Renault is the daddy of many things related to cars, MPVs, chic small hatchbacks, hot hatches and at one point, eccentric looking cars (Avantine, Vel Satis and Megane II). Oddly, their involvement in the fastest growing sector in the car market, the mid-sized SUVs is clearly lacking. The mildly tweaked Scenic RX4, which is basically a jacked up Scenic with 4WD, wasn't a crowd pleaser. This time around, Renault got their act together for their first proper SUV, the Koleos. Nothing less than a threesome will do, Nissan for a basic platform and off-roading expertise, Renault for overseeing the design details and lastly, Renault Samsung for manufacturing the Koleos in Busan, Korea.

Styling wise, the Koleos is unmistakably French and Renault, perhaps resembling an enlarged Renault Clio III is not far from the truth. More importantly, it looks nothing like its Japanese cousin the Nissan X-trail which it is closely based on. In short, the Koleos boasts an impressive exterior design for Renault's first full-on SUV.

When Renault sets out to design something for the lifestyle driven crowd, expectedly they would have the goods to back it up. Witness the split-opening tailgate. It allows you to hold large cargo without risking them falling out if you need to open the tailgate to fit in more things into the huge and flat loading bay. Also, it can be used as a platform for sitting down during a picnic or while putting on your pair of rollerblades - unless you weigh more than 200kg, the load limit of split tailgate. The Koleos showcases the talents of the Renault design team's thoughtfulness.

Renault's pursuit to be the front runner for passive safety in automobiles continues with the Koleos with a maximum score of five stars in EuroNCAP crash tests. There are six airbags, inclusive of two adaptive front airbags which adapts to the passenger's build.

Sadly, the plastics used in certain parts of the interior is not exactly class leading. Hard and almost insubstantial-feeling parts have ruined a clean and uncluttered design. Well at least Renault has not forgotten how to create the utility in a vehicle as convenient cubby holes can be found everywhere, including a 1.5 litre chilled glovebox.

Not unlike a majority of French cars, the Koleos exudes a calm and relaxing driving experience. The ride is supple as most road imperfections are eased away, which complements the well insulated cabin. Bordering on dull would be how I describe the driving experience; however, there is no denying how the Koleos' abilities to cocoon the driver and passengers onboard under all conditions especially during nasty traffic jams or after a long tedious day of work or shopping.

With a 2.5 litre in-line 4-cylinder engine from Nissan which is mated with the fuel efficient CVT gearbox, the 1,655kg SUV remains refined and suitably alert with a 10.3 secs century dash although not as blistering quick as the Clio R27.

Another feature nicked from Nissan would be the 4x4-i system that allows torque to be sent only to the front wheels only under normal driving conditions. If things get slippery, 50 percent of the torque can be channeled to the rear. Also for wild terrain driving enthusiast, the Koleos's transmission can be locked in 4x4 mode for speeds up to 40 km/h. Another interesting feature is the electronic parking brake, which also acts as a Hill Start Assist function. It automatically unlocks the wheels when the accelerator is depressed. Lastly, the Koleos leads the class with a set of powerful brakes, capable of grounding the SUV to a halt from 100 km/h in a mere 4.2 secs.

Despite this being a first attempt at a proper SUV, the Renault Koleos is certainly class competitive. While Renault might have commissioned two of its bed partners to create the Koleos, the final product remains distinctively French. This Renault SUV will score well with the active lifestyle crowd who are tired of the usual SUV suspects.

	Renault Koleos 2.5(A) 4x4
Engine	2,488cc, 4 cylinder/16V
Transmission	6-speed CVT, Four Wheel Drive
Max. Power	170 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Max. Torque	226 Nm @ 4,400 rpm
0-100 km/h	10.3 Secs
Top speed	181 km/h
Fuel Economy	9.5 L/100 km (combined cycle)
CO2 Emissions
Dimensions (L x W x H) / Weight	4520mm x 1855mm x 1710 mm / 1655 kg
Price with COE*	$93,000*

*Prices quoted are indicative of prices in Singapore. Please contact your local distributor for prices in your country.