Renault Koleos 4x4 full 9 point review

  • Performance

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad There's just one engine – a 2.0-litre turbodiesel that generates 148bhp and 236lb ft of pulling power. That's more than enough to haul you and the family along at a decent rate, plus the engine is happy to rev. Every Koleos comes with a six-speed manual gearbox – there's no automatic option.

  • Ride & Handling

    2 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The Koleos has a forgiving ride, but it leans heavily through bends and its front tyres start to slide worryingly early. The steering doesn't help, because it's as remote as the Outer Hebrides, although it is usefully light around town. The Koleos gets the switchable four-wheel-drive system from the Nissan X-Trail, so it's quite capable off-road.

  • Refinement

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The engine sounds a bit coarse when you rev it hard, but this is rarely necessary because there's so much mid-range muscle. Road noise isn't a major problem, either, but the standard roof rails generate a lot of wind noise. The gearshift is vague and the overly springy clutch can make it hard to pull away smoothly.

  • Buying & Owning

    2 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership The Koleos costs about the same as rivals such as the Ford Kuga and Honda CR-V, but it will be more expensive to run. It averages a slightly disappointing 38.7mpg, falls into road tax band F and sits in a comparatively high company car tax bracket. The Koleos doesn't hold its value as well as most rivals, either.

  • Quality & Reliability

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership The cabin isn't as classy as a Land Rover Freelander's, but the materials are smart and everything feels solidly screwed together. Renault performed very poorly in the last JD Power customer satisfaction survey and has consistently finished near the bottom in our reliability surveys. However, Nissan's involvement is encouraging, because it has a fine record for dependability.

  • Safety & Security

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership Every Koleos comes with twin front, side and curtain airbags and ISOFIX child seat mounting points. Meanwhile, stability control and electronic brakeforce distribution are on hand to help you avoid an accident in the first place. The long list of standard security equipment includes deadlocks, an alarm, locking wheel nuts and a stereo that’s integrated into the dashboard.

  • Behind The Wheel

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin You get the commanding driving position that's part of a 4x4's appeal, and there's a good range of steering wheel and seat adjustment. However, the system for adjusting the backrest angle is a bit inaccurate. The switchgear is a mix of Renault Laguna and Nissan Qashqai, but it works well together and is intuitive to use.

  • Space & Practicality

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin The driver might be well catered for, but rear passengers over six feet tall may find their knees pressing into the seats in front. Boot space is more impressive, plus the rear seats fold flat at the tug of a lever and there are lots of cabin cubbyholes. The tailgate is split into an upper glass hatch and a drop-down lower door, which gives you a platform to perch on and means you only have to lift the rear screen to drop in smaller items.

  • Equipment

    5 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin The Koleos is offered in a single generously equipped trim, which is badged Dynamique S. Dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control and an MP3-compatible CD player are all standard, as are keyless entry, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth connectivity and satellite-navigation.

Koleos rivals

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