We change things up by taking a spin in Renault’s new Koleos Intens 4×4.

WHAT’S THE DEAL? It mightn’t be the usual vehicle we strap ourselves into here at 4X4 Australia, but when offered the chance to drive Renault’s all-new Koleos, we thought ‘why not?’

The day-to-day commute to 4X4’s headquarters has become quite a drawl thanks to Melbourne’s bottleneck roads, so why not spoil ourselves with a bit of luxury and comfort for a change.

The medium SUV is available in four variants – Life (4×2), Zen (4×2 and 4×4) and Intens (4×4) – with each vehicle utilising Renault’s 2488cc 2.5-litre petrol engine.

We opted for the top-of-range Intens 4×4 for a week of commuting – plus we took it on quick off-road dash for good measure.

PRACTICALITIES The swanky cabin is illuminated by ambient lighting, which can be altered to suit your mood (blue, green, red, pink and yellow).

An 8.7-inch portrait-orientated capacitive touchscreen – with R-LINK 2 media system – is actioned via fingertip controls, which can be fiddly for those of us lacking laser-like dexterity, especially on bumpy trails when you’re jiggling around in the seat. Yes, for urban city driving it’s bearable, but in terms of off-road practicalities, what’s wrong with a turning dial?

The leather-trimmed cabin is sleek, modern and comfortable, with oodles of space. The all-new Koleos affords more space in most areas than the outgoing model: overall length has increased by 152mm to 4672mm; wheelbase by 15mm to 2705mm; rear overhang by 163mm to 1038mm; and rear knee room by 77mm to 289mm. Height has dropped from 1705mm to 1678mm.

The hands-free tailgate opens to provide 458 litres of boot capacity, while there are plenty of storage compartments littered throughout the cabin.

ON-ROAD Riding on 18-inch alloys, the Intens 4×4 is definitely more urban steed than outback warrior, so that’s where we spent most of our time with the French monsieur.

The soft suspension tune makes its on-road demeanour smooth, perfect for the day-to-day commute. Put the right foot down, however, and the 2.5-litre donk strains to shift the hefty 1608kg SUV with any real urge. This is especially noticeable on steeper inclines thanks to a lack of low-end torque.

The Intens features a number of driver aids that the lesser models miss out on, including: blind spot warning, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, advanced emergency braking, easy park assist, and side parking sensors. All of which will prove invaluable in Melbourne’s traffic.

OFF-ROAD The Intens 4×4 shares its architecture with Nissan’s X-Trail, so the credentials as a mild adventure machine are there, but a quick brush on some of Melbourne’s tamed off-road trails established that it’s probably best to stick to highways, hook turns and coffee stops.

Basic underbody protection and the stock-standard suspension tune make it hard to cover any decent form of off-road terrain.

In saying that, it does have quite a good ground clearance of 210mm (the outgoing model had 186mm), so it’ll battle on quite respectably.

All-Mode 4×4-I technology – common on many vehicles within the Renault-Nissan Alliance family – allows drivers to switch between 4×2 and 4×4 driving modes.

In 4×4 mode, torque is automatically split between the front and rear wheels. While a third mode called 4WD Lock initiates permanent all-wheel drive for tricky, slippery surfaces. This mode works at speeds up to 40km/h.

PRICING The all-new Koleos comes in several configurations and pricing brackets. The base model Life is only offered in 4×2 configuration and starts from $29,990, the mid-range Zen comes in 4×2 at $33,990 and 4×4 at $36,490, and the top of the range Intens 4×4 starts from $43,490.

VERDICT It’s chic, stylish, well-priced and spacious, and it’ll take you to your next holiday destination in comfort. So long as that next destination isn’t too remote.

SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE: 2.5-litre. 4-cylinder petrol POWER: 126kW @ 6000rpm TORQUE: 226Nm @ 4400rpm TRANSMISSION: CVT auto BRAKED TOWING CAPACITY: 2000kg FUEL TANK: 60-litre FUEL USE: 8.3L/100km (claimed) GROUND CLEARANCE: 210mm APPROACH/DEPARTURE: 19/26 degrees