The Koleos Returns To SA

It’s safe to say Renault’s SUV and crossover offerings are extremely popular in South Africa.

The Kwid is selling up a storm at the bottom end, while the Duster is doing well for itself higher up the scale. The only odd one out was the Kadjar, which struggled to get a foothold in the mid-size SUV segment. Renault quietly dropped it from its local line-up a few months ago and we thought that was the end of the French manufacturer’s attempt at trying to gain momentum in that particular segment.

But it seems Renault has not given up on it because it’s now offering the brand-new Koleos in South Africa. It’s built on the same platform as the Kadjar and Nissan X-Trail, but Renault says it’s meant to be more upmarket. According to Renault, the all-new Koleos offers the rugged capability of an SUV with the elegant refinement of a large executive saloon.

Styling-wise we think it looks really good. The Kadjar was slightly underwhelming, mostly because it never featured any of the strong design cues Renaults are known for. The Koleos, however, is unmistakably a Renault. There’s a strong family resemblance between it and the Mégane. To some it might be too aggressive but we like the strong stance.