Renault Koleos vs Ford Escape
What's the difference?

Renault Koleos

$12,980 - $26,990

2022 price

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Ford Escape

$14,868 - $35,990

2022 price

View pricing & specs

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 Ford Escape

By Tim Nicholson

By Matt Campbell

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 2.5L

Turbo 4, 2.5L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

8.1L/100km (combined)

1.5L/100km (combined)

Energy consumption

14.7 kWh/100km

Electric range

69 km

Battery capacity

14.40 kWh

Seating

Likes

Decent value
Visually appealing
Spacious, comfortable cabin

Good genuine electric driving range
Decent packaging
Palatable price

Dislikes

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

Why ST-Line spec?
Make sure your use case fits the limitations
A lot more expensive than petrol-only ST-Line

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.

View full pricing & specs

2022 Ford Escape Summary

We might have been excited to see the new generation Ford Ranger and Ford Everest models in 2022, but the real star of the show for the Blue Oval brand could well be this - its first electrified model to make it to Australia, the new Ford Escape PHEV.

If you’ve seen the letters PHEV before and not understood what it meant, don’t stress - you’re not alone. It stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. And what that means is that this car comes with a battery bank and electric motor, a port to plug it in and recharge it to drive on EV power only, and it also has a petrol engine to make sure you’re not stuck when you run out of charge.

I’ll run through all the details on the drivetrain below, but think of it this way - if you want a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid but want the possibility to drive on dedicated electric power for up to (and in excess of) 50 kilometres on a charge, this could be the right car for you…

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Deep dive comparison

2022 Renault Koleos 2022 Ford Escape

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

The Ford Escape PHEV is a good option for a customer who knows they’ll live within the parameters set by the car. That’s the case with any plug-in hybrid, really, so in that regard, this new model is hardly a standout.

And it isn’t particularly outstanding in any other way either. I personally would have appreciated it if Ford had decided to add the plug-in powertrain to the Vignale flagship model instead - that model is more about luxury than sportiness, and would better fit the character of this powertrain in my opinion.

It’s a decent addition to the brand’s SUV range, and a welcome one to the segment, though it won’t be on its own for long.

Renault Koleos vs Ford Escape What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Renault Koleos vs Ford Escape
What's the difference?