Test drive Renault Koleos and Mazda CX-5. Mainstream and underground
Turbodiesel and CVT versus gasoline aspirated and classic automatic - we find out the reasons for the unpopularity of Renault Koleos against the background of the bestseller Mazda CX-5
Renault Koleos is the most undervalued car in the market. It is not cheap, but it seems that he works out his money to the last penny. At the same time, the sales of the model leave much to be desired.
This fact is even more surprising given that the Mazda CX-5, which is similar in cost, is offered with a not so wide range of power units and additional options, but it still disperses in considerable circulation. AvtoTachki editors were looking for answers to questions about the secret of the Japanese's success and the French's failures.
The large and heavy Renault Koleos fits well into the Russian winter. It is convenient to roll on it through road mud and snowdrifts, it is comfortable to transport children and calmly while away the time in traffic jams. Firstly, because it is spacious inside and comfortable on the go. And secondly, because the diesel engine, even with all activated heating systems, will not eat more than 10 liters per “hundred”. But these are the arguments of physicists. And what will the lyrics say, for whom not only content is important, but also form?
They will be happy too. The car looks attractive even according to the picky estimates of Moscow hipsters. This is no longer the conservative Renault Koleos with chopped forms and kurguzu stern, which is associated with the available Duster and Logan. On the contrary, the body with graceful curves and LED brackets on the face is made in the style of the European Megane. In general, unlike its predecessor, this Koleos looks expensive and even respectable.
The French did a great job on the design, but when using it, it turns out that there are no serious complaints about ergonomics. But there are enough small ones. The vertically oriented display of the media system in terms of picture quality is not much inferior to the Swedes, but you will have to get used to the speed and special French information content. The system with theatrical pauses thinks over all the commands, and the main settings - climate, navigation, music, profiles - are deeply hidden in the tablet menu.
The rear passengers have the opportunity to warm up the sofa, but for this you have to lower the armrest and find a special button at the end. In addition, passengers have their own air ducts, two USB sockets and an audio jack. The Frenchman also pleases with the trunk: 538 liters under the curtain and 1690 liters with the backrests folded down.
The line of motors is the main trump card of Koleos. Unlike the Mazda CX-5, there are not only gasoline units with a volume of 2,0 and 2,5 liters, but also a diesel engine. It is, of course, economical, but quite noisy and vibration-loaded. On the other hand, this power unit is clearly audible only when you are next to it outside. Thanks to good noise insulation, only a small fraction of the tractor rumble penetrates into the interior.
At the same time, the motor itself pleases with good work in conjunction with the variator. The car starts smoothly without any jerks, and further acceleration to "hundreds" is very smooth. The car spends 9,5 seconds on this spurt, and we are talking about a diesel engine.
It is unlikely that the handling can be attributed to the strengths of the Koleos, but from the overweight crossover you don't expect an obstinate character. It is quite predictable in behavior, and in high-speed arcs, as expected, it exhibits understeer. At the same time, the steering wheel with an electric booster seems quite light in almost all modes, although at speed I would like more information content and feedback from the road.
Smoothness is also at the level. Suspension dissolves medium to large holes, resists speed bumps well. Small ripples are much more unpleasant for this car. Constant shaking on “washboard” surfaces is very unpleasant and transmits a lot of vibrations to the interior. The rule "more travel - fewer holes" still does not work here, and the car literally forces you to slow down.
Not the most efficient multimedia, a couple of ergonomic miscalculations and dislike of the suspensions for minor irregularities - these are, perhaps, the three main drawbacks of the Koleos. But fuel consumption can more than cover all these disadvantages. The readings of the on-board computer in any driving mode do not go beyond 10 liters. At the same time, the diesel version of the Koleos costs a little more than $ 26. Well, can a top-end Mazda boast the same?
