KEY POINTS:
Talk about international diplomacy - Renault's Koleos was designed by Renault, developed by Nissan and built by Samsung. So, a French-Japanese-Korean public relations exercise or a stylish SUV-lite?
I'll take the latter, if the launch drive is anything to go by.
What's new?
The body. Engine and running gear are largely Nissan X-Trail, which also donates the ETC electronic torque control that sends up to 100 per cent of drive to the front and up to 70 per cent to the rear.
But every panel is new, and the blunt nose and raked rear screen impart more compact visual lines than the dimensions deliver.
Inside it's typically Renault, well almost. There's more thought to dash layout and position of the secondary con- trols, without losing all the Euro flavour or Renault goodies such as the chilled glovebox that will swallow wine bottles, the underfloor cubbies and seat-back trays for the second row passengers.
The company line
Wallis Dumper, charismatic MD of Renault New Zealand importer Motorcorp Distributors, doesn't mince words. The brand is plummeting down the sale charts; he took over to halt that slide and turn the company around.
Dumper sees the Koleos as the first building block to increased sales. His goals are modest but achievable, and he'll happily sacrifice the similarly family-focused Scenic to reach them. It only sold 15 here in eight months. Dumper aims for 24 Koleos by Christmas.
What we say
Sharpish $37,990 launch price makes 2.5-litre petrol 2wd tempting for city drivers seeking a friendly family wagon. Less tempting when the price goes up two grand next year. Our advice? Consider the $44,990 4wd 2.0-litre diesel.
Plentiful torque from a refined engine that's happy to cruise; more frugal thirst than the petrol; extra grip, plus hill-start assist and hill-descent control - the latter unlikely to get much use in a vehicle rarely expected to tackle true off-roading.
Both get a five-star NCAP crash-test rating and generous features including ESP, ABS, six airbags, dual-zone climate air and cruise control.
On the road
Despite more steering heft than many mainstream Renaults, the 2wd Koleos still felt a touch vague - especially when we overdid it on gravel, when over-assisted steering and ESP delivered a high-adrenalin shimmy before recovering. The 4wd offers a weightier feel - no doubt it's actually heavier. Ride is perfectly adequate for the breed.
Why you'll buy one
Euro flavour at an affordable price, with running gear developed by experts. You like to stand out in a crowd, but not too much.
Why you won't
Donor X-Trail will be happier to get its tyres dirty for slightly less money, and unless you live near one of the six Renault dealers (including Wellington, Auckland and Mt Maunganui) or three support centres (Hastings and the Manawatu among them) you're stuffed. Nissan may supply the engineering, but using its service departments will void the warranty.
