I drove the New Renault KOLEOS last week, and initially was not that enthusiastic, due to my past experiences with the Koleos, which was a decent SUV, without really standing out. This was in most aspects, including styling. Well, what a surprise in seeing the latest generation Koleos, which is exciting, has great looks, hugely improved in terms of interior, and generally has now become a SUV, that Renault can be proud of. Without sounding cheesy, the Koleos cuts a far more assertive figure, and has a bold look about it that shout confidence. Lets look at the exterior.

Exterior Styling.

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So the first impression is length, excuse the pun, New Koleos’s wheelbase (2,710mm/ overall length: 4,670mm)  it is a long SUV, and strangely not a 7-seater which so many become, with the back row not being able to fit anyone of consequence into. Rather it is a spacious, roomy and comfortable 5-seater SUV with plenty of room for people and luggage. The front end includes a lot of chrome enhancements, which add presence, and the rear tail lights wrap over the rear wings to add solidity.

The dual tail-pipes give the SUV an eye brow lifting glance, to see what is this car that I am looking at feel. The eye-catching C-shaped Daytime Running Lights extends beyond the headlight units themselves to create an even more forceful gaze. Dependent on the version, New Koleos is available with Pure Vision Full LED main- and dipped- beam lights. For significantly enhanced night-time visibility. The 18 inch alloys also add great street cred.

The Cabin.

Okay this might seem kitsch, to some, but having a cup-holder that can be either cooled or heated is pretty damn impressive. It has a high drive feel, so visibilty is great, and grab handles on either side of driver and passenger are handy to have, as these are placed at leg level. The large, vertical, centrally-positioned dashboard display (up to 8.7”) is fully integrated and, along with the centre console, allude to power, and all-wheel drive transmission.

The cabin is filled with the use of quality materials, that give the Koleos a premium feel, and makes the car feel safer. The leather upholstery and leather-trimmed armrests feature contrasting top stitching. The ambient lighting feature is very cool and normally found only on premium luxury vehicles. Version dependent, the front seats come with six-way power adjustment and lumbar adjustability. The 464 litre boot features a convenient removable floor positioned at the same height as the sill to form a flat floor that houses a full size spare wheel, and the New Koleos has 35 litres of additional storage around the cabin, including an 11-litre glove box and 7-litre cubby in the centre console. It has on-board navi, and a large media screen for easy use. Apple Carplay & Android Auto compliant as well. And of course it has a rear camera in good definition resolution for easy parking.

Engines.

New Renault Koleos is available in two trim levels – Expression and Dynamique, comprehensively spec’d from the base level upwards.

New Koleos is powered by a 2.5 Petrol Engine CVT (4×2 & 4×4), with a power output of 126kW, 233Nm of Torque, CO2 emissions of 188g/100km and controlled fuel consumption from 8.8litres/100km. The transmission is a CVT which as most are nowadays, surprisingly good. Why you ask? They were not the best in days gone by, and often used to hunt for gears and oscillate, thereby becoming quite whiney. The Koleos seemed well powered and this was a t the Highveld with altitude, so should impress down at sea-level.

Safety.

The Koleos comes with a 5-star Euro NCAP Safety rating.Which is wgat we expect of a quality Renault offering.

It comes with

• 6 airbags – 2 Frontal/ 2 Lateral Thorax/ 2 Curtain plus an Active Vent for Passenger Airbag
• Satellite Sensors – To detect lateral impact early
• G Sensors – 2 on the side, and 1 on the front
• Seat Track Position Sensor – Controlling airbag deployment by seat track position
• Seat Belt Reminder

Standard safety features include –

• ABS + EBD + EBA + ESP + ASR + HAS
• Cornering Fog Lights
• Electrochromic rear-view mirror
• Blind Spot Warning
• Park Assist

The Koleos is fully 4×4 and although we never drove over any particularly challenging terrain, this will be tested on the 7-day test drive.

Pricing.

The New Renault Koleos comes standard with a 5-year/150 000km mechanical warranty; plus a 5-year/ 90 000km service plan and a 6-year anti-corrosion warranty, with service intervals at 15 000km.

RANGE & PRICING:

The Renault Koleos Range offers 3 derivatives –

Koleos Expression 2.5 CVT  4×2                                  R  399 900

Koleos Dynamique 2.5 CVT 4×2                                  R  439 900

Koleos Dynamique 2.5 CVT 4×4                                  R  479 900

In summing up our experience, the Koleos is one of the most improved SUV or Crossovers in recent times. It has now joined the ranks of the large SUV, and can stand proud amongst them. The Koleos is a global name, and hopefully it can shake off the negativity that surrounded the previous generation Koleos; then it should make a decent showing on the Naamsa sales pages.