Renault Koleos vs BMW X4
What's the difference?

Renault Koleos

$12,980 - $26,990

2022 price

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BMW X4

$49,990 - $83,880

2022 price

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Chery Tiggo 8 PRO MAX

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2022 Renault Koleos

2022 BMW X4

By Tim Nicholson

By Stephen Corby

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 2.5L

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

8.1L/100km (combined)

7.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Decent value
Visually appealing
Spacious, comfortable cabin

Slick exterior
Punchy engine
Excellent steering

Dislikes

Average ride quality
Dated multimedia and in-car tech
Lacks engagement as a driver’s car

Cabin size
Restricted visibility
Boot design

2022 Renault Koleos Summary

There’s no shortage of models to choose from if you’re after a family-friendly medium SUV. The problem is, it might take a while to get your hands on one, with lengthy wait times for some of the best sellers due to current delays caused by a global parts shortage and supply chain dramas.

But there are a handful of models with healthy stock in dealerships right now and available for immediate delivery. One of them is the Renault Koleos.

It's coming to the end of its life cycle and lacks the shine of some of its fresher rivals, but it’s a lot of car for the money.

We spent a week with the limited edition Koleos Black Edition to see if it is worth a trip to your Renault dealer, or if you should sit tight and wait for one of its newer rivals.

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2022 BMW X4 Summary

Look, personally I found it amusingly weird when German car companies started sloping the roofs on sedans and calling them “coupes”, despite the fact that they had four doors. Their ability to imagine segments, and find buyers in them, that have no reason to exist is almost something to admire.

But turning SUVs, like the already very capable X3, into coupes? Frankly, it’s like turning an ass into an elbow. Lower the roof to reduce headroom and shrink the boot? Why? Because it will look so sexy people won’t be able to resist it. That’s BMW’s approach with the X4 and, somehow, it seems to work.

And, to be fair, sporty SUVs are not a BMW thing: the Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 Sportback, and Mercedes-AMG’s range of GLC Coupé models have all taken off, each contributing toward an unlikely trend that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.

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Deep dive comparison

2022 Renault Koleos 2022 BMW X4

Verdict

To be fair to Renault, when the second-generation Koleos launched in 2016, it was a competitive offering. The problem is, a bunch of medium SUV rivals have been replaced in that time and some of them - Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson, to name a few - are high-quality offerings with an engaging drive and the latest tech and in-car features.

Unfortunately, that leaves the Koleos towards the rear of the medium SUV pack.

It offers solid value-for-money, handles reasonably well and is still one the best-looking SUVs on the road. But beyond that, the Koleos can’t keep pace with those top-notch rivals.

Verdict

Okay, so the BMW X4 xDrive30i is neither an ass nor an elbow, to be fair, it's more of a bulky shoulder muscle, or two.

I can't say I'll ever love the X4, the idea of it is a bit too weird for me, but I can't help admiring the way it looks and the way it drives.

It's a bit like a sedan on steroids - or an SUV on a diet, depending on your perspective - but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s fun to drive, comfortable and retains just enough coolness, and just enough practicality, to make it worthwhile.

Renault Koleos vs BMW X4 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Renault Koleos vs BMW X4
What's the difference?