Renault Koleos News

AMONG the SUVs dominating the biennial Beijing motor show this weekend are new models that will make their way, in some shape or form, to Australia.

The company recognises that passenger car dealerships can have different priorities when it comes to working with customers buying a work van."We understand that van customers have very different needs to passenger car customers," says Renault spokeswoman Emily Fadeyev.The van-focused Renault Pro+ outlets are attached to existing Renault dealerships but the spaces are separate."The Pro+ dealerships have different hours for service and for sales than regular Renault dealerships, reflecting the customer needs," Fadeyev says.Renault Australia aims to have eight Pro+ dealerships up and running by the end of the yearThe dealerships feature the Renault range of vans, with examples of fitout options such as racks and bulkheads. Previously, customers could see these items only in a brochure or online gallery. The van space also allows customers to get a good look at the haulers. In regular dealerships, the vans are sometimes squeezed into corners out of the way of star attraction passenger models.The first three Pro+ dealerships are at Brighton Renault in Victoria, Main North Renault in Adelaide and Sunshine Renault on the Gold Coast.Renault Australia aims to have eight Pro+ dealerships up and running by the end of the year, doubling that by the end of 2016.Commercial vehicles are important to Renault Australia and Vfacts figures show vans accounted for more than one third of the brand's sales tally in 2014.In that year, the Trafic van was Renault Australia's third bestseller, with 1643 sales, trailing the Koleos SUV with 1709 and Clio with 2611.Renault expects to see a boost in its commercial sales this year thanks to a recently arrived face-lifted Master van and a new Trafic, which has just arrived.

Renault's drive for increased market share in Australia continues. The latest vehicle to receive the makeover and price reduction treatment is the Renault Koleos.Sales of the Koleos have almost doubled in the past 12 months and may improve yet again following a major restyle. Renault is calling the update of the Koleos Phase 3 guise. We first saw the new face of Renault when the Clio was reintroduced to Australia in September.  As well as the bold face, the Phase 3 Koleos has a new design of alloy wheels and chromed side protective strips.Inside are new trims designs and the option of brown leather upholstery. There's a redesigned audio interface and a new 7-inch touchscreen navigation system with multimedia functions. Renault Koleos Expression gains an alarm, lockable glove box and deadlocking.At $27,490, the Expression 4x2 petrol manual costs $1000 less than the vehicle it replaces. Even better, the driveaway price for the Expression is $27,990, but only as an introductory offer. This will increase to $27,490, plus on-road and dealer charges at a time yet to be nominated by Renault Australia.Renault Koleos Expression petrol automatic has a manufacturer's list price of $30,490. This is also down $1000 from the superseded model. There's no driveaway special on the Expression - or indeed on any others in the revised Koleos range.Renault Koleos Bose models now have two-tone 17-inch alloy wheel design, integrated satellite navigation with a touchscreen, front parking sensors, keyless start and an automatically dimming interior mirror. A rear view camera is available as an option on the Koleos Bose.The Koleos Bose has a recommended price of $35,490 for the 4x2 petrol automatic, $38,990 for the 4x4 petrol auto and $40,490 for the 4x4 diesel auto.Topping out the range is the Renault Koleos Privilege. It has two-tone 18-inch alloy wheels, and both front seats are electrically adjustable (previously only the driver's seat had this handy function. There's a trim option, with a choice between brown leather or brown interior with beige. The reversing camera is standard.The manufacturer's list price for the Renault Koleos Phase 3 Privilege CVT 4X4 Petrol is $44,740, while the Privilege CVT 4X4 Diesel is now $46,240.The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel has been revamped to increase its power by 17 kW, now producing up to 127 kW. Torque has gone from an already good 320 Nm to an impressive 360 Nm. We have yet to drive the new model but are looking forward to the punch it obviously produces and will report as soon as we have got ourselves into the driver's seat.Brown is the new black in Europe at the moment and it's no surprise the French Koleos introduces an interesting brown metallic to its range. We have always admired the Renault Koleos range for being just that little bit different from other medium SUVs. The touch of French flair appeals to us and this facelift adds further to that look and feel. 

