Renault Koleos 2019

Overview

The Renault Koleos is the flagship SUV from Renault in Malaysia and aims at those who want to upgrade from an executive sedan or midsize SUV, with its big toad presence and luxurious appeal. Available with a single powertrain option and two variants – Standard and Signature, the Renault Koleos is being offered in five different paint schemes – Metallic Black, Amethyst Black, Ultra Silver, Millesime Red, and Universal White.

Interior & Features

While there is some sort of uniqueness to the exterior design of the Renault Koleos, the interior cabin doesn’t look that unique. It, however, impresses with its top-notch quality levels and the simple layout looks clutter-free as well. 

The flat-bottom steering wheel and fully digital instrument console make the driver’s cockpit feel sporty, though the slanted centre console, which houses a vertical touchscreen infotainment system, looks quite simple. The brown Riviera leather upholstery, however, adds a touch of class in the cabin, which does feel airy and spacious, thanks to the long wheelbase, panoramic sunroof and large windows on the sides.

The cabin of the Renault Koleos too is decently equipped with all the essentials at place, like push-button start with keyless entry, interior ambient lighting, auto wipers, hands-free tailgate, dual-zone automatic climate control and many more.

Exterior

The new generation cars from Renault certainly do look the part with a noteworthy French flair in their design, and the Renault Koleos is no different. This new generation version definitely has got a good road presence with some distinctive design elements to make it look different on the road.

At the front, the Renault Koleos has been given a Y-shaped horizontally stretched grille with chrome slats, which has become a common norm among all the Renault cars. The C-shaped full LED headlamps with LED daytime running lamps on the outer edges certainly give it some character, and so do the large silver skid plate at the bottom.

The side profile of the Renault Koleos too is very SUV-like, with a good heightened stance, large machined alloy wheels, black cladding on the lower part and slim roof rails. While there is no prominent character line flowing through it, it still looks good.

Like at the front, at the rear too, the Renault Koleos has got horizontally stretched P-shaped LED tail lamps which stretch all the way to the centre. The sleek-looking chrome finish around the exhaust tips looks classy as well.

Ride & Handling

The Renault Koleos gets a conventional suspension setup of Macpherson struts at the front and multi-link at the rear, which is typical Renault fashion, is tuned with a fine balance, thus imparting a plush setup for urban conditions and firmness over broken roads. The SUV has been equipped with disc brakes all around to impart immediate stopping power.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

Powering the Renault Koleos is a single petrol engine option, which is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated unit and produces a maximum power output of 171 PS and a peak torque output of 226 Nm. The sole gearbox option for this engine is Renault’s tried and tested X-tronic CVT transmission. The performance is something that cannot be termed as breathtaking, but it surely has enough punch whenever and wherever needed.

Braking & Safety

The Renault Koleos, being a premium SUV, has been equipped with all the noteworthy safety features like front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program, electronic parking brake, ISOFIX mounts for child seats, cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, reverse parking camera, hill start assist and front, rear and side parking sensors.

Verdict

The Renault Koleos might not be as flashy and glitzy like many new generation SUVs, but it surely manages to impress with its understated but classy design which surely is one of a kind on the roads. The SUV feels practical for its size, with enough space and features on the inside, and coupling with a decent performance from the engine and supple ride quality, it proves a strong case as a complete family SUV.