Renault Koleos SUV - Interior & comfort (2017-2020)
The Renault Koleos has one of the best Renault interiors yet, with a stylish and functional design
Renault sees the Koleos as its flagship model, and its interior is one of the best we’ve seen from the French brand. It has a simple design, but it works effortlessly well – particularly in versions with the portrait touchscreen display – and there are soft-touch materials in the spots you’re most likely to interact with.
The front and rear seats are comfortable and spacious, providing plenty of space even with four tall adults in tow on longer trips away. They’re likely to be pleased with the Koleos once you’re on the move, too.
On particularly rough roads, the big Renault can fidget slightly, but in most circumstances it’s impressively well insulated from wind noise and relaxing to travel in. The main interruption is likely to come from tyre noise, and its large 19-inch wheels exacerbate this and can thump into potholes and ruts. The 2.0-litre diesel is also a bit louder than the most relaxing rivals.
Renault Koleos dashboard
If you haven’t kept up with the interiors of recent Renault models, the Koleos might be quite a surprise. That’s particularly true in the top version, where the large portrait infotainment display dominates the dashboard. In fact, there are very few buttons to speak of, with just a few physical controls for items like the climate control and heated seats.
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The digital instrument cluster has also been fitted after being featured in the Kadjar and Megane, with a bright and clear display and options for personalisation. Highlights like the soft-touch grab handles either side of the gearlever add a dash of character and everything feels well screwed together.
It’s an impressive step forward for Renault, and the Koleos feels ahead of the Kia Sorento for quality, while close enough to the Skoda to come down to personal preference.
Equipment
Equipment and luxury are among the top attractions of SUVs and the Koleos scores strongly here. Even the entry-level Iconic trim includes 19-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, part-leather upholstery, heated and cooled front cup-holders, keyless entry and automatic lights and wipers. Four USB ports are provided for plugging in devices and the seven-inch R-LINK 2 infotainment system has sat nav and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This level of kit, coupled with the best price, makes it our pick of the range.
This should satisfy most, but GT Line, adds full-LED ‘Pure Vision’ headlights, full leather upholstery and an opening panoramic sunroof. The interior gets a new look courtesy of the 8.7-inch portrait central display and a powered tailgate boosts convenience. While some will love these features, one downside of the portrait screen is that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have to be displayed in a box, leaving the borders blank.
Options
White is the only free paint colour – you’ll need to stump up around £550 for a more interesting colour. Changing the synthetic leather upholstery from black to grey or brown also costs £400, while a spare wheel (rather than a puncture repair kit) is a £110 upgrade we'd recommend.
