Renault Koleos revealed

Renault has unveiled its new Koleos SUV at the Beijing motor show, ahead of it going on sale in Europe early in 2017

The French company claims that the Koleos has real all-terrain ability thanks to a high ground clearance and “unparallelled” four-wheel drive technology, as well as class-leading cabin space.

It is based on the Common Module Family (CMF-CD) modular platform developed jointly by Renault and Nissan and already used on similar vehicles as the third-generation Nissan X-Trail and Renault Kadjar.

When it goes on sale in the UK in early 2017, it will rival cars such as the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan X-Trail.

Renault has given the Koleos all the requisite styling cues, such as protective mouldings on the doors and alloy roof bars, along with large wheels and 213mm of ground clearance.


It won’t trouble a Land Rover off the beaten track, but an approach angle of 19 degrees and a departure angle of 26 degrees hint at serious off-road ability.

Renault Koleos - unveiled Beijing show 250416
Renault claims the Koleos is proficient off-road
Compared with a traditional saloon, the Koleos has a seating position that’s 150mm higher, giving the lofty feeling beloved of SUV buyers. Hand grips either side of the centre console echo the world of off-road motoring while imbuing the interior with a sporty feel.

The interior features a continuous line from the top of the dashboard to the rear of the armrest, which is supposed to suggest power and the world of all-wheel drive motoring. The wide centre console ensures there is a comfortable distance between the driver and front passenger, while rear passenger room is also claimed to be the best in class.

Renault Koleos - unveiled Beijing show 250416
The interior features high quality materials and plenty of room for passengers
Engines are two petrol and two diesels developing from 128 to 172bhp, with either a six-speed manual gearbox or X-Tronic CVT transmission.

The all-wheel drive system is easy to use, the driver activating a switch on the dashboard to select front- or four-wheel drive.

A 4WD Auto mode automatically splits the torque between the front and rear wheels. At slow speeds in low-grip conditions, a third mode called 4WD LOCK allows the driver to select permanent all-wheel drive.

A front-wheel-drive-only version will be available in some markets.

Externally, the Koleos is set apart from the opposition by a number of chrome embellishments, including strips that run from the headlights along the full length of the wings.

It also has one of the longest wheelbases in the class, with an unusually short front overhang.

Renault Koleos - unveiled Beijing show 250416
The rear overhang is unusually long
Renault also says that the interior features quality, tactile materials and trim such as satin-finish chrome on the steering wheel, gear lever and air vents, along with a boot that has 624 litres of luggage space with the 60/40 split rear seat in place. A powered tailgate permits hands-free opening by simply waving a foot beneath the bumper.

Expect the usual battery of connectivity. The Koleos has Renault’s R-LINK 2 system, which controls functions such as infotainment, navigation, hands-free calls, radio and driver aids.

A choice of screens (7-inch landscape or 8.7-inch portrait) operate on the same two-finger principle as most smartphones.

Depending on the market, there's an array of driver aids, all of which can be controlled via the R-LINK 2 tablet. These include emergency braking and warnings for tiredness, lane departure, blind spot and distance to the vehicle ahead, as well as traffic sign recognition with excess speed warning.

Assistance features include a rear view camera, all-round parking sensors and Easy Park Assist.

Renault Koleos - unveiled Beijing show 250416
The Koleos completes the overhaul of Renault's styling begun with the Clio in 2012
The new Koleos will be assembled at Busan in South Korea for all markets except China, plus Wuhan for the Chinese market.

The Koleos will be Renault’s top-of-the-range model in many of its markets outside of Europe.

Laurens van den Acker, senior vice-president of corporate design at Renault, said: “The new Koleos completes the styling renaissance of the Renault range that began with the new Clio in 2012. As a designer, the challenge was to imagine an SUV that was not only elegant, but also modern and dynamic. To achieve this, we didn’t seek to dilute the traits that are traditionally associated with SUVs. Instead, we accentuated the segment’s familiar cues thanks to taut, powerful, horizontal lines, muscular haunches and high ground clearance.

“As a result, the Koleos exudes an inner strength. It is every inch an SUV and every inch a Renault.”

This is the second Renault to wear the Koleos badge. The first, also an SUV/crossover, was popular in India and the Far east but failed to make headway in the UK and was quietly dropped in 2010.

For all the latest news, advice and reviews from Telegraph Cars, sign up to our weekly newsletter by entering your email here

A-Z car finder

What the Koleos will have to beat

Kia Sorento review

Kia Sorento
Nissan X-Trail review

Nissan X-Trail