THE ALL new Renault Koleos pose is modern.
Well, you might not take my word for now that’s until you get behind the wheel and traverse one province to another in a weekend.
Then you’ll experience the kind of class and ground-breaking design this French made is all about.
I decided to leave Jozi out of ordinary and headed to eThekweni, Durban and then went up Inland of Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, for the Metro FM awards.
Yes, being behind the wheel is tiring- so I invited a reliable friend to accompany me- he obliged and off we revved in Koleos, hitting thenormally aspirated 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine pushing out 126 kW and 233 Nm via a CVT gearbox.
As one would expect, slippery roads, potholes and trucks doing as they please and animals going-astray- Koleos performance was rigid and did not disappoint in such unbearable situations.
Now fitted with new LED headlights and fog lamps with updated bezels, while the rear has also been given the LED treatment. These also include the swooshing indicator lights, C-shaped DRL elements and accentuate the large, chrome-slatted grille.
The fog lamp trims have been enlarged to draw the whole front image of the Koleos more in line with the new Renault offerings.
Down the sides, the wings get a revised faux vent with the elongated chrome detail that extends from the grille being replicated in the garnish present in these reworked details. They rest above a new wheel design, now measuring in at 18 inches in diameter and finished off with a diamond-cut appearance.
Traveling with huge luggage for Koleos was a welcome gesture- thanks to its gigantic boot, having sucked everything. Boot space comes at 464 litres in standard guise, which can be expanded to an even more capacious 1 700 litres with the rear seats folded.
The French could re-work its old Infotainment screen, improve both turbocharging and the general progression, respectively.
But the cabin and legroom gets my kudos.
You may enjoy an amount of space with numerous storage bins and solutions around the cabin including cooled cup holders in the centre console. The seat are large and constructed from high-density foam, providing excellent support for longer drives- like we did, aha!
Having tested the Dynamique model it offers a power tailgate, reverse camera and Smart keyless entry.
For the uninitiated, the CVT gearbox is fitted to reduce fuel consumption considering how expensive fuel is today.
It claimed 8.5 l/100km on the combined cycle.
Koleos is fitted with ABS, EBD, EBA, ESC and Hill Start Assist while the driver benefits from Blind Spot Warnings, a 360-degree Park Assist sensor system and tyre pressure monitors, especially in remote and dark areas.
Its competitors within the SUV market Volkswagen Tiguan, Nissan X-Trail and Haval H6 AWD, should be very worried…
After a whirlwind mini tour of my astounding country, one can easily attest Koleos is SAFE!
It scored a full 5-stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests.
| Retail prices: Model | |
| Renault Koleos Dynamique 2.5 | R584 999 |
| Renault Koleos Dynamique 2.5 AWD | R634 999 |
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (6)
Fuel 1-10 (5)
Images supplied (The Ranault Koleos 2.5 is reliable and safe on the road).
