Renault Koleos

Renault Koleos! This name got me thinking…and we all know how much I love a naughty car name, just take a look at the meaning of Hyundai Kona. I laugh out loud every time I say it, childish I know. But it keeps me very entertained and so I wanted to check what the meaning of Koleos was. And oh how happy it has made me. If you were living in Greece, you would basically be driving a Renault Vagina. I am finished! It can also mean ‘sheath’ but as a noun, it means vagina. And if you look at the Latin meaning, you are looking at a Renault testicle. I realise how immature I am coming across, but I don’t care. If you can’t be silly what kind of life do you have? This stuff is pure gold. But on a more mature level, the Koleos is Renault’s flagship SUV offering and I am thrilled to say that it is an excellent product that I think will appeal to many of you. It competes with a tough crowd, of which includes the Toyota Rav4, Honda CR-V, Volkswagen Tiguan and Mazda CX-5 to name but a few. It even competes with its very close sibling, the Nissan X-Trail (the Koleos a product of the Renault-Nissan alliance so it shares very similar aspects with the X-Trail). It’s a really great looking car but that is not even the best part, because step inside and you are met with a really premium product. From the infotainment system to the quality of materials used, you would be forgiven for thinking you were in a far pricier car. It’s also got one of the biggest cabins in the segment and boasts the most rear legroom. The boot is also a generous 464-litres. The seats were a tad uncomfortable for my fussy butt, but my co-pilot, CARmag editor, Terence Steenkamp, was comfy for the whole drive. The ride quality, however, is simply superb and not just on the road either. Take this off the beaten track and you will be pleasantly surprised by its off-road manners. It wouldn’t be necessary to opt for the 4X4 derivative, but the choice is there if you want it. As Terence says, “opt for the mid-range Dynamique 4×2 which, at R439 900, looks like particularly good value.” You should probably read his driving impression of the Renault Koleos 2,5 4×4 Dynamique CVT. Only once you have finished mine, obviously! The only drawback is, unfortunately, the engine. The naturally aspirated 2.5-litre petrol engine, which delivers 126 kW and 233 Nm, doesn’t have enough oomph to it even when your foot is grinding that throttle flat in to the floorboard. Overtaking requires some planning and I can’t help but think that Renault’s 1.6-litre turbo might have fared better if it were available. Other than the engine, the Renault vagina Koleos is a product that I would happily recommend to any family. It has so much going for it that you will probably be happy to overlook the lack of power from the engine, especially if you look at the pricing…which is really, really good. THE NEW RENAULT KOLEOS PRICING The Renault Koleos is sold with a 5-year / 150 000 km mechanical warranty, 6-year anti-corrosion warranty, 5-year / 90 000 km service plan and the service intervals are every 15 000 km. Koleos Expression 2.5 CVT 4×2 – R399 900 Koleos Dynamique 2.5 CVT 4×2 – R439 900 Koleos Dynamique 2.5 CVT 4×4  – R479 900