2017 Renault Koleos

French automaker Renault is working at a feverish pace to churn out new offerings. Reportedly, the plan is to release a new model every six months, which should translate into lots of buzz and speculation over future diamond badges. Renault’s SUV lineup is part and parcel of that rapid expansion, with the up-and-coming Grand Captur joining the Kwid, Captur, and Kadjar on the roster. Now, based on these spy shots, it looks there’s also a new replacement for the compact Koleos crossover, and it’ll be much larger, offer seating for seven, and get up-scale touches inside and out.

The Koleos successor will take the lead as Renault’s flagship SUV, competing against similar models from Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Honda. But even though initial rumours suggested that it will also drop the Koleos nameplate in favor of a new, unknown designation, Renault has just confirmed that the name will carry on, despite the redesigned size and specification.

Details are rough as of this writing, but the French released a new statement that announced the SUV’s debut at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show in China. Renault also unveiled the first official photo of the new people hauler, confirming what we already knew: that the redesigned Koleos employs the company’s new design language introduced with the Talisman sedan. Keep reading to find out more and stay tuned for updates from the Beijing Auto Show next week.Exterior

 Renault Koleos
What’s clear at this point is that the new Koleos will be built on the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s Common Module Family (CMF) architecture, specifically the CMF-CD platform. To help reduce manufacturing costs, Renault Renault and Nissan formed a strategic partnership in 1999, and share the CMF architecture across a broad range of vehicles (for example, the CMF-CD platform is currently used for the Nissan Qashqai, Nissan X-Trail, Renault Espace, and Renault Kadjar, among others).

The Koleos is currently 4.5 meters (178 inches) in length, but its replacement is expected to grow significantly, swelling to over 5 meters (197 inches) from tip to tail. At that size, the it will be one of the biggest Renault passenger vehicle models in production.

The first photo of the SUV confirms that the front fascia will benefit from the same design cues as the new Renault Talisman Renault Talisman and Mega Mega ne. The headlights, for example, look quite similar, dropping the old model’s oval appearance and gaining a more rectangular shape, including LED running lights arranged in a hook-like shape underneath. The headlights also connect to the revised grille, which looks deeper and sharper than before.

The originally stubby profile is obviously extended, with proportions that move from crossover to full-blown SUV. The lines are sleek and smooth, while the rear will have a tall hatch for loading copious amounts of cargo.

Overall, the new Koleos looks robust but elegant at the same time thanks to Renault’s new design language. It also boasts a powerful stance that will probably set it apart from its rivals.

Interior

 Renault Koleos
Justifying the prodigious size increase is an expanded interior space, which will come with a new third row for seating up to seven people. That’s pretty major for Renault, especially considering the company’s existing crop of compact crossovers and SUVs. Head, hip, and legroom should all be ample. In fact, Renault claims that the SUV will provide "a refined, comfortable interior that boasts record room for passengers." There should also be the option for one-touch folding rear seats that easily maximizing space and practicality, plus lots of nooks and crannies for storage.

In addition to a seven-seat layout, the interior is expected to gain a good deal of high-end materials and features. I’m thinking available leather upholstery for the seats and steering wheel, the latest R-Link infotainment system (including a large touchscreen at least seven inches in diameter), premium audio, and a host of driver’s aide technology, such as parking assist, blind-spot warning, and automatic braking.

Drivetrain

 Renault Koleos
Under the hood, the new Koleos is expected to inherit the Nissan X-Trail’s various drivetrain options. Currently, that includes a gas-powered 2.0-liter inline-four producing 143 horsepower, a gas-powered 2.5-liter inline-four producing 170 horsepower, and a diesel-powered 1.6-liter inline-four producing 130 horsepower.

It’s also possible Renault will bring over the Kadjar’s selection of four-bangers for both gas and diesel duties, including a 1.2-liter gas unit that produces 130 horsepower. Agility-enhancing all-wheel steering, such as can be found on the Espace, might also find it’s way into the Koleos. Either way, it’s probably safe to assume transmission choices will include a six-speed manual and a six-speed EDC automatic, with FWD as standard and AWD as optional.

Renault promises that the new Koleos will deliver "all-terrain ability while ensuring excellent ride and handling and stability."

Prices

The Koleos is currently sold in a variety of markets worldwide, including Asia, Europe, and South America, and its successor will follow suit. Pricing varies widely between individual markets, but starts at $28,490 in Australia ($20,722 in US dollars at current exchange rates, 10/16/2015).

Considering its larger size and upgraded standard equipment, the new Koleos will undoubtedly carry a higher MSRP than its precursor. Exactly how much higher remains to be seen, but expect a number along the lines of a current top-range Koleos.

Competition

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER

 Mitsubishi Outlander
The Outlander isn’t the most exciting seven-seat SUV on the market, but it does offer high practicality at a competitive price. The exterior looks good, with bold styling and unique touches all around. The fuel economy is also quite good, but the tradeoff is performance that seems to struggle. The interior is on the bland side, but AWD comes standard, so if you’re looking for something that does the job and not a whole lot more, the Outlander might be the right choice.

Read our full review here.

NISSAN X-TRAIL

 Nissan X-Trail
It’s expected the Koleos will offer more or less the same mechanical bits as the Nissan X-Trail, which means the two will probably fight it out over things like styling and interior appointment. From the outside, the Nissan looks like an SUV should, while the cabin has all the right features of tech and usability. I could see Nissan giving these attributes an update to keep it ahead of the Renault, so we’ll have to see where it sits when the Koleos successor is finally released.

Read our full review here.

Conclusion

 Renault Koleos
The Koleos has been a mixed bag for Renault, gaining traction in some markets, while losing ground in others. This new flagship should come with the right attributes to change that to an all-around more successful product. Following in the footsteps of the X-Trail looks like the right move, but I can’t help but wonder where the two partners will differentiate their respective products. Will the new Koleos be the seven-seater off-roader Renault needs to round out its product lineup? So far, things are looking good, but we’ll find out more at the Beijing Auto Show.