Renault Koleos - Opinions Please
- Thread starter philipjh
- Start date
G'day Philip. We bought a new Koleos Intens in 2019 and have now done just over 60k with it. The only problems with it were a computer "misalignment" not long after we bought it - tiny problem (as with most all cars with systems operated through the computer) because with a malfunction of this type, nothing works. For instance, the car would not start/stop (button controlled), nor would the aircon/fans work etc. Easily fixed but a real pain to sort out. The car is beautiful to drive, good overtaking power and nice handling (nicer on current Conti tyres). We average just over 7 l/100 km, mostly open road driving.
The major thing I dislike is the cruise control, on our car it is just awful. Any kind of hill, even the slightest gradient, and the revs go up to ridiculous levels, e.g. as much as 5,000 rpm. It's been checked and apparently there is "nothing wrong". On any kind of rising ground, I turn it off until we are back on level ground. Big safe car with lots of airbags and ANCAP 5 safety rating.
Don't trust the automatic parking function, occasionally it will ask you to keep moving slowly when the 'red' alarms are going off. Mostly it works perfectly - people love watching a car park itself!
The Koleos does have real "presence", it looks like a classy car and it is. Lots of nice touches with choices for colours and styles for the dashboard screen and centre screen. The rear doors open to almost 90 degrees, more than any other car we have had.
Yes, we would buy another one, but only after an open road drive to check out the cruise control. Any questions, just ask.
Dave
The major thing I dislike is the cruise control, on our car it is just awful. Any kind of hill, even the slightest gradient, and the revs go up to ridiculous levels, e.g. as much as 5,000 rpm. It's been checked and apparently there is "nothing wrong". On any kind of rising ground, I turn it off until we are back on level ground. Big safe car with lots of airbags and ANCAP 5 safety rating.
Don't trust the automatic parking function, occasionally it will ask you to keep moving slowly when the 'red' alarms are going off. Mostly it works perfectly - people love watching a car park itself!
The Koleos does have real "presence", it looks like a classy car and it is. Lots of nice touches with choices for colours and styles for the dashboard screen and centre screen. The rear doors open to almost 90 degrees, more than any other car we have had.
Yes, we would buy another one, but only after an open road drive to check out the cruise control. Any questions, just ask.
Dave
I had exactly the same experience with about a 2019 Koleos with cruise control and hills over a good 5000 km of driving a few years ago, when it was near-new. Very revvy and changeable! The main reason I wouldn't get one is that it is too big for my needs. It was good enough for what it was and they seem to behave reasonably well according to a few Koleos owners I know.
My 2010 diesel CVT has perfect cruise control. First car that actually keeps the spred I set on downhills. Uphill doesn't rev more than it would on manual.
Little niggles like the window buttons playing up when it rains but that's about it.
Little niggles like the window buttons playing up when it rains but that's about it.
We had a Toyota Fortuna (diesel) for two weeks in Tassie, and the cruise control was wonderful - any kind of hill and it just went up 400 rpm and used the torque to go on with it. It also had the "two second gap" function, so if the car in front slowed down, so did the Fortuna. When the slower car in front turned off it went straight back to the set speed. Not sure but I think some Koleos had that function, not on ours unfortunately...
It's called 'active cruise control' and very useful in traffic jams as well if it has 'stop.go' functionality. I don't know if the Koleos has it - the specs on the website don't mention it.
I have a 2019 Koleos. Bought it in 2020 with 5,000KM - demonstrator. Now at 46,000km. Both city and regular country driving. I'm happy with it.
Only gripe is that the air con does not get easily, or really, cold on very hot days. Dealer claims it is all working correctly. I'll get air con specialist to check it before summer.
The cruise control - yes can be infuriating - but there is a solution
First decent country drive after buying it, with hills involved, the cruise control was driving me batty! I thought I had made a BIG mistake buying it! Solution was/is to keep the car constantly in the Economy setting. That keeps the cruise control at an even setting, and no down sides that I've observed (still strong acceleration for overtaking for example).
Ian.
Only gripe is that the air con does not get easily, or really, cold on very hot days. Dealer claims it is all working correctly. I'll get air con specialist to check it before summer.
The cruise control - yes can be infuriating - but there is a solution
First decent country drive after buying it, with hills involved, the cruise control was driving me batty! I thought I had made a BIG mistake buying it! Solution was/is to keep the car constantly in the Economy setting. That keeps the cruise control at an even setting, and no down sides that I've observed (still strong acceleration for overtaking for example).Ian.
hey thanks Ian I will definitely try that next time we go out
Dave
Dave
btw I did try to reduce the timing chain rattle by putting some "oil treatment" into the motor but it made no difference
official response = once the engine cools down the lack of oil pressure and cooled parts causes the tensioner to move slightly away from the timing chain - at cold engine start it takes a second or so for the oil pressure to push the tensioner block across to the chain, and during that second or so the rattle is obvious. not a sound when the engine is warm
fact of life, unfixable, build a bridge, get over it...
BP
official response = once the engine cools down the lack of oil pressure and cooled parts causes the tensioner to move slightly away from the timing chain - at cold engine start it takes a second or so for the oil pressure to push the tensioner block across to the chain, and during that second or so the rattle is obvious. not a sound when the engine is warm
fact of life, unfixable, build a bridge, get over it...
