New Renault Koleos vs used Kadjar: what are the top 3 differences?
After being available here for only 3 years, the Renault Kadjar was discontinued in South Africa in 2018 and eventually replaced by the revived Koleos. There’s a very good reason for this change, but that doesn’t detract from the Kadjar’s appeal – it makes a compelling second-hand buy nowadays, even 7 years after its initial introduction. We highlight the top 3 differences between the Kadjar and its Koleos replacement.
Don’t for a moment imagine that the new Koleos is a radically-different car to the Kadjar: it’s still a mid-sized SUV, and it’s spun off the same Renault CMF-CD platform, along with the Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail. And, as with the Nissan siblings, the Kadjar’s relationship to the Koleos is essentially dictated by the size and engine displacement. Think of a used Renault Kadjar as a “Koleos Lite”, and you’ll understand where it fits into the scheme, size-wise.
Here’s the thing, though: the Kadjar, new, was a fair bit more expensive than both a Captur and a Duster, and buyers couldn’t understand why they were being asked to pay more for a car of similar size that did essentially the same job. The axe fell in short order, leaving the Captur and Duster to cater for buyers who wish to downsize. The Kadjar’s replacement moved a bit more upmarket, with a few changes to the familiar formula.
1. It’s quite a lot bigger
The Koleos fights in a higher class, and places a greater emphasis on cabin space, comfort and classier furnishings. So, while the Kadjar has adequate room all-round, the Koleos takes most of its measurements up a few notches.
Most of the gains appear in the rear passenger compartment, where legroom receives a boost, thanks to a longer wheelbase, and the wider body allows more elbow- and shoulder room. Strangely, Renault quotes a smaller luggage compartment (464 litres) for the Koleos than they did for the Kadjar (472 litres), but this difference is small enough to not really matter.
Related: Which Renault Koleos trim retains its value the best?
2. Completely different drivetrains
While the Kadjar could be ordered with on-demand AWD, this option was only available with the top-level diesel engine (1.6 dCi) – which, in turn, was exclusively mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. This meant that the only automatic option came with FWD and the less-potent 1.5 dCi engine.
This is not a major disadvantage, and the 1.5 dCi/7-speed EDC automatic is still employed with great success in other Renault models, but if you want an AWD Kadjar, you’d have to be prepared to change your own gears. The only petrol engine in the Kadjar range was a 96 kW/205 Nm 1.2-litre, and it also initially only came with a manual, although an EDC derivative was added a bit later, it was always exclusively FWD.
In contrast, the Koleos uses one engine and transmission across the (admittedly limited) range – the same 2.5-litre, non-turbo petrol unit and 5-step Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT) as you’d find in a Nissan X-Trail. Performance is predictably muted: 126 kW and 233 Nm mated to a CVT in a large-ish body will never make for scorching acceleration.
Related: This video review will tell you everything you need to know about the range-topping Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi 96 kW Dynamique AWD.
3. Modernised equipment, more toys
At the time of its launch, the Kadjar’s available 7-inch colour infotainment system with navigation was pretty high-tech, but the age gap between it and the Koleos does count for something: the new car’s system not only sports a larger (8.7-inch) portrait-orientated screen even allows full smartphone mirroring.
Some of the safety gadgets which were optional for the Kadjar are included as standard in the Koleos as well, in keeping with its upmarket positioning. Blind-spot monitoring, park assist, and rear-view cameras all feature across the range, while these would have resided on the top-spec Kadjar’s option sheet. More money equals more toys, see?
Related: Get the low-down on the Renault Koleos 2.5 Dynamique AWD in this review.
Conclusion
The main takeaway here is that the Koleos is indeed a significant improvement on its predecessor, and sits more comfortably in a market space where it doesn’t have to fend off internal competition. Even a new Koleos is pretty good value, with a warranty for 5 years or 150 000 and a service plan for 5 years or 90 000 km included in the list price. But, by the same token, a pre-owned Kadjar makes for really great used-car buying. Low-mileage 2018-model top-trim 1.6 dCi AWDs can be had at an affordable price.
