Renault Koleos to continue to 2025 as brand waits for new SUVs

The long-serving Renault Koleos will continue at least until 2025 in Australia.

Nissan will introduce a new X-Trail in Australia this year but, even though the Japanese SUV has provided the mechanical platform for the Koleos for two generations, there is no planned replacement for the Renault.

Renault Australia expects production of the Koleos to continue in South Korea for at least another two years as it looks to renew and refresh its SUV line-up with the upcoming Austral hybrid and all-new Scenic and Megane E-Tech electric cars.

“Koleos is going to run. Certainly, we’ll have production all of this year, all of next year, and all of 2024,” the general manager of Renault Australia, Glen Sealey, told Drive.

“Beyond that, I'm not sure.”

Despite the ageing Koleos package, Mr Sealey believes there could be a surge in demand for the car next year as buyers look for maximum value and a way to avoid the long waiting times for many popular SUVs.

“That vehicle actually represents good value in the marketplace,” he said of the mid-sized Koleos, currently priced from $35,000 before on-road costs.

“There is room in the market for a vehicle like that, particularly going into 2023, when demand could be coming off. Everyone is feeling the pressure on their cost of living.

“That puts a pretty keen focus on what you need from a vehicle – as opposed to what you want.”

Mr Sealey reported low stock of the Koleos through the first half of this year but is expecting extra arrivals towards the end of 2022.

“Koleos has been really tight over the last few months, but we’re starting to get some stock,” he said.

Renault in Europe has announced plans for a new seven-seat SUV based on the new Austral and Nissan X-Trail – which would quote dimensions similar to today's Koleos, and serve as an indirect replacement.

However, as Renault Australia – through independent importer Ateco – works on its future SUV line-up, Mr Sealey said the brand has nothing on the horizon for seven-seater shoppers.

“We don’t have a product today. And probably not in the foreseeable future,” Mr Sealey said when asked if the seven-seat European model is planned for Australia.

“With what I have planned for Australia, there is not a seven-seater in the mix.”