[BIMOS 2024] Renault Korea eyes breakthrough with new SUV

BUSAN -- Renault Korea premiered the Grand Koleos, the first new car from the French automaker in four years, at the 2024 Busan International Mobility Show on Thursday as the brand vowed to turn around its ailing sales in the local market.

“This car perfectly embodies our core values of design: human-centric focus and modernity,” said Renault Korea CEO Stephane Deblaise in a press conference at Bexco.

“We are excited to launch the new Grand Koleos as a world premiere, highlighting the distinctive positioning of the new D (sports utility vehicle).”

According to Renault Korea, the new Grand Koleos will be offered in three trims: techno, iconic and espirit Alpine. The esprit Alpine, the highest trim, will be available for the first time in the Korean market.

The automaker pointed out that the new SUV’s exterior dons curved surfaces that reflect the French brand’s refined vibes with the elegant and modern design, touting the collaboration between the design teams in the French headquarters and the Korean office in Seoul.

The Grand Koleos is measured at 4,780 millimeters in length with a wheelbase of 2,820 mm, which is the largest wheelbase among the SUVs in the same segment, according to Renault Korea. The automaker added that the knee space in the second row is 320 mm, which is also the largest in the same segment.

All trims of the Grand Koleos have been equipped with the active driver assist system, a level two autonomous driving technology to make driving easier for customers.

The hybrid model of the new SUV features a 1.64-kilowatt-hour battery, a 1.5-liter gasoline turbo engine and a multi-mode auto transmission to offer a maximum of 245 horsepower. The Grand Koleos has optimized its fuel efficiency with electricity-powered driving and can save up to 50 percent of fuel compared to the gasoline-powered model when driving at 40 kilometers per hour or slower.

“Our commitment to sustainability has always been sincere as a pioneer in the field of electric vehicles, contributing to more sustainable mobility with an extensive E-Tech range combining both electric and hybrid vehicles,” said Arnaud Belloni, vice president and chief of global marketing at Renault Group.

“(Renault) has often been at the forefront of automotive innovation with onboard technology and connectivity. We are proving it again today with the Grand Koleos.”

The French brand boasted the installation of the ‘openR’ panorama screen on the dashboard consisting of three 12.3-inch displays that can serve different purposes for the driver and passenger such as navigation, music, video and web browsing. Running on Qualcomm’s power infotainment platform, the screens use the latest Android operating system.

Renault Korea began taking preorders of The Grand Koleos on Thursday with plans to deliver the vehicle to customers in the fall of this year.