Renault Koleos vs Volkswagen Golf
What's the difference?

Renault Koleos

$12,980 - $26,990

2022 price

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Volkswagen Golf

$38,690 - $71,990

2026 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

2026 Volkswagen Golf

By Tim Nicholson

By James Cleary

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 2.5L

Turbo 4, 1.4L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

8.1L/100km (combined)

6.3L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Decent value
Visually appealing
Spacious, comfortable cabin

Design
Dynamics
Practicality

Dislikes

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

Value
Ownership costs
Average warranty

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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2026 Volkswagen Golf Summary

Eight generations over more than half a century qualifies the Volkswagen Golf as an automotive icon, standing on the shoulders of its original beetle-shaped ancestor.

It remains one of the world’s favourite cars and this 110TSI Life version is the entry-point to the local model line-up, the latest ‘8.5’ version of which arrived here just over 12 months ago.

It sits in a hotly contested small-car category, appealing to those with a preference for a conventional hatch and pure internal-combustion power.

In an automotive world now dominated by increasingly electrified SUVs, we spent a week behind the wheel to see how it shapes up as an urban specialist with occasional open road ability.

@carsguide.com.au 2026 VW Golf’s practicality perk revealed! The Volkswagen hatchback might not be as popular as rivals like the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, Mazda3 or Kia K4, but it wins when it comes to useful features like this neat centre console arm rest! #volkswagen #golf #hatchback #cartok #fyp ♬ original sound - CarsGuide.com.au

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Deep dive comparison

2022 Renault Koleos 2026 Volkswagen Golf

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

Like the generations that preceded it, the current VW Golf 8.5 is a high-quality, comfortable and efficient small car. Add in good looks, space-efficiency, thoughtful practicality as well as class-competitive safety and you have the makings of a compelling package. The potential sticking point is this entry-level 110TSI Life’s value proposition in terms of included features relative to its purchase price and ongoing cost of ownership.

Renault Koleos vs Volkswagen Golf What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Renault Koleos vs Volkswagen Golf
What's the difference?