Renault Koleos a roomy and capable everyday SUV

First impressions, they say, are lasting. That is not always true. In 1994, the entire South African nation thought our new government was going to look after people, what with its slogan “A Better Life For All”.

Today, we know the “All” refers to all of the country’s political parasites, with voters and tax payers playing no role in the equation. Disappointing, that is. But, it works the other way around, as well.

Eight minutes after taking delivery of the Renault Koleos 2.5 Dynamique, I hated the vehicle. I got in, set the mirrors, figured how the gearbox worked, and trundled out of The Citizen’s parking garage.

Still trundling, I drove it to the main road near our offices, while setting the seat for my comfort. Then, turning into the main road, I turned in about 50 metres ahead of a Rea Vaya bus and hoofed the Renault.

It smartly accelerated – up to 24 km/h, where it stayed. No matter what I did, the car would go no faster. By the time I reached a place to turn off the road, the bus driver hated me with frightening passion, shouting things about my mother that I had never suspected.

Editor, Jaco van der Merwe, had driven a Renault Koleos before, so I called him. Thus I learnt that the car has a speed limiter, with its switch hidden in the console, where I could fiddle it up to 130 km/h.

Likewise, the vehicle’s audio system controls are cunningly hidden behind the steering wheel, where a driver could not possibly see them.

ALSO READ: Renault Koleos updated again, loses all-paw gripping option

Luckily, the flagship Renault did not have many other surprises in store, and the longer I drove it, the more I liked it.
Renault call the vehicle’s styling “assertive” and we are not qualified to comment.

We found it distinctive among the large number of SUVs out there and it can certainly not be mistaken for anything other than a Renault.

Mechanically, it comes with a four-cylinder, 2 488 cc petrol engine, that delivers 126 kW of power at 6 000 rpm and 233 Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm. The grunt and twist goes to the front wheels via CVT. The driver also has the option to select a seven-speed sequential gear changing mode.

All Renault Koleos models come standard with brakes assisted by ABS, EBD, EBA, ESC and Hill Start Assist, plus traction and stability control. Other key safety features include Blind Spot Warning, a 360-degree Park Assist sensor system and Tyre Pressure Monitoring.

If you still hit things, there are front, side, curtain and knee airbags to keep you in one piece.
The whole package sits on spoked alloy wheel rims in 225/60 R18 tyres, and the presence of a full-sized spare wheel met with our full approval. It has a wheelbase of 2 704 mm and overall length of 4 672 mm, which results in huge interior space.

The vehicle is designed to carry five adults in leather-seat comfort, while a 464 litre boot features a removable floor positioned at the same height as the sill to form a flat floor over the spare wheel. Using the vehicle’s 60/40-split rear bench frees up a total carrying capacity of up to 1 700 litres.

The Renault Koleos also boasts 35 litres of additional storage around the cabin, including an 11-litre glove box and seven-litre cubbyhole in the centre console.

The interior features rare creature comforts like customisable LED cabin lighting with a palette of hues ranging from green and blue, to yellow, red or violet, cup holders that can be chilled or heated and a sliding centre console for an ideal driving position.

The Koleos was easy to drive, though its sheer size made it feel a bit cumbersome in narrow areas.
Renault claims it will go from standstill to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and reach a top whack of 185 km/h.

We have no reason to disbelieve them, but the whole experience seemed rather removed from the driver, who has a plethora of electronic Nannies distancing him or her from having fun.

Though its transmission is one of the better examples of a CVT, it is still a CVT, and it did from time to time select gears where we did not think it was needed.

Still, Renault Koleos customers would not expect seat of the pants driving experiences, and probably love the car for what it is. A capable, roomy, practical, luxurious people carrier.

At R534 900, the new Renault Koleos comes standard with a five year/150 000 km mechanical warranty, plus, a five year/ 90 000 km service plan and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty, with service intervals at 15 000 km.

For more information on the Renault Koleos, click here.