No, it isn’t called the Maxthon, and no, it wasn’t meant to be christened Kilimandjaro or Kayak, as reported beforehand. Despite the fact that the first-generation Koleos has always been a sales disaster, the French manufacturer decided to breathe new life into the moniker with the mid-sized SUV that will make its world debut at the 2016 Beijing Motor Show.
Soldiering on with the Koleos nameplate is... curious, to say the least. Considering that Renault discarded the Laguna handle after the Talisman came on the scene, the Koleos nameplate should’ve been replaced as well. Kilimandjaro and Kayak are out of the question, so sorry for the guesswork I’ve made in a previous story. These being said, what makes the Koleos II a better SUV than the model it replaces? For starters, the design is an improvement.
The front fascia is a jacked-up Talisman, more or less. From the profile, one could get fooled by the Kadjar-esque proportions of the Koleos II, but then you see the gills on the sides and the subtle creases that merge into the headlights. From the rear, the styling influences from the medium-sized Talisman sedan are once again evident. As an overall effort, the Renault Koleos II is an improvement over the first generation.
What about the interior design? As you can see in the spy photographs featured in the gallery below, we’re dealing with a sort of déjà vu. Yes, pretty much every bit and bob is lifted from the Talisman, albeit the air vents that flank the vertical infotainment system are shaped differently. It shouldn’t surprise you, though, because the Talisman, just like the Koleos II and Rogue/X-Trail, is underpinned by the CMF-CD platform.
According to the Chinese media, the Renault Koleos II is 4,672 mm (183.9 inches) long x 1,843 mm (72.5 inches) wide x 1,678 mm tall (60 inches) and has a 2,705 mm (106.5 inches) wheelbase. Regarding wheelbase, the Koleos II is neck and neck with the Nissan half-brother.
In the Middle Kingdom, two engines will be available: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 150 ponies and a 2.5-liter with 186 horsepower. Of course, buyers will have to make two more choices: front- or all-wheel-drive and six-speed manual or automatic. The lesser trim level comes with 17-inch wheels while the range-topping trim sports 19-inch wheels.
On the Old Continent, the Renault Koleos II will debut at the 2016 Paris Motor Show in September, which means that deliveries in Europe will start late in the year or in early 2017. The Euro-spec model is expected to gain a turbo diesel engine, probably the 1.6-liter dCi with either 130 or 160 ponies from the Talisman.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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