2008 Renault Koleos 2.0L dCI 6MT AWD (175 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Renault rebadged the Korean Samsung QM5 and sold it in Europe as the Koleos, a daring offer in the SUV/crossover segment where the French automaker was poorly represented.

In 2006 Renault introduced the Koleos at the Paris Motor Show, and sales started soon, with deliveries in 2007. But unfortunately for the French automaker, the world financial crisis struck hard the automotive industry, and the market drastically dropped. In addition, those looking for such kind of vehicle were mainly focused on brands that had a tradition of building SUVs and crossovers, not Renault. As a result, the Koleos was sold in less than 150,000 units in almost ten years.

Following the same design language as the rest of the Renault range, the Koleos featured a pair of headlights swept back above the hood, flanking the “beak-bird” grille imagined by Patrick Le Quement. From its profile, the Koleos showed an arched line for the greenhouse, ended at the back by a raked-forward tailgate and C-pillars.

The interior was neatly organized, with a design that abounded in curved surfaces and a waved shape for the dashboard’s midsection. Renault also placed high-mounted seats, typical for an SUV. At the back, the split-folding bench could expand the trunk space, transforming the French SUV into a practical family vehicle with some off-road abilities.

Under the hood, Renault installed a choice of gasoline and diesel engines that sent power in all corners via either a six-speed manual or an automatic transmission.