In what must be the last revamp of the current model before a totally new replacement, Renault has released a revised version of the Nissan X-Trail-based Koleos compact SUV. It's a pretty thing as opposed to the first version -- with the current model falling in between.It's pretty much the same underneath in front wheel drive and all wheel drive variants, and the Koleos's new clothes should be universally appealing as well as being identifiable as a Renault.CHANGESThere's a new front, redesigned two-tone wheel, chrome finish of the side protective strips and a striking new colour called Ebony Brown. The cabin, benefits from new trim and when fitted, new leather upholstery.New Koleos is equipped with the new in-dash Renault R-Link multimedia system complete with seven-inch touchscreen display. R-Link permits the selection of one of 26 languages and packs all the latest multimedia functions, from navigation, radio and telephony to Bluetooth connectivity and audio streaming, as well as connectivity for portable music-playing devices.It also proposes services associated with the vehicle's own systems, plus access to the Renault R-Link Store which has a catalogue of more than 50 applications (depending on country) that can be downloaded directly to the vehicle or using a personal computer.Another important new feature of the car is the Blind Spot Warning (BSW) function which provides a visual alert whenever a vehicle is detected in the blind spot in order to facilitate safe overtaking.A reversing camera combined with rear parking sensors provides a real-time image of what is behind the car on the R-Link system's display. A hands-free card, Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control functions, and Bose audio round off the extensive list of high-end equipment available for New Renault Koleos.

...which is expected to be come more of a family-friendly crossover in 2015. It's currently tied to the Nissan X-Trail but could become a Megane-based model with the upcoming change.

Renault Australia has had some success with its Koleos compact SUV particularly with incentive pricing and again when the cheaper front wheel drive model arrived. But in three years, it never really took off. That could change for the appealing Korean with French and Japanese antecedents following the arrival of a revised version complete with a cuter face, minor body tweaks and more features. It faces possibly the stiffest competition in a crowded compact SUV segment. But Renault Australia has puished the right buttons adding satellite navigation as standard to all models, and black leather upholstery with contrast stitching to the volume selling mid-specification Dynamique model. The top-of-the-range Privilege model comes with a panoramic glass roof and now adds bi-xenon headlamps with fixed cornering lights and 18-inch alloy wheels as standard. There's a new signature colour, Cayenne Orange, available across the range, that makes Koleos stand out in any car park. Koleos Dynamique and Privilege models score the innovative child-minder mirror which allows the driver to easily view the rear seat occupants a particularly useful feature for parents of young children. The Koleos benefits from family-adventure friendly storage cubbies, flexible seating adjustment and load carrying solutions, a full armoury of passive and active safety systems and the seal of approval of a five star EuroNCAP crash-test rating. Renault has been able to bring this generously equipped vehicle here with a kick off drive-away price of $29,990 for the Expression 4x2 manual. The Koleos range offers a choice of engines lifted from Nissan's X-Trail: a 2.5-litre petro and a Renault designed 2.0-litre dCi turbo-diesel, four-cylinder. The diesel delivers better fuel economy and lower emissions than the outgoing model. The all wheel drive model boasts  real off-road ability and Renault says it's ideal for escaping from the urban jungle to the great outdoors thanks to its Nissan-derived all-wheel drive traction system (4x4 only). There are three generously equipped trim levels, Expression (petrol only, 4x2 only), Dynamique and the range-topping Privilege (petrol only, 4x4 only). Numerous options are available including parking sensors, hands-free entry and ignition, joystick-operated integrated satellite navigation, Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist. Koleos gets a factory-backed,  five year/ unlimited kilometre warranty and five year road side assistance.

