Renault Koleos 2.0 Privilege dCi 150 4X4

29-10-2008 11:17

One may feel it to be a bit bizarre for a manufacturer to launch a new 4X 4 in today’s gloomy economic climate where some of the hardest hit happen to be the motorists. Undeterred, Renault has unveiled their first crossover model with the new Koleos that offers 4x4 capability mated to MPV practicality.

The line up in very simple with two variants of a 2.0 litre diesel engine, dCi 150 or dCi 175 mated to a six speed manual transmission with a six-speed automatic available on the former engine. If customers do not want 4x4 they can opt of the 4x2 again on the same engine. Three trims are on offer depending on which engine is selected and prices start from just under 18K for the Dynamique dCi 150 4X2 rising to £24,696 for the flagship Privilege dCi 174 4X4. My test car for the week came in the guise of the Privilege mated to dCi 150 with 4X4 that will set you back a cool £23,495.

The ‘wow’ factors started as soon as this car arrived. French flair personified, this new Koleos is obviously a 4X4 but with aggression taken out. Instead are flowing lines, high ground clearance accentuated by the not too wide wheel arches covering the 17-inch alloy wheels and a beautiful tailored rear. Attractive Bi-Xenon cornering headlights with washers, body coloured door handles, protection strips plus electrically adjustable heated and folding door mirrors along with tinted glass will surely see this new Koleos go straight to number one in the good looking car charts.

The wow factors keep coming inside the new Koleos with a really attractive interior design, loads of chrome trimmings and the use of high quality materials. The dashboard is uncluttered with the main controls being nearer to the driver for ease of use. To accommodate all sizes of drivers, the steering wheel with remote audio controls and heated front seats are fully adjustable. The sat nav is displayed sensibly on top of the dashboard and is shielded from sunlight hence easy to read. The Privilege trim comes with cruise control, electric windows, leather upholstery, climate control and a fabulous panoramic sunroof that makes the interior a very bright place to be.

Helping the driver auto lights and wipers, front and rear parking sensors, plus an electrochrome rear view mirror.

The Koleos is packed with practicality to appease even the most disorganised family with storage solutions for every occasion. Driver’s sunglasses holder, door pockets, closed storage compartments in the front door armrest, a drawer under the passenger seat, idea for the handbag and a generous 1.5 litre in the illuminated and cooled glovebox. The multi- purpose 7.3 litre centre console houses a removable case in which you can store the CD’s, and for the children are two 5 litre spaces in the rear floor, and a drawer behind the centre console provides an extra 2.3 litre of space for their toys,

What I liked most about the Koleos is the split tailgate by which if you open the top part, gives you all the advantages of a traditional tailgate, but by opening the lower part lengthens the floor, makes it easier to load heavy objects and the perfect place to sit in order to take off my wellie boots after walking the dog. It does not stop there for under the boot floor is a storage space that can be divided into compartments and ideal for those essential items needed for going abroad. With the boot net, you can transport items that need to be separated. This has to be one of the most practical family cars on the market today.