2022 Renault Koleos

The Life comes with the following standard features:

• 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Automatic headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Dual-zone climate control
• Electric parking brake
• Reversing camera with rear parking sensors
• Cruise control
• 11-speaker sound system
• LED headlights
• 17-inch alloy wheels

The Zen adds:

• Front and side parking sensors
• Artificial leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Power driver’s seat
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Keyless entry and start
• Power-folding exterior mirrors
• 18-inch alloy wheels

The Black Edition adds:

• 8.7-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Hands-free power tailgate
• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Gloss-black roof rails and door mirrors
• Matte carbon-look interior trim

The Intens adds:

• 8.7-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Parking assistance system
• Nappa leather upholstery (Black or Sand Grey)
• Ventilated front seats
• Power driver’s seat with massaging and memory
• Power passenger’s seat
• Bose 11-speaker premium sound system
• Panoramic sunroof
• Ambient lighting
• Power tailgate
• Hill descent control (all-wheel drive only)
• 19-inch alloy wheels

The Koleos’ interior is vastly different to that of its X-Trail platform-mate, and has a strong familial resemblance to that of the Renault Megane. Material quality is quite good and there's a rather stylish European flair to the cabin.

There’s a handsome, upright centre stack with either a 7.0-inch touchscreen (Life, Zen) or a portrait-oriented 8.7-inch screen (Intens).

The infotainment system is neatly presented, though it's not the last word in sophistication – it can be quite slow to react and will at times just ignore button pushes, with key items buried in obscure menus. There are also touch-capacitive shortcut "buttons" that lack haptic feedback. Overall, the setup is fairly attractive but also rather clunky.

Climate functions are controllable via buttons and knobs below the touchscreen. These knobs are perhaps the only overtly cheap-feeling items in the interior.

The base of the centre stack is bracketed by two leatherette-wrapped grab handles, which lend an upscale touch.

The instrument cluster is neatly presented, and we appreciate the ability to configure the design and colour of the information screen and its digital speedometer, critical vehicle warnings. and trip computer information.

The Intens' colour-adjustable lighting also adds some visual drama to the interior. Changing the colour will also change the colour used on the gauge cluster and infotainment screen.

There are some strange French quirks to the interior. For example, cruise control buttons are split between the steering wheel and the centre console. Controls for volume and media are found not on the steering wheel, but rather on a stubby bar behind the steering wheel. It takes some getting used to, but you'll get there.

The front cupholders are quirky without being insufferable. The recess is split into four segments: two for normal-sized cups and bottles and two smaller ones for perhaps Yakults.

Step into the back and there's ample legroom and knee room, though headroom suffers in the Intens due to its panoramic sunroof.

You'll find three top-tether and two Isofix anchor points for child seats. The Life and Zen have a 12V outlet, while the Intens instead features two rear USB charging ports.

The Koleos' styling ties in nicely with other models in the Renault range like the Megane and Arkana, wearing distinctive lighting elements front and rear and gently curvaceous sheetmetal.

The Life rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, with the Zen upgrading to 18s and the Intens using 19s.

Alas, while all models have LED daytime running lights, only the Intens features LED headlights.

The Koleos range is available in just four colours: Millesim Red, Universal White, Metallic Grey and Metallic Black. Unusually, the red is a no-cost option, while the monochromatic shades are an extra $800.

The Koleos requires servicing every 12 months or 30,000km, whichever comes first. The mileage interval is surprisingly long for this segment, considering most rivals require servicing every 12 months or 10-15,000km.

In addition to a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, Renault offers five years of capped price servicing. Each service is capped at $429 except the 120,000km service, which costs $999.

While its 126kW/226Nm outputs aren't exceptional for the class, the continuously-variable transmission (CVT) does a decent job keeping the car within its peak torque and power band. Push it too hard, though, and it can get a bit noisy, though it's not the worst-sounding engine in its class.

There’s a manual shift mode with artificially-stepped gears but you’ll have to move the gearshift as there are no paddle shifters.

The ride is comfortable, even in the Intens with its 19-inch wheels. It never feels flustered or brittle over poor surfaces and is just as happy when rural road conditions jump from smooth bitumen to goat track.

On the highway there isn’t a great deal of road noise, but you will begin to notice noise in the cabin from the tyres on coarse chip country roads and poorly-finished surfaces.

Visibility out of the front and sides is good with generously sized wing mirrors and a blind spot monitor, but we found visibility out the rear to be a little compromised due to the narrow window envelope.

The Koleos’ steering is feather-light. While that might appear a good thing for some drivers, it has the unintended consequence of making the Koleos feel somewhat vague and cumbersome to drive.

This mid-sized SUV can feel hard to place, and there’s also no way to at least add some artificial weight to the steering via a selectable drive mode as in some rivals.

Handling is on par with most rivals. There's a touch of body roll in corners, but otherwise it's safe and predictable, especially with the Intens' optional all-wheel drive.

The current, second generation Koleos was launched in 2016 and has received minor updates and specification changes since then.

While a next-generation Nissan X-Trail was first introduced overseas in 2020 and is due here in 2022, and a related Mitsubishi Outlander was launched in 2021, there's been no sign yet of the Koleos' replacement.

The Easy Life Package for the Zen costs $2000 and adds an 8.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a hands-free power tailgate.

Sand grey Nappa leather upholstery is a $300 option on the Intens, while premium paint is optional across the range.

Supply is constrained due to disrupted production and shipping delays, so longer lead times may be expected on certain variants.

There's 458L of boot space, expanding to 1690L with the rear seats folded. The second-row doesn't quite fold completely flat.

All models have a 17-inch steel spare under the boot floor.

The priciest Renault Koleos undercuts the cheapest Peugeot 3008, so instead of going head-to-head with that other French-branded SUV, the Koleos instead dukes it out with more mainstream fare.

That includes its corporate cousin the Nissan X-Trail, as well as the Mitsubishi Outlander that's based on the next-generation Nissan. Other rivals include the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4.

You could also include the low-volume Citroen C5 Aircross among its direct rivals.

In 2021, Renault sold just 1937 Koleos SUVs in Australia, accounting for around 1.3 per cent of the mainstream mid-sized SUV segment.

That still put it comfortably ahead of the likes of the Citroen C5 Aircross (58), Jeep Cherokee (382), Peugeot 3008 (1172) and 5008 (189), and the SsangYong Korando (353), and it also edged out the Ford Escape (1673).

The Renault Koleos is an often overlooked mid-sized SUV. It's showing its age in some respects, particularly in its limited list of active safety and driver assist features, but it's pleasant to drive and has a more premium look inside and out than the dated X-Trail.

We wouldn't put it at the very top of our shortlist, but it's worth considering.

The Koleos is based on the same underpinnings as the Nissan X-Trail.