A mildly restyled Nissan Micra, it is scheduled for release in January 2012. Given Renault Australia's expansion plans, it may be under consideration for local consumption. The third of five vehicles to be launched in India in just over a year, Pulse is designed to appeal to the broadest customer segment. It follows on Fluence and Koleos launched earlier this year. This rapid rollout highlights Renault's commitment to the Indian market. Pulse comes equipped with the 1.5 dCi engine that ranks best-in-class in terms of fuel consumption and performance. Both car and engines are built in Chennai in the first dedicated Renault-Nissan vehicle manufacturing plant, inaugurated in 2010 to support the Alliance's ambitions on the Indian market.

Pity ... it's a good thing. There's a new (revised) version in the offing due sometime soon to be sold in 40 markets and in various grades. It has a more "expressive" front-end look, while the carefully-finished interior delivers the expected package of refined appointments and travelling comfort. The model will be available with either a 2.5-litre petrol engine (TR 25) or a 2.0 dCi diesel (M9R) both lifted from the Nissan X-Trail which is a twin under the skin to Koleos. The CO2 emissions of the diesel powerplants have been reduced significantly. New Koleos can be specified with either 4x2 or 4x4 transmission. The two wheel drive is comfortable and in and about town, while the all wheel drive boasts real off-road ability. Its extensive equipment specification includes all Renault's latest useful and intuitive technologies, including parking sensors, hands-free entry and ignition, joystick-operated Carminat TomTom Live navigation and hill start assist. Koleos is designed by Renault and manufactured at the Renault Samsung Motors plant in Busan, South Korea, it benefits from Renault's vast experience in the realms of both passive and active safety for a reassuring drive whatever the terrain.

The French brand has already slashed prices on its Megane range, added the value-driven Fluence to the local lineup, and is now hinting strongly about reducing showroom stickers on the Koleos. The price changes and a stronger push in showrooms has lifted sales this year by 75 per cent to the end of June, with the June result alone up by a whopping 298 per cent. The Koleos has just had a visual freshen in Europe and this will be the trigger to put the red pen through prices that currently start at $29,990 for a front-wheel drive model. "We are strongly focused on creating great value propositions for our customers. It will be a mid lifecycle refresh with added value," says Emily Ambrosy of Renault Australia. Renault refuses to confirm a price cut but is hinting strongly about a renewed push after the latest Roy Morgan research poll that shows the French brand is the equal-favourite with Volvo on customer satisfaction in Australia. "We will be releasing pricing closer to the launch date. The new model will represent a styling refresh with added value," is all Ambrosy will say. The Koleos, which shares is mechanical package with the Nissan X-Trail, has been an underperformer for Renault but has helped to boost its reputation among owners. "We have sold 224 Koleos year-to-date and have almost run out of stock of current Koleos. Koleos is a core model in our line up. Since 2008, when Koleos was launched, we have seen a 53.9 per cent reduction in warranty rates. The Koleos benefits strongly from the Nissan running gear and has a distinctive, chic styling that sets it apart from other SUVs," she says. Changes to the 2012-model Koleos are relatively minor and focussed on familiar mid-life update work to the front and rear ends, with a change to the interior trim. It will continue with both front and all-  wheel drive, with petrol and turbodiesel engines. "We are excited now that we have a reinvigorated brand and a revitalised team to put behind the Koleos. The compact SUV market is a big growth area and although we haven't played as strongly there in the past as we should have, we will be playing hard with the new Koleos," Ambrosy says.

... and attractive interior enhancements. Due here in the last quarter of this year, Renault's Korean-built Koleos offers more comfort, versatility and flexibility this time around. Though only slightly different in appearance the front features changes to the air-intakes, grille and headlights. The exterior mirrors now incorporate LED indicators. The initial version's distinctive rear-end styling has been carried over, including the steeply-raked rear window. Careful attention has been paid to the quality and finish of the cabin. A selection of new upholsteries and trims are used while the dashboard and instrument lighting have evolved with the introduction of a more stylish speedometer housing and The Nissan-developed all-wheel drive transmission of the 4x4 version ensures genuine off-road ability. It retains a five-star EuroNCAP crash test rating