THE RENAULT KOLEOS is a classy five-seat mid-sized SUV that sits above the more stylish-looking Captur and Kadjar in the Renault range.
To my eyes, it looks rather bulky – but those bulky looks pay off, as inside there is a lot of room all around. Leg, head and shoulder room are great and the boot is a really decent 579 litres with the rear seats in place and 1690 litres with those seats tumbled.
There’s also an extra 107 litres under the removable floor. For comparison, the Nissan X-Trail holds 565-1996 litres but the Skoda Kodiaq boot holds 720-2065 litres.
The rear seats are elevated slightly giving rear passengers a good view out, which is great for those who suffer from motion sickness. However, the middle rear seat is a little narrow – so this seat is best for small children or for use during shorter journeys.
The cabin feels and looks quite classy with a nice mix of materials used including brushed chrome, wood panels, leather, soft plastics but some more durable fabric and harder plastics where they are needed most. This cabin was designed with families in mind. The opening panoramic sunroof, which comes as standard, makes it really nice and bright and airy.
The cabin is also very functional. There is a decent amount of handy storage, plus 12v sockets and USB ports both up front and in the rear. The door bin, glovebox and centre console cubby are large and there are storage pockets on the back of the front seats. It really is a very spacious and practical cabin.
Underneath the skin, the Koleos SUV is based on the same Renault-Nissan Alliance CMF-C/D (Common Module Family) platform as the Nissan X-Trail but unlike the X-Trail, the Koleos is only offered with five seats.
My test car was powered by a 130hp 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel unit with a six-speed manual, front-wheel drive transmission. However, there is a 175hp 2.0-litre diesel unit available with either a manual gearbox and front-wheel drive setup or automatic with all-wheel drive setup.
The 130hp unit with 320Nm of torque felt smooth with adequate amounts of power at low speeds and copes well at higher speeds too – although perhaps laden down with passengers and luggage it might not feel as urgent.
In terms of handling, the steering feels light and direct. The gear changes are nice and positive and the gear knob is well positioned and falls to hand easy. Overall, I have to say the Renault Koleos is refined and comfortable to drive with mature road manners.
As this is Renault’s flagship model, it is available in two highly specced trims, Dynamique S Nav (priced from €34,490) and Signature Nav (available from €36,790). Both models come with 18-inch alloy wheels, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto.
The Dynamique S Nav models have everything you could possibly need including front and rear parking sensors with rear parking camera, roof bars, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Stepping up the Signature Nav adds some more niceties including an electronically operated boot, full leather seats, heated front seats, full LED headlights and an 8.7-inch touchscreen.
Overall, if you are looking for a five-seat mid-sized SUV that offers plenty of space and luxurious touches as well as a comfortable, quiet ride then the Renault Koleos is one to consider.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say