CVT - R479 900
