Sunday, June 1, 2025

2025 Renault Koleos Zen evaluation

The present-generation Renault Koleos went on sale in Australia near a decade in the past.

Meaning it’s one of many oldest fashions on sale within the extremely aggressive mid-sized SUV phase – and there are promotional offers that mirror that.

In the event you’re searching for a Koleos, you’ll discover there are sometimes particular gives that can land you an entry-level variant for lower than $40k drive-away, and there’s at present an attractive deal that features seven years of guarantee, scheduled servicing and roadside help protection for the bottom Zen grade examined right here.

So there are offers available. However must you be searching for a Koleos in 2025, its last 12 months on sale in our market? Learn on to seek out out.

How does the Renault Koleos examine?

View an in depth breakdown of the Renault Koleos towards equally sized autos.

Renault Koleos cutout image

Renault

Koleos

How a lot does the Renault Koleos value?

For 2025,the Renault Koleos has the next beginning worth because of a mildly rejigged lineup – with simply two variants now on supply for the ageing French-branded, South Korean-built medium SUV.

Mannequin Drive-away pricing
Renault Koleos Zen $42,500
Renault Koleos Intens $46,000
Renault Koleos Intens AWD $48,500

To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparability device

What’s the Renault Koleos like on the within?

Like I discussed, the Koleos has been round for some time, and the inside is exhibiting that greater than the outside.

It’s not disagreeable or horrible inside, only a bit outdated and boring when it comes to its design in comparison with the flashy big-screen choices out now. 

Renault was fairly early into the touchscreen-in-portrait-layout factor, and the show is fairly underwhelming by fashionable requirements. However, there may be wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, which may very well be all you really want – it was advantageous by me.

You should regulate some parts of the automobile by means of the display, together with the fan velocity – however there are local weather management dials to regulate the temperature, fortunately. Annoyingly although, you don’t get a quantity dial so as an alternative it’s important to use the capacitive contact controls on the aspect of the display – and so they aren’t as reactive as you would possibly hope.

There’s a 7.0-inch digital show in entrance of the driving force with a speedometer and different information, and a few analogue gauges for engine temperature and gasoline stage. And, after all, your blinker stalks are again to entrance.

It’s from an period of Renaults when issues have been nonetheless a bit kooky when it comes to the controls, so there’s one other stalk on the steering column to regulate your stereo system and quantity, whereas the buttons on the steering wheel serve different functions.

There’s additionally a cruise management change down close to the cupholders, and you then set off the cruise system on or off utilizing the steering wheel buttons. Down beneath the steering wheel space there’s a part of blanks within the base variant, however there may be additionally an electrical boot change there.

The cupholders are oddly sized, and there’s a scarcity of storage smarts in comparison with newer choices, however there are bottle holders within the doorways, and a small space in entrance of the gear selector to retailer a telephone, however there isn’t any wi-fi telephone charger in that location – simply two USB-A ports and a 12V outlet. 

Between the seats there may be additionally a lined centre console bin that’s a good measurement, and in addition a canopy for the cupholders in case you don’t wish to use them. Plus the cupholders characteristic a small vent to maintain your drinks sizzling or chilly. 

Whereas the inside finishes are somewhat boring, the cabin does have a pleasant look to it for essentially the most half, together with a bit in between the seats that you should utilize as a seize deal with or relaxation your leg towards. There’s a delicate lined materials on there, and an enormous soft-touch panel throughout the sprint as effectively.

The driving force’s seat is electrically adjustable, comparatively snug and has a guide lumbar help lever too. It’s manual-adjust just for the passenger, and there’s no lumbar adjustment – however the seats are good for longer journeys. 

Within the again there may be ample house for somebody my measurement (I’m 182cm or six-foot tall), and behind my very own driving place I had inches of room in entrance of my knees, a lot of toe wiggle house and heaps of headroom as effectively – so if in case you have tall teenagers this may very well be a extremely sensible choice for you. And you could possibly even match three throughout in case you wanted to, with a reasonably broad cabin permitting sufficient house for precisely that.

There are additionally directional air vents and two extra USB-A ports for charging, in addition to a further 12V port, and on the seatbacks there are mesh map pockets and onerous kickplates as effectively.

Bottle holders are fitted to every of the doorways, in addition to delicate elbow pads, and the center seat homes a fold-down armrest with cupholders. There are lights on both aspect of the cabin and seize handles for rear occupants too. 

The Koleos options a regular electrical boot, in addition to proximity locking for the car – so once you stroll away with the important thing in your pocket it would lock the doorways for you. Nonetheless, it would additionally try this when there’s somebody nonetheless within the automobile, which could be irritating, particularly in case you’ve received a kiddo within the again!

The boot is fairly beneficiant for this class of autos, with 458 litres with the seats up, increasing to 1690L with them folded down. 

Beneath the boot ground there’s a metal spare wheel, whereas on both aspect of the boot ground there are small storage areas and one other 12V port as effectively. There aren’t any baggage or procuring bag hooks, however you do get a cargo cowl.

Dimensions Renault Koleos Zen
Size 4672mm
Width 1843mm
Top 1678mm
Wheelbase 2705mm
Cargo capability 493L (5 seats)
1707L (2 seats)

To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparability device

What’s below the bonnet?

The Renault Koleos vary retains it fairly easy in terms of powertrain, with only one 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine obtainable throughout the three-variant vary, which is completely front-wheel drive in base Zen kind, with the choice of all-wheel drive for the extra premium Intens.

