This past December I had the pleasure of driving the Renault Koleos over the December holidays. Journalists are given cars to review on holiday trips, and the Koleos couldn’t have been a better option. A medium size SUV which has premium qualities, it has the styling, comfort and space to make a road trip a pleasure.

The Renault Koleos represents the ‘ne plus ultra’ of Renault’s high-end range, with a very distinctive clientele seeking a supreme driving experience, and stand-out styling. The 3,000 plus Koleos units sold to sate are testimony to its niche positioning.

STYLING

 So let’s look at the Koleos styling. It’s an attractive SUV, make no mistake, it gets many an admiring glance on it’s travels This time we headed down to Kwa-Zulu Natal in the ‘Berg’ nick named for the Drakensberg.

Up front, the eye-catching C-shaped Daytime Running Lights extends beyond the new LED headlight units to create an even more forceful gaze and at the back, while the new wider LED tail lightsserve to amplify the impression of width and draw attention to the centrally-positioned Renault diamond.

The imposing stance and personality of New Koleos are accentuated by several innovative design features:

• A more distinctive front-end

The front-end of the New Koleos features a pronounced front grille, with luxurious chrome insets, extending to the chrome-underlined fog lamps. In the lower part, the bumper boasts an impressive skid plate which accentuates the vehicle’s adventurous stance.

• Distinctive features

Its C-shaped lighting signature, a strong trait common to all Renault models, gives it a strong and penetrating look. While, the high-end impression is created through its narrower body fitting and sharp lines.

• Greater harmony between the front and rear

The rear of the New Koleos has been redesigned, with a skid plate extending higher on the bumper and transverse chrome insets in synergy with the front end. The third stop lamp has been extended while the twin chrome bumper garnish have been retained for a sporty touch.

• Alloy Wheels

New Koleos packs all the SUV styling codes associated with the segment, including taut lines that combine a rugged stance with head-turning looks, along with side protective mouldings, and Large-diameter 18” alloy wheels, for a more polished look.

Into The Cabin.

Very spacious and comfortable in the cabin, front & rear. Front cup holders that can be chilled or heated and a sliding centre console for ideal driving position came in handy for water bottles etc..

A large 464 litres of space in the boot which can grow to an impressive 1 700 litres with the rear seats folded down. Boasting a Euro NCAP five-star rating, all Koleos models come standard with brakes assisted by ABS, EBD, EBA, ESC and Hill Start Assist (HAS). Other key safety features include Blind Spot Warning (BSW), 360˚ Park Assist sensor system (all round sensors) and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), which are standard on the Dynamique grade.

The roads were in places impassable, and washed away. A dodgy section we crossed had thunderous waters rushing centimetres below the bridge lip, and the trusty Koleos came through. Seats were comfy for a 4.5 hour road trip, which was repeated on the way home. A nice high drive position with good visibility is available and was necessary.

• 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 grab handles either side of the centre console are cues from the SUV motoring world and add to occupant safety whilst providing a sporty touch.
• Travel pleasure is further enhanced through customisable LED cabin lighting, with a palette of hues ranging from green and blue, to yellow, red or violet, to complement the mood of the driver and / or passengers.
• Renault Koleos has 35 litres of additional storage around the cabin, including an 11-litre glove box and 7-litre cubby in the centre console.

TECHNOLOGICAL FEATURES

The road trip took place over the Oliviershoek Pass near Harrismith, to Cathedral Peak, deep in the Berg. Challenging roads were the order of the day, with large potholes and road attrition. The Koleos has 210mm ground clearance, which helped on the off-road section.

The pass itself was washed away in places, with tight curves and corners, and the Koleos sailed through this with aplomb.

The New Koleos boasts a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance systems, including Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and 360˚ Park Assist sensor system (all round sensors).

• Koleos’s go-anywhere ability is boosted by its approach and departure angles of 19˚ and 26˚ degrees respectively.

Engine.

The Kolleos has a 2.5L Petrol Engine CVT (4×2), with a power output of 126kW, 233Nm of Torque, CO2 emissions of 188g/100km and claimed combined fuel consumption from 8.1litres/100km. This was not a reality, and we had 9.6L/100km on the open road, wilst using cruise control as well. So a tad heavy on the fuel use.

The power is good though and the cvt gearbox, which can be a howler on hilly country, acquitted itself well.

The New Koleos also is equipped with smartphone replication offering Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® compatibility.  We mainly used our phone for navigational purposes, which seems the norm these days.

The Koleos features a voice recognition system activated from the steering wheel in order to manage sat nav, phone calls, apps, e-mails and radio.

Both USB portals are now located under the centre console, at the base of the gear lever, for greater convenience.

Other key convenience features include Smart-keyless entry, Powerlift Tailgate and a Reverse camera, which are standard on the Dynamique grade.

RANGE OFFERING

New Renault Koleos is available in two trim levels – Expression and Dynamique, We drove the Dynamique.Koleos comes standard with a 5-year/150 000km mechanical warranty; plus, a 5-year/ 90 000km service plan and a 6-year anticorrosion warranty, with service intervals at 15 000km.

KOLEOS Dynamique 2.5 CVT 4×2 R534 900 (incl. VAT) Please check at dealership for updated prices

In summation the Renault Koleos is a great holiday companion, as it has the power and handling to take you to tricky places, in comfort with loads of space in cabin and the boot area. Fuel consumption though a tad heavy is not all that bad either. It’s a winner in my book.