BP
I did try the cruise control on a slight hill with the ECO button ON, no difference...
How odd, that the ECO works to tame the cruise control on mine, but not yours.
Ian.
Interesting that the crazy cruise control is a common "feature". You may have seen my post in General Chat that we are currently driving our 2019 Koleos (2wd petrol) on a long road trip across Australia. Very annoying when it literally screams to 5000 rpm on reasonably gentle undulations on good highway roads at speeds around 100 km/hr. I also am turning it off on other than level roads. Have experimented on very hilly roads without cruise control, I can hold the speed without exceeding 3000 rpm. Example, yesterday on Kings Hwy (Batemans Bay to Canberra - very steep in places) never went over 3000 rpm.
At the same time, on this trip I have concluded that the CVT transmission itself is in fact very good at matching the speed/rpm in all conditions - I have even commented that it feels better than a conventional automatic, which I usually have had to manually select lower gears to improve hill climbing - not this CVT - it has surprised me, it is always in a good rev band.
But the cruise control's interaction with the CVT is just awful compared to driving it manually (on hilly country). I will try the ECO setting but I think I already have that set in.
Also have found the cold start timing chain rattle a bit disconcerting, it improved after servicing with Penrite HPR5 (5-40) but after about 5000kms it returned - I can accept it if it is normal.
I am very pleased with the comfort and general quietness of the Koleos, and the Goodyear Efficient Grip SUV tyres I put on are proving to be reasonably quiet and good wet grip.
This trip has made me appreciate the car more than I expected.
At the same time, on this trip I have concluded that the CVT transmission itself is in fact very good at matching the speed/rpm in all conditions - I have even commented that it feels better than a conventional automatic, which I usually have had to manually select lower gears to improve hill climbing - not this CVT - it has surprised me, it is always in a good rev band.
But the cruise control's interaction with the CVT is just awful compared to driving it manually (on hilly country). I will try the ECO setting but I think I already have that set in.
Also have found the cold start timing chain rattle a bit disconcerting, it improved after servicing with Penrite HPR5 (5-40) but after about 5000kms it returned - I can accept it if it is normal.
I am very pleased with the comfort and general quietness of the Koleos, and the Goodyear Efficient Grip SUV tyres I put on are proving to be reasonably quiet and good wet grip.
This trip has made me appreciate the car more than I expected.
Our Toyota Kluger was the same couldn't use cruise, but our Latitude is not too bad. Best I've ever had was a 1993 Fairmont. Sons little 2006 Clio was bit like that but only a small engine so perhaps expected. My Land Rover Discovery auto is smooth but there is a stupid gap between top and 3rd The Lattitude Auto is very smooth and unless flat to the floor changes are not noticeable at all.
It shouldn't be too hard. I have fitted the old style aftermarket cruise controls, quality ones, and they had a "gain" setting, which I didn't understand at first. I fitted one to a manual transmission Falcon, and it was very surgey and jerky. Spoke to supplier, he said to reduce the gain to about setting of 2 out of 8 for a manual trans. Autos were default at about 5 or 6 out of 8. The gain just reduced the rate at which the cruise control tried to recover from a lower speed to the set speed. I feel the Koleos just plants it when the speed starts dropping.
There should be specs for the Koleos cruise control somewhere. You'd be confident the dealers might not be up to speed with the logical adjustment you are talking about though. I drove a new Koleos with cruise control and a trailer and it was terrible on hills.
I’ve got a 2019 Zen 2wd since new with 33k on the clock now. Both of those faults mentioned are on mine - cruise control going beserk on hills even in economy Mode (which I leave mine in constantly) and the rattle on cold startup. I was also told the same thing regarding the rattle. “It’s normal, live it!”
for the cruise control issue, I also just flick it off at the point I approach a hill or when it first starts to rev if it catches me off guard.
it’s been a good car with no major issues (active braking radar replaced under warranty) but just services apart from that. It’s a lousy car for towing, particularly on wet or slippery surfaces and I wished I’d bought the 4wd diesel version (intens) but then I’d be paranoid about the rear diff (or is it the front diff which are suspect) so there’s no winning either way.
for the cruise control issue, I also just flick it off at the point I approach a hill or when it first starts to rev if it catches me off guard.
it’s been a good car with no major issues (active braking radar replaced under warranty) but just services apart from that. It’s a lousy car for towing, particularly on wet or slippery surfaces and I wished I’d bought the 4wd diesel version (intens) but then I’d be paranoid about the rear diff (or is it the front diff which are suspect) so there’s no winning either way.
Amazing thing about the braking radar - our Intens is the highest level Koleos, the radar is mentioned in the handbook, with the proviso "if fitted to your vehicle" - I'm sure it's there, somewhere, but on our car, simply not connected up. More than a little annoyed.
I looked for this on mine, but it is the Zen model, so not fitted I guess. But how I confirmed this is by the button on left side of steering wheel, between the R and O buttons for the cruise control. My centre button is blank. If it has Adaptive cruise control, that button has a car with 3 lines under it. Page 2.73 in my owner's manual.
You've probably already been through that, I've just posted for information.
Cheers.