The automotive world is moving forward, and with it the third-generation Renault Duster, which has done away with its oil burner in favour of two petrol choices. Charlen Raymond drove the model – here are his thoughts.
Polished elegance and space prevail. Will it sell, though? Peter Palm spends time behind the wheel of Renault’s SUV flagship, the Koleos 2,5 Dynamique 4WD over the festive period.
Renault Koleos 2,5 Dynamique 4WD is the sister car of the equivalent Nissan X-Trail. The Koleos is less expensive than the equivalent X-Trail but the Nissan does have an even more expensive diesel version, not found in the Renault stable. Dimensions of the two differ slightly and the exterior and interior are tuned to each individual marque. Quality of trim and finish is good although we could detect a slight colour variation between the steel body and the rear plastic bumper. Satin chrome embellishments are tastefully executed, extending to the full-length roof rails.
Instrumentation is customizable in four different displays. This includes one where the rev-counter is ditched in favour of an analogue speed display instead of the usual numeral one. Many displays include a small drivetrain picture informing the drive percentage split of front/rear. The now universal touchscreen centre display covers all the feature adjustments. Unusually included is standard sat-nav but sometimes it takes up to four accurate button pressings before success. A quick tug of my sun visor revealed a hidden secret. These are extendable, a brilliant and inexpensive feature that greatly enhances visibility. Safety is enhanced by eliminating bright sunshine from affecting your sight. Steering wheel audio buttons are hidden behind the steering in a refreshing traditional Renault design. Once mastered they work just fine.
A slightly gruff engine note as a result of the large capacity and long stroke engine. Some may describe as this as being sporty but most would prefer the more modern combination of a smaller engine with turbocharging. These provide all the low-down torque that one needs in the daily cut-and-thrust of start/stop commuting.
Transmission is the least impressive aspect of the Koleos. By no means ineffective, it defaults to the original CVT mode of increasing speed but not engine speed and can be somewhat droney and boring. You can use manual mode but this does not add much to the equation. The car can also be somewhat eager to get going, so pushing the eco button softens this urge.
Rear space with seats folded is large and useful. A full-size mountain bike can be squeezed into the volume intact and, impressively, the Koleos could wallow two 29er bikes with front wheels detached. This undoubtedly adds to its impressive list of credentials as a utilitarian product, perfect not only for December time duties but the more mundane day-to-day family hauls too. 
A few niggles include the fuel consumption that would never be excellent with a large displacement four-cylinder under the bonnet. It took a while for the average consumption to drop under an indicated 12,0L/100 km, eventually settling one unit less. That being said, the test car was brand new, so some more mileage would have freed the engine up somewhat. Air-con also battled to keep up when the outside pushed the mercury to tickle 30 0n the thermometer. Also, in a strong wind, the car stability was compromised perhaps just due to its sheer body size.
This Koleos tested over this period is fitted with all-wheel drive however Normal mode employs the use solely of the front wheels with transfer to the rear only possible if you press the auto button hidden down to the lower right of the facia. Four-wheel lock is also provided but only at low speeds.
In summary, the Renault Koleos 2,5 Dynamique 4WD is a polished and capable family vehicle that should serve well. Choosing it above the Nissan X-Trail comes down to personal preference because the gap in initial pricing is likely to be reversed if you should decide to replace it. Another fact is that most of us do not require the complexity of a four-wheel drive system.
Engine: 2,5-litre 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol
Power: 126 kW
Torque: 233 N.m
Top speed: 199 km/h
0-100 km/h: 10,0 seconds
Claimed fuel consumption: 9,8 L/100 km
Ground clearance: 209 mm
Price: R619 999
Weight: 1 565 kg
5 year/90 000 service plan
