The Renault Koleos was first unveiled in 2008 at the Geneva Motor Show. Undergoing restyling in 2011, the Koleos was fitted in with a new front end, door mirrors featuring LED repeater lights, and redesigned headlights. Seamlessly putting together the comforts of a sedan with the interiors of an MPV and the performance of a 4X4 is how the Renault Koleos aims to take over the world. As part of the French car manufacturer’s SUV line, the Koleos is based off the Nissan X-Trail, with Nissan doing the engineering in Japan and Renault styling the vehicle back in France. Some of the competitors for the Koleos would have to be the Peugeot 4007 and the Citroen C-Crosser.

Pros

Built for leisure activities, the Renault Koleos is capable of fitting in objects more than one metre wide through its split tailgate and an “easy fold” function that folds down the rear bench flat to triple boot space. And even when you need boot space for business, what the Koleos has in store will definitely make transporting luggage more convenient for you.

The Renault Koleos is also capable of dealing with a decent level of off-roading, proving to offer both good handling and comfort on a dirt road. It fares just as well on city streets, running quietly as you drive through the metro to get to your destination. As for acceleration, the 175 dCi engine requires 9.9 seconds to get from 0 to 62mph.

Looking and feeling well-made, the Renault Koleos features some nice touches like its clamshell rear tailgate and the levers for pulling the seats down. These squabs are designed to take advantage of spring loading so they will pop up by themselves when released. This feature looks great in the showroom but it’s got a lot of practical appeal, most especially when you find your hands full.

And aside from being practical, the Renault Koleos may also allow you to save on running costs because it comes with a three-year, 100,000-mile warranty. That’s pretty generous, a good selling point that may attract customers other than those that are loyal to Renault and are simply looking for something different from the Scenic.

Cons

In terms of design, the Renault Koleos is nothing spectacular. It’s neat and tidy and nothing more. It won’t take your breath away but you will definitely not scoff at it.

Engine choices are also modest with just two, a 150bhp 2.0 dCi diesel engine and the 175bhp version of the same engine. As for trim levels, the 150bhp version offers the Dynamique, Dynamique S, and Privilege but the 175bhp engine comes only with the Privilege. And somewhat counter-intuitive, the 150bhp dCi engine is the only one where a six-speed automatic gearbox may be enjoyed. All other options equip a six-speed manual gearbox.

Good handling is indeed one of the strong points of the Renault Koleos but you should watch out for some level of body roll when you’re using the two-wheel drive mode and you approach tight corners with too much speed.

                The Renault Koleos is a compact crossover sport utility vehicle or SUV that was produced by the Renault Samsung Motors since the year 2008. Renault Samsung Motors is a subsidiary of Renault S.A. and is a South Korean automobile manufacturer that was first established in 1994. This was assembled at the Busan plant located in South Korea, and it is also built in other areas including Chennai in India and in 2012, Moscow in Russia.

                The Koleos is created as a four door sport utility vehicle that was shown at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show as a concept car. It was also displayed at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris, France in the year 2006. This was designed by Patrick G.M. le Quément, the French automobile designer and chief designer of Renault S.A.

                Sales of the Renault Koleos, is however withdrawn from the market in the United Kingdom because of poor sales. International debut of the car began in 2008, and it was also sold in India by the year 2011. This compact crossover SUV is available in many transmissions including a six speed manual, six speed automatic, and continuously variable transmission or CVT. Among its key competitors include the Peugeot 4007 and the Citroën C Crosser.