Renault is making a big statement with the facelifted Koleos by launching it in India before any other country in the world. While a global debut indicates how important India is in Renault's scheme of things, what needs to be seen is if this fresh, new SUV can carve out its own fan following despite some tough competition.
The styling changes with the facelift have yielded a smarter, more conventional looking car. If you liked the Fluence, you will like the Koleos. The headlamps have a similar shape and house projector lamps. The two piece grille of the original car has now been replaced by a big chrome affair with three horizontal slats and a big Renault logo in the middle. The rest of the car remains the same.
The Koleos, which has only 206mm of ground clearance, looks more sleek than sturdy. It has more of a crossover than traditional SUV feel to it and the tame styling isn't going to turn a lot of heads.
The Koleos is being offered in only one trim level in India. This top-of-the-line variant comes with a lot of kit as standard. You get dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, light sensors and an eight-speaker Bose music system. In fact, the Koleos carries Bose co-branding as is evident by the Bose badges on the door sill and fenders. While that adds a bit of snob value to the Koleos, there's no denying that the music system is something to boast about and will have audiophiles in ecstasy. The Koleos also features a keyless entry system with a push-button start. You also get a fully adjustable steering which tilts and telescopes. Safety has been given top priority as well and six airbags, ABS, EBD and anti-whiplash headrests come as standard equipment.
The driving position is excellent and the fully-powered seat adjustment (only for the driver) allows you to get comfy very quickly. The chunky three-spoke steering, which feels great to hold, and the brilliant all-round visibility give you an immediate sense of control. The front seats are supportive and comfortable and the rear bench is well-designed too with generous under-thigh support and good space for three passengers. This five-seater offers a good 450 litres of boot space, which can be increased to 1380 litres by flipping the split rear bench forward with just the pull of a lever conveniently located on the inside of the D-pillar. In fact, the well-orchestrated ease with which the rear seat back and squab drops down and tips forward is a brilliant piece of engineering. Another clever detail is the split tailgate which can double up as a bench (it takes the weight of two adults) or a picnic table. The only hitch is that the load lip is quite high, which makes loading heavy luggage hard work.
Powering the Koleos is a two-litre, 150bhp common-rail diesel motor that's mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It's the same M9R engine that powers the X-Trail but it feels quite different in the Renault SUV. You get the same linear power delivery and the engine is quite responsive despite being blunted by the six-speed auto-box. However, the mid-range isn't particularly strong and there's only a gentle surge of power when the turbo kicks in. Performance is pretty adequate for most situations and the Koleos cruises with ease. However, on part-throttle, the Koleos feels a bit sluggish and you need to flatfoot the accelerator to get going, be it for overtaking on the highway or driving in a hurry in the city. Beyond 3500rpm, the engine suddenly becomes noisy and there's a distinct boom that filters through into the cabin.
Credit should be given to the six-speed gearbox which uses a conventional torque convertor. Gearshifts are smooth and fairly quick but if you are in a hurry, it is better to drive the Koleos in manual mode. Using the gear lever you can tap for downshifts which are prompt, although upshifts aren't as quick. However, the Koleos is best enjoyed being driven a couple of notches down in which case it feels relaxed either cruising down the highway or trundling around the city.
First with the Fluence and now with the Koleos, Renault is fast establishing itself as the benchmark for driving dynamics. The Koleos strikes a finely judged balance between ride and handling to give it class-best road behaviour.
MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear suspension makes the SUV feel quite car-like but clever damper tuning, which is slightly on the softer side, gives the Koleos a special suppleness without compromising body control. As a result, at low speeds, the Koleos feels very pliant, absorbing undulations and bumps with ease. It's only over sharp protrusions and through potholes that you feel suspension thuds through but it's more to do with the relatively low-profile (for an SUV) tyre sidewall that takes the impact. However, it's nothing to complain about as comfort levels are well above average for an SUV in this segment.
At highway speeds, the Koleos feels remarkably planted and stable, despite a fair amount of body roll through corners. The suspension proves to be quite adept at keeping the mass of the Koleos in check and unlike other SUVs that lurch around corners, the Koleos gently leans into them. The electric power steering, although not in the same league as Fluence, has a steady weight and directness throughout which makes it easy to place the SUV exactly where you want around corners.
The four-wheel-drive system also improves the dynamic ability of the Koleos. With the four-wheel-drive mode set to automatic, only the front wheels of the Koleos are powered unless the system senses wheelspin or understeer, in which case it will transfer torque to the rear axle. So you can drive around corners much faster than you would expect to in a 1.7-tonne SUV. The Koleos also features an electronically activated two-wheel-drive only mode for daily use and a four-wheel-drive lock mode for mild off-road excursions.
The Koleos' styling is pleasant but it lacks the macho look an SUV demands. The interiors, although well-built, don't feel as plush as the Rs. 22.99 lakh price tag suggests. The steep pricing might detract potential customers despite it being a quality product.
However, the Koleos has a lot going for it. Its long equipment list, spacious cabin and brilliant suspension make it a very comfortable SUV to be in. Its dynamically oriented four-wheel-drive system and superb steering make it easy to drive too. The Koleos comes with some truly clever bits and the good thing is that Renault hasn't stinted on safety features.
