Having a two-wheel-drive Koleos variant will help push the 4×4’s corporate sales share up to 50%, according to Renault fleet boss Keith Hawes.
Renault’s first off-roader should appeal to Scenic customers in £17,995 two-front-wheel-drive form, he said.
But its fleet impact could be blunted by the 150PS, 2.0-litre diesel’s 191g/km CO2 figure, which compares poorly to the Ford Kuga’s 169g/km rating.
Hawes said the firm’s “already talking to fleets who need 4×4 capability”. He added: “We will be aiming to interest people who do go off-road, or need serious towing capability, like the Highways Agency, Coastguard, Forestry Commission, or ambulance authorities. Also companies who buy our vans and want an off-road vehicle.”
“We also have thousands of Scenic customers who may want something different but don’t need 4×4. The pricing position for the two-wheel-drive model is right. Nissan‘s Qashqai shows that 4×2 works and it takes 80% of their car’s sales.”
