Renault Koleos

Our verdict

Renault arrives late to the SUV game with a Nissan-inspired 4x4 that’s great off-road but a but underwhelming on it

Comfort

Loads of space for driver and passenger, but adults in the back seat will discover a lack of leg- and headroom. At 450 litres, boot space is modest at best – the Nissan X-Trail has over 600 litres – but there are plenty of cubby holes around the interior that add up to a generous 70 litres. Split tailgate is handy, too.

Performance

No petrols here, just two versions of Renault’s two-litre dCi with either 150bhp or 175bhp. The engine sounds a touch agricultural from the outside, but the 175bhp version is quiet in the cabin, smooth and plenty quick enough. Th 150bhp engine is probably adequate for most situations.

Cool

There aren’t many SUVs at the sub-zero end of the Cool Wall, but… no, actually, the Koleos isn’t up there either. Silly gurning face.

Quality

Build quality doesn’t feel quite up to Freelander levels, but the interior has been built using smart, tactile materials. Four-wheel drive gubbins have all been sourced from Nissan, so don’t expect any worries there.

Handling

Most excellent off-road – can handle the easy-going dirt track stuff but also the proper three-wheeling, inching along river beds stuff too. On road, though, the soft, pliant suspension makes the Koleos feel wobbly and top-heavy. Which seems a bit back-to-front for a Renault SUV, no?

Practicality

Split tail gate and masses of cubby holes make it a good choice for the family, but feels slightly cramped on the inside compared to the X-Trail.

Running costs

Diesel power and sensible insurance groups are good news, but we’d expect the higher-spec versions to depreciate more alarmingly than the related Nissan X-Trail.