The current-generation Renault Koleos went on sale in Australia close to a decade ago.
That means it’s one of the oldest models on sale in the highly competitive mid-sized SUV segment – and there are promotional deals that reflect that.
If you’re shopping for a Koleos, you’ll notice there are often special offers that will land you an entry-level variant for less than $40k drive-away, and there’s currently an enticing deal that includes seven years of warranty, scheduled servicing and roadside assistance coverage for the base Zen grade tested here.
So there are deals to be had. But should you be shopping for a Koleos in 2025, its final year on sale in our market? Read on to find out.
How much does the Renault Koleos cost?
For 2025,the Renault Koleos has a higher starting price thanks to a mildly rejigged lineup – with just two variants now on offer for the ageing French-branded, South Korean-built medium SUV.
To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool
What is the Renault Koleos like on the inside?
Like I mentioned, the Koleos has been around for a while, and the interior is showing that more than the exterior.
It’s not unpleasant or terrible inside, just a bit outdated and boring in terms of its design compared to the flashy big-screen offerings out now.
Renault was pretty early into the touchscreen-in-portrait-layout thing, and the display is pretty underwhelming by modern standards. But, there is wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, which could be all you really need – it was fine by me.
You need to adjust some elements of the car through the screen, including the fan speed – but there are climate control dials to adjust the temperature, thankfully. Annoyingly though, you don’t get a volume dial so instead you have to use the capacitive touch controls on the side of the screen – and they aren’t as reactive as you might hope.
There’s a 7.0-inch digital display in front of the driver with a speedometer and other info, and a couple of analogue gauges for engine temperature and fuel level. And, of course, your blinker stalks are back to front.
It’s from an era of Renaults when things were still a bit kooky in terms of the controls, so there’s another stalk on the steering column to adjust your stereo system and volume, while the buttons on the steering wheel serve other purposes.
There’s also a cruise control switch down near the cupholders, and then you trigger the cruise system on or off using the steering wheel buttons. Down below the steering wheel area there is a section of blanks in the base variant, but there is also an electric boot switch there.
The cupholders are oddly sized, and there’s a shortage of storage smarts compared to newer options, but there are bottle holders in the doors, and a small area in front of the gear selector to store a phone, but there is no wireless phone charger in that location – just two USB-A ports and a 12V outlet.
Between the seats there is also a covered centre console bin that’s a decent size, and also a cover for the cupholders if you don’t want to use them. Plus the cupholders feature a small vent to keep your drinks hot or cold.
While the interior finishes are a little boring, the cabin does have a nice look to it for the most part, including a section in between the seats that you can use as a grab handle or rest your leg against. There’s a soft covered material on there, and a big soft-touch panel across the dash as well.
The driver’s seat is electrically adjustable, relatively comfortable and has a manual lumbar support lever too. It’s manual-adjust only for the passenger, and there’s no lumbar adjustment – but the seats are good for longer trips.
In the back there is ample space for someone my size (I’m 182cm or six-foot tall), and behind my own driving position I had inches of room in front of my knees, lots of toe wiggle space and heaps of headroom as well – so if you have tall teens this could be a really good choice for you. And you could even fit three across if you needed to, with a fairly broad cabin allowing enough space for exactly that.
There are also directional air vents and two more USB-A ports for charging, as well as an additional 12V port, and on the seatbacks there are mesh map pockets and hard kickplates as well.
Bottle holders are fitted to each of the doors, as well as soft elbow pads, and the middle seat houses a fold-down armrest with cupholders. There are lights on either side of the cabin and grab handles for rear occupants too.
The Koleos features a standard electric boot, as well as proximity locking for the vehicle – so when you walk away with the key in your pocket it will lock the doors for you. However, it will also do that when there’s someone still in the car, which can be frustrating, especially if you’ve got a kiddo in the back!
The boot is pretty generous for this class of vehicles, with 458 litres with the seats up, expanding to 1690L with them folded down.
Underneath the boot floor there is a steel spare wheel, while on either side of the boot floor there are small storage areas and another 12V port as well. There are no luggage or shopping bag hooks, but you do get a cargo cover.
To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool
What’s under the bonnet?
The Renault Koleos range keeps it pretty simple when it comes to powertrain, with just one 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine available across the three-variant range, which is exclusively front-wheel drive in base Zen form, with the option of all-wheel drive for the more premium Intens.
To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool
How does the Renault Koleos drive?
It’s not a groundbreaking drive experience by any measure, but the Koleos does nothing much wrong and is still a solid ride/handling package even alongside much newer mid-sized SUV rivals.
If you want a more fun commuter, then a Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Cupra Formentor, Volkswagen Tiguan or any number of other models could be worth looking at.
