2008 Renault Koleos crossover
February 12, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
Update - Renault Koleos Review
With Paris city council still mumbling about a ban on all 4WD and SUVs from the inner-city, French car companies have never really taken off-roaders seriously, until now. 28 months of development between Renault and Nissan has given life to Renault’s brand new and first ever Crossover, the Koleos.
Of course the Koleos isn’t all French made, infact you can say its styled by the French, developed by the Japanese (Nissan) and manufactured in Korea at the Renault Samsung Motors’ Busan plant.
It’s 4.52m long, 1.85m wide and comes with a huge range of standard features such as hands-free card and keyless starting functions, automatic headlamp and wiper activation, a tyre pressure monitoring ystem and cruise control/speed limiter.
The Koleos utilises MacPherson-type suspension for the front and borrows the new Nissan X-trail’s fully-independent multilink suspension system for the rear. Ground clearance comes in at 206mm for the petrol and 188mm for the diesel (approach and departure angles 27 and 31 degrees respectively).
For every-day driving power is sent to the front-wheels only, but up to 50 per cent can be sent to the rear when needed. The All mode 4×4-I’ system which controls the front-rear power and torque split is borrowed from the new X-trail.
The 4×4 range comes with hill start assist, hill descent control and ESP as standard. But if you don’t care about off-road ability, Renault is also offering the Koleos in front-wheel drive flavour.
Renault will supply the diesel engines while Nissan will supply the petrol ones. The Koleos will receive the 2.0-litre dCi Euro 4 diesel engine (M9R) in two power outputs, namely 110kW and 320Nm or 127kW and 360Nm.
The lower spec engine is available with both the front-wheel and all-wheel drive variants with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, but the high output diesel only comes with the 4×4 version and in manual only.
The petrol engine is the Nissan made 2.5-litre Euro 4 powerplant (Nissan TR25) which delivers 126kW and 226Nm of torque. It will be available with a manual six-speed gearbox and/or continuously variable transmission (CVT) depending on the market.
Will it come to Australia? We have put the question to Renault Australia and will update once we here back.
The Renault Koleos will be on show at the Geneva Motor Show from March 4, 2008 (and we will be there).
Print it: 
*****PRIMO!*****
Looks like that hyundai suv, name = ??
Anyway, renault can call on nissan for a suv, they have zillions that just need a label changed on the bonnet
Cheers
F-0
I totally agree with you Frugal-One. The first thing i thought was “Hyundai Tucson”.
^ don’t forget the tucson twin – the kia sportage!
^^^^^Yeah european brands now following in korean footsteps! It looks like a cross between a Kia Sportage and a Hyundai Tucson!
if its one thing the French do much better than the Japanese and Koreans lately is the interiors.
This car make the new X Trail look like it was designed 10 or 15 years ago.
Wow toyota as spam word an omen
looks like a tuscon i knew id seen it somwhere but still looks okay if launched here and priced at about 35k i reckon renualt would have no trouble moving about 2000 a year
In terms of French/Japanese SUV/4WDs I’d prefer the Citroen C-Crosser or Peugeot 4007.
^Agreed
Renault hardly ever make something I don’t like. I don’t like this.
Citreon and Pug ….. your joking….go buy an Outlander.
They did nothing but change the badge…..that is the worst povo model sharing I have seen ever…worse than Lexen/Commondorks.
At least the Renault has its own style inside and out ….and runs different engine options to Xtrail…. anyway Renault are a major shareholder in Nissan…PSV and Mitsbishi…not sure ??
Soft Roader for the softies. Agree with you Golfie its not unique or nicce to look at. I prefer the Citroen C-Crosser or Pugs version.
I still cannot understand the demand for these SUV’s over a traditional wagon. Higher fuel consumption, worse handling, and a $10K premium to buy it in the first place.
I’ve been harassing the Nissan dealers on the east coast for a while.
You see altough they have an award winning vehicle with the X-Trail, they forgot to bring the killer engine options they have in europe.
Over there X-Trail buyers have the two options of Renaults 2.0-litre M1D at 150HP/320NM/39.8mpg and an intercooler version at 173HP/360NM/38.2mpg. And that’s British gallons not big American ones.
I hope Nissan wakes up or I may have to really check their distant cousin out in September..
If it based on all the good things that won Nissan awards, maybe this will be the SUV release of the year for 2008…
Cheers
Michael C
Bowen QLD
>>Renault’s brand new and first ever…
So that Renault RX4 I’ve been driving for the last few years doesn’t exist?
Rick
Whats this Renault are a major shareholder in Nissan
Don’t you mean Renault own Nissan.
New Koleos out this year similar price to Nissan X-Trail and cheaper than the Laguna. May just buy one of these – depends on the drive. Would really love a Laguna but not willing to pay the price.
Owned 2 Lagunas in the past while living in UK but Renault seem to have the pricing wrong over here on this car.
Wondering if the Koleos is a successor to my Scenic RX4. Don’t think so. Course if I had my druthers I’d fit the Rx4 with a diesel and low range box. Wish that could be done because the RX4 is a fantastic performer on and off-road. Strangely the Aussie motoring press canned the RX4 but in South Africa it’s very highly regarded as a competant off-roader which is amazing given it doesn’t have low range transfer case. We’ve proved ours in the Flinders Ranges and elsewhere. Drive it carefully and it’s pretty hard to stop. And if you do stop just use your winch!
Well here it is the New Koleos (well a x-trail with a renault body). Been for a drive, very good at handling, pricise steering and a few mod cons. better than the xtrail which tends to waiver. Very good all round safety. I have now ordered mine, should be here by the end of month. Would buy this over the xtrail which is now outdated. For the price. $33,000 on road for petrol 4X2 up to $40,000 + for deisel 4X4.
6 Versions.
I actually think it looks more like a Lexus actually. It’s a X-trail under the skin, but looks a heap better and the interior looks great – I would seriously consider buying one.
Realy thinking of gettting one of these. Like the interior. Having a test drive on the weekend. Price is good for he top of the range with sunroof.. I guess I should check out the CX7 but not sure as there like bums everyone’s got one!
Test drove this on the weekend – rides very nicely indeed, I drove the diesel and was amazing with the pulling power, great torque, not a huge fan on the spilt tailgate, but seriously considering buying.
There have been some very positive comments on this car. I am glad to see that Renault have finally got a very competitive price. The only cheaper SUVs might be the Hyundai Tuscon or Kia Sportage. So overall, I think it is very good value. It looks very sleek in black in the side-on photo.