Renault Koleos 2019 - Key highlights

The all-new 2019 Renault Koleos is the French carmaker’s second attempt at bringing a premium midsize SUV to the Malaysian market. Prices for the car start at around RM 179,888 and for that kind of money the 2019 Koleos rivals with the likes of Mazda CX-5 and segment favourite Honda CR-V. The top of the line signature model comes with RM 189,888 price tag and a fully loaded version will cost you around RM 200,000.

In the following article, we will explain the top features that make the 2019 Renault Koleos a formidable offering in the segment.

The vehicle architecture

Courtesy of the Renault- Nissan alliance the all-new Koleos shares its vehicle architecture with the Japanese carmaker’s X-trail SUV. In the midsize utility vehicle segment, the 2019 Renault Koleos proves to be one of the most practical, versatile, and capable offerings in the category.

This also equips the SUV with the flexibility to capitalize on its dimensions. The 2019 Koleos is 4672 mm long and 1843 mm wide. In comparison to other cars in the segment, the all-new Renault Koleos is bigger than both Peugeot 3008 and Mazda CX- 5 and almost the same size as the Honda CRV.

Renault’s current-generation European styling

The 2019 Koleos embodies Renault's latest design language and features a completely redesigned front fascia which includes a bulging horizontal chrome accent grill that runs across the width of the car and features an integrated Renault logo.

The 2019 Renault Koleos enjoys an imposing stance thanks to its dimensions, unlike the Mazda offering which even with its attractive origami- Esque design still comes off as the more compact SUV when it comes to aesthetics.

Speaking of the car’s exteriors, the first thing one notices about the 2019 Renault Koleos is that it comes with a long hood and as expected of the French marque, the new SUV flaunts well-adjusted proportions. The fog lamp encasings also get chrome accents and the hood of the SUV now features a more muscular design with prominent creases and sharp angles.

LED illumination clusters

The headlamp cluster now features C- shaped LED daytime running lights that flow down into the front bumper.

The rear tail light cluster also gets the LED treatment and sits atop a faux dual- exhaust tip element that features chrome surrounds. The Koleos logo is spelled out in bold capital letters and sits right in the middle of the tailgate just under the Renault logo.

Spacious cabin and cargo bay

The utility of the vehicle was clearly a point of focus when Renault was designing the all-new Koleos, as at 542 liters of boot capacity the French SUV gets a much deeper boot than that of Mazda CX-5.
Customers can also drop down the rear seats using a panel that has been integrated into a side of the boot and the SUV also comes with electric boot release.

Creature comforts and infotainment features

The rear seats of the car are quite comfortable and spacious just like the ones in the front. In comparison, there is more space at the rear of the 2019 Koleos than the Mazda CX-5. The centre tunnel at the rear has been carefully sculpted to be quite low and located right over it we find the rear AC vents, two USB ports, and a 12-volt charging socket.

Instrumentation display duties are taken on by a 7-inch TFT LCD screen which comes with high-end graphics. At the front, the dashboard is dominated by a large 7- inch touch screen infotainment system that comes with Apple CarPlay, Android auto and sat NAV, as standard. Other premium interior features include handsfree key card keyless entry, leather steering wheel and steering mounted controls.

Powertrain technology

The 2019 Koleos specs sheet tells it is only available with a single engine option for both variants which is a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder 16 valve motor that produces 169 bhp of power and committed to a CVT gearbox. The SUV is only available in a front-wheel-drive setup but it happens to be one of the finest in the segment.

The 2.5-liter motor is also one of the most powerful in the segment and equipped with the very capable CVT gearbox Koleos was manages to offer a very smooth and responsive ride.

Renault’s safety and driver- assistance features

As far as safety features are concerned, a major safety highlight of Koleos is that Renault equips the all-new SUV with a reversing camera and display duties are taken on by the same 7-inch screen at the front. The camera graphics are very high and the display comes equipped with guiding parking lines. Koleos is also available with a 360-degree parking sensor feature which responds well to the steering inputs.

Other standard safety galore includes 6 airbags, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Control and Hill Start Assist. Some optional driver- assistance features offered in the 2019 Koleos include fatigue detection, blind spot monitor, lane keep assist and speed limit signboard recognition.

Fit and finish

The quality of material used across the cabin is quite impressive but a grade lower than the quality of plastics used in both CR-V and CX-5 but Renault Koleos does come with study and rugged panels. It is here that we feel the French marque has taken a page out of Nissan’s book.

Conclusion

As for its utility, the dimensions of the Renault Koleos not only bestow the offering with imposing stance but also offers one of the best interior spaces in the segment. We would have liked if Renault offered Koleos in an all-wheel-drive version but in the midsize SUV segment, the French carmaker has brought us an SUV that is more premium than the Honda CR- V and offers more space than Mazda CX- 5.

Also Read: Renault Koleos 2019 - All you need to know