Renault Koleos dCi 150 4x4 Auto Road Test Report

Performance

On test the Koleos we drove was powered by a 150bhp diesel engine, this was mated to an automatic gearbox. The engine was incredibly smooth both on and off-road. There’s plenty of shove to overtake slower traffic as the Koleos has 320nm of torque at 2,000rpm.For a car of this size and power the figures look quite good – zero to 62mph in 10.4 seconds while it has a top speed of 115mph. The Koleos does not look like a rugged off-roader but you should remember the old saying of ‘never judge a book by its cover’ as this Renault is brilliant on the rough stuff as it can cope with the harshest of terrain. Switch to on-road driving and the Koleos behaves well on the tarmac and turns into a comfortable cruiser.

Ride & Handling

The Koleos is a crossover and in its class performs well against the competition. On motorways the ride is comfortable and there is plenty of kit to keep you and your passengers comfy on long journeys. The steering is direct but lacks weight while the car rides well and negotiates bumps in the road with ease. As the Koleos is high sided there is a bit of body roll when driving enthusiastically. The front seats are very comfortable although the sides could be a little higher to keep you from sliding when ‘driving on’.

Build Quality & Reliability

Renault has made great leaps in recent times on the build and reliability of its cars and the Koleos is no different. All the shut lines are neatly finished and the doors close with a solid thud, which is usually a sign that a car has been well made. On the inside the cabin is a little dull but the plastics are solid and there is an uncluttered look to the dash. The Koleos has a three year or 100,000 mile warranty, whichever comes first – the French maker certainly has faith in this car.

Safety & Security

Renault has equipped the Koleos with a lots of safety equipment and the range has seven vehicles in the UK with five stars from EuroNCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme). Renault is the top manufacturer at present in terms of occupant protection. The Koleos is fitted with ABS and ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) as standard. The ESP controls the grip of each wheel to optimise stability when cornering. On the inside to protect the occupants our entry-level model came equipped with front, side and curtain airbags as standard. While security features include remote central locking an electronic immobiliser and a volumetric alarm. It also has front and rear proximity sensors so you can park with ease and in the knowledge that you have enough room for your manoeuvre.

Space & Practicality

The Koleos has an abundance of space and practicality. You can easily get four adults in the car with a fifth at a squeeze for short journeys. Up front there are lots of options; the doors have storage compartments while the glove box has a maximum of 15 litres of space. The glove box is also well lit and also works as a cooling device. The Koleos has a split tailgate which means it’s easier to load than a car that has a traditional tailgate. If that’s not enough there’s also an underfloor space which can hold up to five litres of storage.

Ownership & Value

Our test car was powered by the 2.0-litre diesel unit and according to the maker it should return 34.0mpg on the combined cycle and it emits 221g/km. On-road and on the rough stuff the Koleos is a great performer and is an able competitor in the crossover range. This is the first all-terrain crossover made by the French marque - a great attempt from Renault.