There’s nothing offensively bad here, but its chassis just feels a bit old compared to newer models on the market.
My only real criticisms are the steering, which is strangely heavy and inconsistent in its responses, making it hard to judge at times, and the amount of road noise intrusion that enters the cabin on the highway, especially if there’s a coarse-chip surface below the rubber.
The 2.5L engine and CVT auto combination isn’t sublime, but it’s manageable in terms of the grunt on tap, and while it can be a bit vocal if you’re really hard on the throttle, it will settle down well in light-throttle situations, where the CVT can better harness the torque of the engine.
The ride is comfortable for family duties, dealing pretty well with big and small bumps alike. And while it isn’t a thriller in the twisties, it doesn’t roll too much when you approach a corner with too much pace.
It has honest braking response too, and it feels largely pretty confident as a daily driver.
What makes it more liveable than many new rivals, though, is the lack of frustration at the wheel. There are no incessant bings and bongs to warn you of things that you already know about, and it makes for a more easygoing experience as a result.
I did miss rear cross-traffic alert when reversing out of parking spaces, though, and the lack of adaptive cruise control makes it feel like you’ve been shortchanged.
Visibility is decent around the car too, and while a surround-view camera would be greatly appreciated for any SUV of this size and intent, the reversing camera and surround parking sensors help keep you mindful of your surroundings.
It’s not fun, but it gets the job done.
To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool
What do you get?
The old entry-level grade has been axed, so there are now just two spec levels to choose from.
2025 Renault Koleos Zen equipment highlights:
- 18-inch two-tone alloys
- 17-inch steel spare wheel
- LED headlights
- LED reversing lights
- Sweeping rear turn signal
- Satin Grey roof rails
- Hands-free key card
- Easy Park Assist
- Powered hands-free tailgate
- Auto folding door mirrors
- Auto high beam
- Black leather upholstery
- Power-adjustable driver’s seat incl. lumbar
- Heated front seats
- Dual-zone climate control
- Customisable ambient lighting
- Rear privacy glass
- AM/FM/DAB radio
- 3D Sound by Arkamys 8-speaker audio
- 7.0-inch instrument display
- 8.7-inch portrait infotainment system
- Wired Apple CarPlay
- Wired Android Auto
- Satellite navigation
- 2 x front USB ports
- 2 x rear USB charging ports
To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool
Is the Renault Koleos safe?
That’s an interesting question and it depends on your definition of automotive safety. Is an independent authority telling you that countless chimes and lights to warn you that you’re not paying attention, or keeping in your lane, or obeying the speed limits, really what you’d call safety?
I for one don’t consider that to be the case. And you know what? I don’t really care that the Koleos doesn’t have a current ANCAP rating. It used to, based on 2016 testing, when it achieved a five-star score.
But now that it’s old and it doesn’t match the newcomers on ADAS tech, it doesn’t have a safety rating, despite being fitted with all the essentials.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – Interurban speed
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Cruise control, speed limiter
- Forward collision warning
- Lane departure warning
- Parking sensors – front, side, rear
- Reversing camera
- Tyre pressure monitor
It’s missing stuff like rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view camera, and some of the more advanced AEB features. Likewise, there’s no driver monitoring camera, speed-sign recognition or active lane keeping or centring.
It has six airbags, including dual front, front side and full-length side curtain coverage.
To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool
How much does the Renault Koleos cost to run?
The normal aftersales coverage for the Renault Koleos is a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, as well as five years of capped-price servicing and five years of roadside assistance.
But at this point in time the brand is offering an ownership sweetener, with the same warranty cover matched by seven years of free scheduled servicing and seven years of roadside assistance cover included.
That’s a saving of thousands of bucks, as the average service cost is usually $543 per visit… but the service intervals are incredibly lengthy at 12 months or 30,000km between visits. Personally, I don’t think I’d be leaving my car for 30,000km between services, but if you’re a long-distance commuter who spends hours on the road each week, it might be very appealing.
To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the Renault Koleos
If you’re into the simpler things in life, the Renault Koleos could certainly offer some appeal for the money.
It’s basic, and not brilliant in any particular way, but it is good value, spacious, and not at all annoying to live with.
Interested in buying a Renault Koleos? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
MORE: Everything Renault Koleos
Pros
- Still stylish after all these years
- Practical cabin space and useability
- No annoying safety technology
Cons
- Missing some features due to its age
- Not lots of fun to drive
- Some weird cabin controls
Top Line Specs
- Power: 126kW
- Fuel Type: Unleaded Petrol
- Economy: 8.1L/100km
- CO2 Emissions: 188g/km
- ANCAP Safety Rating: 5
#Renault #Koleos #Zen #review
