We first saw it one year ago at the Beijing Motor Show
Already available for sale in Australia, the Middle East, and certain South American and Asian countries, the Koleos finally arrives in Europe this month. It's built exclusively in Busan, Korea for all markets excluding China, and features minor changes compared to the version for other markets.
The D-segment SUV is 4.67-meters long and has a generous wheelbase of 2.71 meters, with Renault saying it offers "class-leading cabin space." Available exclusively in a five-seat configuration, the Koleos offers 289-mm of knee room as well as generous headroom, shoulder room, and elbow room.
The boot can swallow 579 liters of luggage and is configurable, featuring a removable floor placed at the same height as the sill to form a flat floor. When folded down, the 60/40-split rear bench seat frees up a total cargo volume of 1,795 liters. Furthermore, the numerous storage solutions in the cabin total 35 liters — including an 11-liter glove box and a 7-liter cubby in the center tunnel.
Renault also claims the Koleos offers great traveling comfort, with front seats that are among "the very biggest" in the class and feature optional power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. Even the rear passengers can have heated seats, a feature not often seen in the segment. Also unusual is the fact that the center console can slide 80-mm fore and aft, allowing the driver to find the adequate position behind the wheel.
Since we're talking about an SUV, it's good to know the Koleos has a high ground clearance of up to 210 mm, as well as approach and departure angles of 19 and 26 degrees respectively.
The All Mode 4×4-i all-wheel-drive system is optional and only compatible with the most potent engine. It features a control switch that allows users to select one of three modes: 2WD (front-wheel-drive only), 4WD Auto (fully automatic, sends up to 50 percent of torque to the rear), and 4WD Lock (50/50 distribution of torque between the axles, at speeds below 40 km/h).
The Koleos shares Renault-Nissan's CMF-C/D platform with models like the Espace, Talisman, and Kadjar, as well as the Nissan X-Trail and Qashqai. As a result, engine options are similar. For Europe, there are only two diesel units on offer: a 130 hp 1.6-liter dCi available exclusively with 2WD and offered with either a six-speed manual or an X-Tronic CVT, and a 175 hp 2.0-liter dCi available with the same transmissions and all-wheel-drive.
Available features include the R-Link 2 multimedia interface with 7- or 8.7-inch touch screens, 13-speaker Bose sound system, rear view camera, parking sensors all around, Easy Park Assist, and Automatic High-Low Beam headlights. There are also active safety systems such as Active Emergency Braking (AEBS City and Inter-Urban), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), and Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR).
For those who want more, Renault offers the posh Koleos Initiale Paris version.