With Renault doing a styling revamp on its entire range it was only a matter of time before the new Koleos was to be revealed as an addition to its portfolio. This crossover will fall above the Kadjar as a D-segment SUV and is considered by Renault to be a completion of its executive high-end range which includes the Espace and the Talisman.
It’s very clear that the exterior design of the Koleos was inspired by the Talisman and adopts the same design philosophy penned by Alexis Martot. Renault praises the interior space of its new SUV thanks to a wheelbase of 2 710 mm in between its overall length of 4 670 mm and width of 1 840 mm. Ground clearance of the crossover measures in at 213 mm.
On the inside, the driving position is 150 mm higher than its Talisman counterpart. Drivers and passengers will also make use of a portrait style 8,7-inch infotainment screen which has the functionalities of a conventional tablet thanks to the R-Link 2 operating system. Rear legroom sits at a claimed 289 mm thanks to a flexible semi-rigid shell design sourced from the Talisman as well.
Renault hasn’t touched on engine options for the Koleos as yet but it has mentioned that the 4×4-i all-wheel drive system will offer a choice between the front-wheel drive and 4wd auto modes. In addition to this, a third mode called 4wd lock allows the driver to select permanent all-wheel drive for slow speeds in low-grip conditions. The 4×4-i system is dependent on what trim and engine is selected.
International roll-out for the Koleos is set for the third quarter of this year for a limited amount of countries. A full release is confirmed for the beginning of 2017 of which South Africa is still under consideration.
