Renault was absolutely delighted when it introduced the
Koleos, its first ever 4x4 crossover. It was engineered and built as an SUV and does everything that any other SUV does. It is perfect for veering away from your daily routine as the Koleos provides a comfortable ride and boasts of serious off-road credentials. It was specifically crafted to be versatile, offering the same level of comfort and security when driving around the metropolis, on open roads and highways as it does when it ventures off the track.
The Koleos delivers the same standard of comfort that is expected of a Renault saloon car, as well as cabin space comparable to that of a compact MPV. The interior is quite easy to assimilate in spite of all the buttons which are virtually everywhere! The dashboard design is very practical and allows drivers to quickly familiarize themselves with the various controls. The buttons and switches for the audio and navigation system, hands-free phone, and automatic parking brake are all installed either on the steering wheel or within easy reach of the driver.
Renault rigged its Koleos with a wide range of equipments to take some of the stress out of its occupants. Such features include the hands-free credit-card styled key and keyless ignition, cruise control, automatic wiper and headlamp activation, and a tire pressure monitoring system. There is plenty of legroom for the front seat passengers while the rear seat passengers have ample head room owing to the Koleos’ higher roof line. The boot compartment provides a lot of storage space while the split opening tailgate offers easy loading of cargo.
Renault came up with innovative dimensions for the Koleos – the length and width are 4.52 m and 1.85 m respectively and these figures warrant that it adapts as easily with city driving as it does when driven off the road. Moreover, aside from its excellent all-terrain features such as skid-plates and high ground clearance, the image and sense of ruggedness of the Koleos provides a reassuring feel.
At the heart of the
Renault Koleos is a 2.5-litre, Euro-4 power plant generating 126 kW of power at 6,000 rpm and 226 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm. The engine is mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox, six-speed automatic or continuously variable transmission (CVT). The engine brags of the latest in diesel engine technology, including common-rail 1,600 bar fuel injection, piezoelectric injectors, a periodic regeneration particulate filter and a water-cooled variable-geometry turbo.
In terms of handling and dynamics, the Koleos is pretty solid stuff. As soon as you get behind the wheel, you’ll feel totally in control of something so sophisticated and powerful yet surprisingly easy to handle. The power steering is precise and highly informative. Cornering performance is close to perfection as body-roll had been reduced to a minimum. Another great attribute of the Koleos is that it handles like a saloon in spite of its higher ground clearance. Overall,
Renault has triumphed in endowing the Koleos with all the essential features that ensure all occupants travel first class.
