The gorgeous Koleos just got exactly what it needed.
When we reviewed the Renault Koleos, we remarked that while it was an excellent performer overall, its purely-petrol powertrain felt a little low on punch, a situation exacerbated by the continuously-variable (CVT) automatic gearbox, a transmission setup known for making pretty decent engines feel gutless. Seems that the folks at Renault have listened, because finally, there is a stronger, brawnier option on offer: a turbodiesel.
The 2.0-litre turbodiesel mill employed here is exactly the same powerplant found beneath the bonnet of the diesel Nissan X-Trail, which is to be expected given the history between the models. As such, the oiler now provides the Koleos with no less than 130kW of power and a substantially-improved 380Nm of torque, stacking up well against the petrol engine that used to be the sole offering (which had just 126kW/226Nm). As the Koleos diesel sits at the very top of the range, power is sent to all four wheels via the same CVT-automatic as before.
Curiously, the Koleos diesel sports an impressive 30,000km/12-month service interval, which represents a threefold mileage improvement over its Japanese cousin (though time-wise, it remains an identical once-a-year affair). Also improved is the fuel economy, with the Koleos diesel rated at an impressive 6.1L/100km (much less than the 8.1L/100km figure offered by the petrol).
Sitting at the top of the Koleos range means the diesel is packed full of goodies, like blind spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward-collision warning, semi-digital driver instrumentation, full-LED headlights with automatic high-beams, an electric panoramic sunroof, a BOSE audio system with a dozen speakers and a subwoofer, heated/ventilated front seats, and an electric tailgate. Naturally, the flagship position does command a pretty penny, and commands a $3500 premium over the Intens petrol model, coming in at $46,990 (before ORCs).
“The Koleos has always been our top-selling model in Australia,” said Renault Australia’s managing director Justin Hocevar. He reckons that with the arrival of the diesel “to compete the line-up,” the Koleos will continue its strong offensive on our market. We agree.
Read our review of the Renault Koleos here. For more information on Renault, check out our Showroom.
