SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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More compelling: 2019 Renault Koleos upgrade

This car is known as Samsung QM6 in some markets

Decently competent

Posted: August 12, 2019

The numbers
Prices: Expression 4x2, R399 900. Dynamique 4x2, R449 900. Dynamique 4x4, R489 900
Engine: Nissan QR25DE 2488 cc, DOHC 16-valve, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder petrol
Power: 126 kW at 6000 rpm
Torque: 233 Nm at 4000 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 9.5 seconds (4x2), 9.8 seconds (4x4)
Top speeds: 185 km/h (4x2), 199 km/h (4x4)
Real life fuel consumption: About 10.3 l/100 km
EuroNCAP: 5 stars
Tank: 60 litres
Luggage: 464 - 1790 litres
Standard tyres: 255/65 R17 and 225/60R18
Spare: Full size steel
Ground clearance: 210 mm
Turning circle: 11.4 metres
Maximum towing mass: 750 kg unbraked, 1500 kg braked
Warranty: 5 years/150 000 km
Service: 5 years/90 000 km at 15 000 km intervals

Renault South Africa presented its updated Koleos flagship SUV on Valentine’s Day 2019. Bigger, smarter, better-built and more connected than its predecessor, it’s competitively priced for what it offers. As such it deserves an unbiased second look. But somebody complained.
 
The kick-to-engage parking brake was too Old-World for almost everyone, so Renault swapped it recently for a fully electronic unit that sets and releases itself. Then, to sweeten the deal, the company threw in an automated tailgate. These nice-to-haves apply only to Dynamique models unfortunately.

Other goodies added to entry-level Expression’s already high spec’ include 18” wheels, leather upholstery, electrical front seat adjusters, lights for the sunvisor mirrors, tyre pressure monitoring, blind spot warning, front- and side parking sensors to go with those at the back, reversing camera, LED headlamps, mood lighting, self-dipping interior rear-view, folding function for wing mirrors, hands-free key card with push-button starting, the bigger 8.7” capacitive touch screen and eco-scoring to go with the eco drive function.

Your tester drives like a real-world owner with places to go and work to do so, with little patience for nanny-ism, he scored only 60 percent. That might explain why a few of you get better fuel consumption scores.

He liked the easily accessed loading platform with light, lashing rings, bag hook and oddments trays on either side. Seatback release catches were easy to reach with the chairs folding almost flat to reveal a space about 1.85m long. A steel rim with standard-sized 225/65R17 tyre looks after emergencies.

Back seat passengers have plenty of knee room and the 1.85m tester found four finger-widths of headspace. Three belts, three head restraints, two ISOFix mounting sets with top tethers, a pair of seatback pockets, repeater vents, 12-volt socket, two USB input- and recharging points, medium door bins and the usual armrest with cup holders look after safety and comfort. The seat is spacious enough for three averagely sized people although a trio of plump folk found it a bit tight.

Rear doors open wide, to 77 degrees, to enable easy baby chair access while reading lamps that double as courtesy lights illuminate the seating area to simplify securing of infants after dark.

Our test ride was a Dynamique with selectable four-wheel drive so we took it along our moderately challenging Tenderfoot Trail. Its small gullies and loose shale posed no threats with 4wd Lock engaged and a run through a plantation, to try it on loose pine needles and damp grass, was easily dealt with in 4wd Auto. It then shrugged off potentially tooth-loosening washboard surfaces on the gravel road past the veggie farms. It’s decently competent.

Up front we found that the audio and connectivity system did everything most users could want, including satnav, and it was generally quite easy to use. The only irritation was that sound always defaulted back to radio on restart so we had to push four virtual buttons to get back to our road music stored on USB.

We also tried the various virtual instrument views and settled on one with a dominant rev counter and digital speed indicator. There are a couple with accents on eco-driving should tachometers not be your personal favourite.

Note: All versions use a seven-step CVT built by JATCO that is owned in various proportions by Nissan, Mitsubishi and Suzuki. Much better than some but not quite as sharp as others, it behaves like a good torque converter automatic. We could live with it.

Test unit from Renault SA press fleet

For the 2019 launch report and more detail click here

We drove the 2020 facelifted version here

And the 2021 4x2 here

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
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