2012 & 2013 Renault SUV Reviews & Ratings

When Renault was founded by brothers Louis, Marcel and Fernand there was no way to know how many varieties of automobiles would exist today. In those days Louis would spend his time and energy helping to design the next car being produced while his brothers were busy managing the business end of things. Today, there are more body styles and configurations than a typical person can keep up with. However, it is important to stay with the times and that is why a Renault SUV was a necessity. Th... (full review continues below)

When Renault was founded by brothers Louis, Marcel and Fernand there was no way to know how many varieties of automobiles would exist today. In those days Louis would spend his time and energy helping to design the next car being produced while his brothers were busy managing the business end of things. Today, there are more body styles and configurations than a typical person can keep up with. However, it is important to stay with the times and that is why a Renault SUV was a necessity. The market for SUVs was growing and Renault did not want to be left behind.

While there had not been a prior Renault SUV, the company was no stranger to the market. The buyers for an SUV tend to be the same buyers that would look at an MPV or Van. Since Renault had had both of those in the past, they could easily say that they had entered into the SUV market long before the introduction of their only SUV. Their first foray came in the form of an MPV. The Renault Scenic gave the company an idea of what to expect if they were to design their own SUV.

Though it is not a Renault SUV, the Scenic attracted the same basic buyers. Released in 1996, the Scenic is a compact MPV known for being as much like a car as it is a van. In fact, the Scenic is based on the small family car Megane. It has five doors and won the European Car of the Year in 1997. The Grand Scenic, offered in future generations, seats up to seven people. The Scenic is still in production and being sold to global markets.Another vehicle that helped prepare Renault for an entry level Renault SUV is the Kangoo. Offering both a panel van and a leisure activity vehicle, the Kangoo debuted in 1997 and lasted until 2007.

After these brief interludes into the same world as the SUV, it made sense for Renault to produce their own. The Koleos is a compact Renault SUV that began, as many vehicles do, as a concept car. This concept was released at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris. The Koleos was designed entirely by Renault, but development was handled by Nissan. The Koleos was the first real SUV that Renault had ever offered. It was released in 2008 and is still known as the Renault Samsung QM5 in South Korea.

As with all of their vehicles, the Koleos shares the style an comfort that has become synonymous with Renault. Because it is a compact SUV, it handles well and grabs curves with ease. The engine provides plenty of power to tackle difficult tasks and the features available will leave buyers wanting for nothing. The Koleos does not have as much room as a Grand Scenic, but for small families that want a little sportier feel than a van, the Koleos is ideal.