When the 2017 Mazda CX-5 changed its generation, it seemed that the Japanese were rushing things. The demand for the old car was quite good. And at first there was even a queue for the novelty. And if now, in the dense flow of Moscow traffic, the past CX-5 does not look outdated, the new car seems to be cooler and more expensive than it really is. It is not for nothing that it is often considered as an alternative to some premium crossovers like the BMW X1 or Mercedes GLA.
On the other hand, the CX-5 generation change, in fact, was just an upgrade of the exterior and interior. The technical stuffing of the car remains the same. Motors of the SkyActive series and a six-speed "automatic" have passed to the new generation practically unchanged. And this is perhaps the main disadvantage of the new car. In an era where all automakers are fighting for every tenth of a percent of engine efficiency and are switching to small-displacement supercharged units, Mazda continues to invest in naturally aspirated engines.
Of course, the Japanese argue that it is in this special vein that they see the development of their technologies. But from the outside it is clearly visible that a poor company simply does not have the funds to develop fundamentally new power plants from scratch.
On the other hand, as long as their recipe works. By increasing the compression ratio and shifting the engines to work on the Atkinson cycle, Mazda has achieved the desired results. The return of gasoline "fours" is on the level, and their appetite for fuel is modest. The average consumption of even the top-end CX-5 is not shocking. I remember that on a Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-trail with 2,5-liter units similar in output, I never managed to keep this figure in the cherished 12 liters per “hundred”. And here, taking into account the crush in traffic jams, I easily reached the final 11,2 liters. And if I pressed on the gas a little less, I would probably have reduced this figure to psychologically comfortable 10 liters.
However, it is not always possible to drive the CX-5 very calmly. This crossover, despite its immodest dimensions, is one of the most driver-driven in the class. The sharp steering wheel provides precision when choosing the trajectories, and the dense dampers keep from roll and allow the car to stick tenaciously on the arc.
At the same time, the steering wheel of the CX-5 is not overloaded with force. The steering wheel is tight, with good feedback, but not heavy. Therefore, all maneuvers are easy for Mazda. Even without driving, you can enjoy the agility and predictability of behavior. It's no wonder women are so fond of this crossover.
The good news is that such tight suspension settings do not affect ride comfort. Mazda can handle the sharp little detail of the road profile as well as large pits and potholes. It is not scary to storm high curbs on it. The geometry of the body is such that it is almost impossible to catch the lower edge of the bumpers for standard urban obstacles. In short, the CX-5 is a versatile tool.
This seems to be the secret of Mazda's success. By offering proven solutions such as a gasoline aspirated and automatic machine, the company manages not to scare off conservative customers who vote for reliability, and to attract new and younger ones who value modern technology.
Moreover, for the latter, the CX-5 has something more interesting in its arsenal than the notorious SkyActive. The interior of Mazda is minimalistic in Japanese style, but very high quality finished. And there is no trace of ergonomic flaws, which Renault is passed off as French originality.
At the same time, although multimedia does not shine with a large diagonal screen, it supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If desired, the system can be controlled not only through the touchscreen itself, but also using the washer joystick on the center console. And then there are surprisingly comfortable chairs. On Koleos, there are none, even for a surcharge.
The editors express their gratitude to the administration of the residential complex "Olympic Village Novogorsk" for their help in organizing the shooting.
| A type | Crossover | Crossover |
| dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4672/1843/1673 | 4550/1840/1690 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2705 | 2700 |
| Ground clearance, mm | 210 | 192 |
| Cargo space, l | 538 – 1690 Feet | 500 – 1570 Feet |
| Curb weight, kg | 1742 | 1598 |
| Gross vehicle weight, kg | 2280 | 2120 |
| engine's type | R4, turbodiesel | R4, gasoline |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1995 | 2488 |
| Max. power, l. with. (at rpm) | 177/3750 | 194/6000 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm) | 380/2000 | 257/4000 |
| Drive type, transmission | full, variator | full, AKP6 |
| Max. speed km / h | 201 | 191 |
| Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s | 9,5 | 9,0 |
| Fuel consumption, l / 100 km | 5,8 | 7,4 |
| Price from, $. | 28 412 | 27 129 |
