Renault Koleos SUV facelift review, test drive

Now that it has established itself firmly in the Indian market with the popular Duster, Renault India wants to give its premium SUV, the Koleos, a second chance, and to that end, it will soon introduce a facelifted version of it. When it was launched in 2011, the very capable Renault Koleos didn't really take off, for a few reasons. Firstly, Renault was a relative unknown in India then, and secondly, it was priced to compete with already popular seven-seat SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner and Hyundai Santa Fe. Most of all, though, the Renault Koleos' soft, smooth crossover styling wasn't a hit in a country that likes its SUVs big and rugged. So will the few key updates that Renault has given the Koleos help it grab a stronger foothold in the market?

So how does it drive? The Koleos’ 2.0-litre diesel engine has been tinkered with and now produces 171bhp (23bhp more than its predecessor). It performs brilliantly on the highway and the engine revs cleanly to the redline, giving this diesel motor a petrol-like feel. Flatten the accelerator and you really do enjoy this car’s phenomenal pulling power. This, combined with the tall gearing make this a phenomenal cruiser. However, enter city limits and the huge turbo lag makes you really work the gearbox. Below 2,000rpm, you have to downshift, and although the new six-speed manual gearbox has a precise action, the clutch’s sharp bite takes a bit of getting used to. In terms of refinement, the Koleos keeps vibrations and the typical diesel gruffness at bay, and the motor doesn’t feel strained even when the tachometer is just a few clicks away from the redline.

Where the Koleos truly impresses is the way it glides over road undulations. The Renault’s ride is very absorbent and makes easy work of broken tarmac irrespective of its speed. The suspension also keeps thuds in check and only very large potholes ruffled the Koleos’ composure. The overall stability at speed is impressive, and the accurate steering wheel drills confidence in the driver. For an SUV, the body roll is very well controlled too.

Renault is now assembling the 2.0-litre M9R engine in India, and that should bring the costs down significantly for the company. 

The updated Renault Koleos is priced at Rs 21.30 lakh for the base 2WD variant with manual gearbox.  The 4WD MT variant costs Rs 23.98 lakh and the top-end 4WD AT version is priced at Rs 24.98 lakh. (All prices ex-showroom, Delhi).

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