The French brand's first hybrid in Brazil has the heart of Volvo, Korean production and passes for a luxury car
Renault was the first brand to respond to the success of the Ford EcoSport, which inaugurated the compact SUV segment in Brazil. She tried a continuation of this in 2016, when she brought the midfielder Koleos to the Motor Show, but dropped out.
It is only now in 2026 that Renault has finally launched the Koleos in Brazil, in a new generation and as the brand’s first hybrid in the country. It arrives in a single version, the Esprit Alpine, with a fixed price of R$ 289.990.
SEE ALSO:
The Koleos has a tradition of being the brand’s largest SUV, but it has never been 100% Renault. The first two generations were based on the Nissan X-Trail, while the current one is derived from the Geely Monjaro. The model that was almost sold here in 2016 used the same 2.5 engine as the Nissan Altima, including.
A constant is production in South Korea, where it is done by Renault Korea — formerly Samsung Motors. The current Koleos is no longer sold in Europe, the focus is on markets such as the Middle East, Latin America and the African continent.
The Renault Koleos must be one of the cars with the most mixed origin we have on the market. It is a French brand, derived from a Chinese model, produced in South Korea and has Volvo mechanics.
The SUV is built on the compact modular platform developed by Volvo for the XC40 and shared with several brands of the Geely group. The 1.5 turbo four-cylinder engine is also from a family developed by the Swedish brand.
But he is not the protagonist when driving, since Koleos is a full hybrid. The 1.5 turbo works in conjunction with two electric motors, one for traction and the other that acts as a generator.
The combined power of this set is 245 hp, the maximum torque disclosed is 32,6 kgfm provided by the electric motor. This system is governed by a three-speed DHT gearbox and drives only the front wheels.
The performance is satisfactory, it is equivalent to that of a similar SUV with a 1.6 turbo combustion engine only. Acceleration from zero to 100 km/h is 8.3 seconds.
Those who like to stick to the seat in drag races will be better served by the new Volkswagen Tiguan or the Jeep Commander Blackhawk, if you want a hybrid there is the GWM Haval H6 PHEV 35. The sportiness suggested by the Alpine emblem is only in the look.
The suspension setup is typical of Renault and resembles that adopted by the Boreal. The SUV runs comfortably and absorbs irregularities well, but has a good dose of firmness to provide safety in curves. It is a refinement that is still lacking in Chinese cars.
The comfort inside the Koleos is enhanced by the good sound insulation. It is helped by the active noise cancellation system provided by the Bose sound system with 10 speakers.
The fact that it is a full hybrid makes the Renault Koleos attractive for those who want to have the low running costs of an electrified one and cannot have a charger at home. In this price range, it is more common to find plug-in hybrids, which are more efficient when the battery is recharged at the outlet.
However, in practice, our experience was not quite like that. Running in Eco mode and stepping lightly, we achieved averages of 11,5 km/l in the city. In road use it improved to 12 km/l. Official data from Inmetro point to 13.1 km/l in the city and 12.1 km/l on the highway.
As a comparison, the Toyota RAV4 is homologated with averages of 15.3 km/l in the city and 14.1 km/l on the highway. The numbers we achieved with the Koleos would be good for an SUV of this size only on combustion, electrification makes us expect greater savings.
The Koleos is today the largest car sold by Renault in its global range. It measures 4.77 m long, 1.88 m wide, 2.82 m wheelbase and 1.68 m high.
Even though it is derived from a Geely SUV, the design of the Koleos has its own personality aligned with Renault’s visual identity. On the side, it has marked creases on the C-pillar and the front grille blends in with the bumper.
The car we tested has matte gray paint, one of four color options and the only one with this satin finish. It makes an interesting contrast to the bright blue details of the Esprit Alpine version.
A characteristic of Chinese cars that is present in the Renault Koleos is the priority in the interior space. Five occupants fit comfortably in the cabin and without being squeezed in the rear seat.
But the trunk was harmed by this, there are only 431 liters. It is behind its smaller brother Boreal, which can carry up to 522 liters.
The interior of the Renault Koleos seems to be more on the Volvo side of history, with a very neat finish. The dashboard has rubberized surfaces and quality materials, as do the doors and seats.
The Esprit Alpine version is offered only with a black interior, which combines leather upholstery with suede. The seams are in blue, red and white, alluding to the French flag.
The Renault Koleos has three screens, each 12.3 inches. The one on the instrument panel is recessed, protected against external glare.
The multimedia center follows an interface and menu logic typical of Chinese cars. The three-zone air conditioning controls are there, but there are also redundant buttons.
The third screen is in front of the passenger and has a polarization so that it cannot be seen by the driver. She can play social media and video apps, but only with the car parked by legal requirement. The co-pilot can control the air conditioning as well, but does not have access to smartphone mirroring.
The positioning of Renault Koleos is delicate in our market. Its price range is close to that of Chinese plug-in hybrid models with more power and the ability to run more than 100 km as electric, such as the GWM Haval H6 PHEV35.
If you think about full hybrids, the Toyota RAV4 costs R$ 20 thousand more and offers greater fuel economy. For those who prioritize performance, there is the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Jeep Commander Blackhawk.
In this environment, the Koleos stood out for its finish and comfort on board, the chassis set-up surpasses any Chinese brand car in this price range. It can be a good upgrade for those who are loyal to the Renault brand and want something bigger than the Boreal.
