RENAULT'S first SUV was the odd-looking but surprisingly capable Koleos, which went out of production in about 2010.

Then came the two wheel drive (2WD) smaller offering, the Captur, and this was followed by the first collaboration car - the Kadjar - which shares much of its chassis and some engines with the Nissan Qashqai.

Finally to complete the line up, the company unveiled a new Koleos, based very closely on the latest Nissan X-Trail, and it's a very capable and comfortable large SUV.

There are as yet no petrol engines - just two diesels - the well-known 130bhp 1.6 used in many Renault cars, and a 2.0-litre with 175bhp.

Both are reasonably smooth and refined, but the 1.6 version is only available with front wheel drive.

It covers the 0 to 62 miles an hour sprint in 11.4 seconds, and is also capable of a government economy average of no less than 56 miles per gallon.

The 2.0-litre covers the sprint in 10.7 seconds, and is still capable of 50 miles per gallon.

Both are very car-like to drive and easy to manage in tight spaces, and they are decently comfortable even over rougher road surfaces.

Both engines are available with a six speed manual gearbox that works very well and is easy to use, while the 2.0-litre can also be fitted with a clever ‘stepped' CVT automatic.

Called X-Tronic, and combined with all wheel drive, this is a very good version on the continuously variable gearbox theme, where the engine doesn't hit constant high revs if you floor the accelerator.

Instead, there are seven steps built into the electronic control, and these match engine speed to acceleration, making it feel very like other types of auto.

The lighter weight and willingness of the 1.6 makes it feels quicker than it is, and more agile through the corners.

The 4WD 2.0-litre is obviously the off-road king, with a choice of front wheel drive, 4WD auto that brings n the back wheels when needed, and 4WD lock, which sends power equally to both front and rear wheels, but disengages above 25 miles an hour.

The Koleos is unashamedly comfortable - just as any such car should be in my opinion.

The ride is good enough to soak up almost everything in its path, although it occasionally floats a little over undulations and rolls a fair amount when pushed too hard through corners.

The high driving position is excellent - one of the main reasons why so many people buy SUVs when they never venture off the tarmac - and the seats are pretty comfortable, even if they aren't particularly supportive in the corners.

The cabin is a stylish and quiet place to ride, with little noise from the engines but more wind and tyre noise than would be perfect.

The most reasonable Dynamique S Nav has an excellent range of equipment, including leather upholstery, heated front seats, powered tailgate and loads of safety equipment such as automatic emergency braking, blindspot monitor, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition.

There is also sat nav, cruise control, traction control, parking sensors, audio remote control for the DAB radio and Bluetooth.

Pay about £15,100 for a ‘16 66-reg 1.6 Dynamique S Nav, or £22,900 for an '18 18-reg GT-Line dCi175.