The Koleos combo makes the best of both worlds. Photo / Supplied
The Koleos combo makes the best of both worlds. Photo / Supplied
A cornerstone for Renault since its New Zealand re-launch has been the Koleos SUV. Even the brand's managers didn't see that coming, expecting instead that the Megane hatches and Fluence sedans would be their hero models.
But it's not hard to see why the marketplace has taken to the compactsports utility, which is basically a set of Nissan mechanicals wrapped in a well-styled and airy French body. Some would say the combo is the best of both worlds, especially as it carries a top five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
The sleek $42,990 Koleos highlights the international nature of today's motor industry. Its body was designed by Renault on a platform and running gear developed by Nissan for the X-Trail, and it is built for the French-Japanese partnership by Renault Samsung Motors in South Korea. Renault has an 81 per cent interest in the Samsung factory and Koleos is sold in South Korea as the Renault Samsung QM5.
The Renault-Nissan alliance links the Japanese and French companies through a cross-shareholding arrangement and technology-sharing. It has succeeded where international groupings such as Daimler and Chrysler failed.
Koleos is based on concept cars shown in Europe as early as 2000. New Zealand gets it in three flavours, a 2WD petrol model at just under $38,000, the all-wheel-drive (AWD) petrol we've been driving and a diesel at $49,990. Specifications include 17-inch alloy wheels with 225/60 R17 tyres, cruise control, dual zone climate air-conditioning, roof rails, fog lamps and automatic headlights and wipers. Optional 18-inch rims with 225/55-series tyres were fitted to the test car. The rear is notable for a split-opening clamshell tailgate, an arrangement popular on the expensive Range Rover, and there's a ski hatch in the rear seat backrest. Foldout tables on the backs of the front seats are a nice touch, especially for kids.
Koleos is powered by a 2488cc 126kW motor producing 226Nm of torque at 4000rpm (the 2-litre diesel does 110kW and 320Nm), feeding a continuously variable transmission (CVT). A word of caution in these pain-at-the-pumps days, Renault recommends premium-grade for the petrol engine.
Although lacking the ground clearance and gearing for serious off-roading, Koleos maintains considerable poise on rutted logging tracks and on such surfaces as boggy paddocks.
The 4WD version can be driven in 2WD on the highway, or left in automatic 4WD, which sends drive to the rear wheels as required.
Although not as sporty as its body lines might suggest, Koleos is lively on-road and provides both relaxing long-distance transport and low-stress suburban running around.
The bottom line: Look what happens when French flair meets Japanese engineering
Also consider: Koleos is something of a standout in a crowded segment because, for now, the AWD models come with a leather seats package that usually costs $5000-plus. This puts it among luxury versions of its rivals.
These include: * Hyundai ix35 Elite $49,990 * Land Rover Freelander TD4 SE $65,990 * Mitsubishi ASX Sport $42,090 * Nissan X-Trail Ti $47,990 * Subaru Forester XT $52,490 * Toyota RAV4 Limited $48,490