Specs Renault Koleos Zen
Engine 2.5L 4cyl petrol
Energy 126kW
Torque 226Nm
Transmission CVT
Drive sort FWD
Weight 1558kg (kerb)
Gasoline economic system (claimed) 8.1L/100km
Gasoline economic system (as examined) 8.8L/100km
Gasoline tank capability 60L
Gasoline requirement 91-octane common unleaded
CO2 emissions 188g/km
Emissions normal Euro 5
Braked tow capability 2000kg

To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparability device

How does the Renault Koleos drive?

It’s not a groundbreaking drive expertise by any measure, however the Koleos does nothing a lot mistaken and continues to be a strong experience/dealing with package deal even alongside a lot newer mid-sized SUV rivals.

If you need a extra enjoyable commuter, then a Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Cupra Formentor, Volkswagen Tiguan or any variety of different fashions may very well be value taking a look at.

There’s nothing offensively dangerous right here, however its chassis simply feels a bit previous in comparison with newer fashions available on the market.

My solely actual criticisms are the steering, which is surprisingly heavy and inconsistent in its responses, making it onerous to guage at occasions, and the quantity of highway noise intrusion that enters the cabin on the freeway, particularly if there’s a coarse-chip floor beneath the rubber.

The two.5L engine and CVT auto mixture isn’t elegant, nevertheless it’s manageable when it comes to the grunt on faucet, and whereas it may be a bit vocal in case you’re actually onerous on the throttle, it would quiet down effectively in light-throttle conditions, the place the CVT can higher harness the torque of the engine. 

The experience is snug for household duties, dealing fairly effectively with huge and small bumps alike. And whereas it isn’t a thriller within the twisties, it doesn’t roll an excessive amount of once you method a nook with an excessive amount of tempo.

It has sincere braking response too, and it feels largely fairly assured as a day by day driver.

What makes it extra habitable than many new rivals, although, is the shortage of frustration on the wheel. There aren’t any incessant bings and bongs to warn you of issues that you just already find out about, and it makes for a extra easygoing expertise in consequence.

I did miss rear cross-traffic alert when reversing out of parking areas, although, and the shortage of adaptive cruise management makes it really feel such as you’ve been shortchanged.

Visibility is respectable across the automobile too, and whereas a surround-view digicam can be tremendously appreciated for any SUV of this measurement and intent, the reversing digicam and {surround} parking sensors assist hold you conscious of your environment.

It’s not enjoyable, nevertheless it will get the job performed.

To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparability device

What do you get?

The previous entry-level grade has been axed, so there at the moment are simply two spec ranges to select from.

2025 Renault Koleos Zen gear highlights:

  • 18-inch two-tone alloys
  • 17-inch metal spare wheel
  • LED headlights
  • LED reversing lights
  • Sweeping rear flip sign
  • Satin Gray roof rails
  • Arms-free key card
  • Straightforward Park Help
  • Powered hands-free tailgate
  • Auto folding door mirrors
  • Auto excessive beam
  • Black leather-based upholstery
  • Energy-adjustable driver’s seat incl. lumbar
  • Heated entrance seats
  • Twin-zone local weather management
  • Customisable ambient lighting
  • Rear privateness glass
  • AM/FM/DAB radio
  • 3D Sound by Arkamys 8-speaker audio
  • 7.0-inch instrument show
  • 8.7-inch portrait infotainment system
  • Wired Apple CarPlay
  • Wired Android Auto
  • Satellite tv for pc navigation
  • 2 x entrance USB ports
  • 2 x rear USB charging ports

To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparability device

Is the Renault Koleos protected?

That’s an fascinating query and it is determined by your definition of automotive security. Is an unbiased authority telling you that numerous chimes and lights to warn you that you just’re not paying consideration, or protecting in your lane, or obeying the velocity limits, actually what you’d name security?

I for one don’t think about that to be the case. And you realize what? I don’t actually care that the Koleos doesn’t have a present ANCAP score. It used to, based mostly on 2016 testing, when it achieved a five-star rating. 

However now that it’s previous and it doesn’t match the newcomers on ADAS tech, it doesn’t have a security score, regardless of being fitted with all of the necessities.

Customary security gear contains:

  • Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – Interurban velocity
  • Blind-spot monitoring
  • Cruise management, velocity limiter
  • Ahead collision warning
  • Lane departure warning
  • Parking sensors – entrance, aspect, rear
  • Reversing digicam
  • Tyre stress monitor

It’s lacking stuff like rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view digicam, and a number of the extra superior AEB options. Likewise, there’s no driver monitoring digicam, speed-sign recognition or lively lane protecting or centring.

It has six airbags, together with twin entrance, entrance aspect and full-length aspect curtain protection.

To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparability device

How a lot does the Renault Koleos value to run?

The traditional aftersales protection for the Renault Koleos is a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, in addition to 5 years of capped-price servicing and 5 years of roadside help.

However at this time limit the model is providing an possession sweetener, with the identical guarantee cowl matched by seven years of free scheduled servicing and 7 years of roadside help cowl included.

That’s a saving of 1000’s of greenbacks, as the common service value is normally $543 per go to… however the service intervals are extremely prolonged at 12 months or 30,000km between visits. Personally, I don’t assume I’d be leaving my automobile for 30,000km between companies, however in case you’re a long-distance commuter who spends hours on the highway every week, it could be very interesting.

To see how the Renault Koleos compares with its rivals, use our comparability device

CarExpert’s Tackle the Renault Koleos

In the event you’re into the easier issues in life, the Renault Koleos might definitely supply some enchantment for the cash.

It’s fundamental, and never good in any specific manner, however it’s good worth, spacious, and in no way annoying to dwell with.

Involved in shopping for a Renault Koleos? Get in contact with one in all CarExpert’s trusted sellers right here

Click on the photographs for the complete gallery

MORE: Every little thing Renault Koleos


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