Renault Fluence 1.6 (A) Review
25 Feb 2011|35,501 views
Like all previous Renault models, the last generation of Meganes suffered from the same lacklustre quality that crippled them against the Japanese makes. Well, in the past decade, the French have learnt that a good drive isn't enough and if they're to have any measurable success, they'll have to offer a complete package.
The latest Fluence like the Koleos, proves to be an international meeting of minds. While the car was designed in France, the cars headed for our sunny island are actually produced by Samsung Motors in Busan, Korea. The company also sells the car in Korea as the re-badged SM3. At the same time, the new sedan benefits from the Renault-Nissan alliance by way of its Nissan sourced six-speed CVT box.
Exterior
Though the Fluence is meant to fill the gap left behind by the four door Megane, it looks far different from the current generation Meganes. In all honesty, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For reason that whenever a manufacturer shaves cost by limiting the amount of design input, they always end up with something that looks well, odd.
The latest Fluence like the Koleos, proves to be an international meeting of minds. While the car was designed in France, the cars headed for our sunny island are actually produced by Samsung Motors in Busan, Korea. The company also sells the car in Korea as the re-badged SM3. At the same time, the new sedan benefits from the Renault-Nissan alliance by way of its Nissan sourced six-speed CVT box.
Exterior
Though the Fluence is meant to fill the gap left behind by the four door Megane, it looks far different from the current generation Meganes. In all honesty, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For reason that whenever a manufacturer shaves cost by limiting the amount of design input, they always end up with something that looks well, odd.
 |
A case in point would be the Nissan Latio. As a hatchback, the car looks well proportioned though its attractiveness is dependent on the audience. When it came to the sedan, Nissan approached the project in much the same way they tackled the 350Z's transformation from coupe to roadster. Although instead of chopping off a portion this time, they decided to graft a boot to the rear of the Latio hatch. What they ended with was, well...exactly what they did. A Latio with a boot grafted on.
While that won't bother most in our practicality obsessed society, it does assault the sensitivities of design aficionados among us.
 |
Thus it is to our delight that Renault decided to approach this sedan project with a clean design sheet. While the Fluence is no Countach, it does carry the essence of its role well. As an elegant, four door sedan that offers a sizable trunk, it gets top marks for carrying the role with equal elegance and practicality.
On first impression, the general length and width of the Fluence is among the largest in the 1.6-litre class. At 4.7m in length, the Fluence is quite easily the largest in its class which translates to a generous amount of space both in the cabin and boot area.
In the front, the Fluence gets a rather conventional looking fascia which makes you almost wish Renault incorporated more styling cues from the latest Megane in its design. Nevertheless, the Fluence still projects a seemingly upmarket executive design.
While the generous dimensions of the sedan is a plus, the overall design does feel let down by the smaller diameter wheels that barely fill up the large wheel wells.
Interior
Like the previous generation Megane, the Fluence inherits the much improved build quality that has reinstated faith in the French manufacturer. A tap around the dashboard panels gives a solid report that is usually only found in the higher price range.
Megane owners would find the interior all too familiar as the dashboard is now shared with most models in the Renault range. However the Fluence gets a built in TomTom GPS that was quite a hoot to use during our test drive.
On first impression, the general length and width of the Fluence is among the largest in the 1.6-litre class. At 4.7m in length, the Fluence is quite easily the largest in its class which translates to a generous amount of space both in the cabin and boot area.
In the front, the Fluence gets a rather conventional looking fascia which makes you almost wish Renault incorporated more styling cues from the latest Megane in its design. Nevertheless, the Fluence still projects a seemingly upmarket executive design.
While the generous dimensions of the sedan is a plus, the overall design does feel let down by the smaller diameter wheels that barely fill up the large wheel wells.
Interior
Like the previous generation Megane, the Fluence inherits the much improved build quality that has reinstated faith in the French manufacturer. A tap around the dashboard panels gives a solid report that is usually only found in the higher price range.
Megane owners would find the interior all too familiar as the dashboard is now shared with most models in the Renault range. However the Fluence gets a built in TomTom GPS that was quite a hoot to use during our test drive.
Unlike most GPS units that limit their voice navigation language to just English and maybe Mandarin for the more advanced units, the TomTom GPS system in the Fluence offers navigational instructions in a plethora of languages and even different accents for English. The accents range from English, Australian to American while the most entertaining comes from the different Chinese dialects that the system supports. Fancy your navigation in Hokkien or even Cantonese?
Humour aside, from a practical standpoint the varied languages provided by the GPS makes it accessible to seniors who aren't as adept at the English languages. This means even grandparents taking the kids to school can take advantage of the flexible navigation system.
However, the GPS's user friendliness is slightly dampened by the slightly awkward user interface where coordinates have to be entered using a separate remote. A touch screen function here would've elevated the user experience significantly.
Comfort in the interior has also been markedly improved over the Meganes of old. The driving position in the Fluence is comfortable and is made especially so with a fully adjustable steering column. Passengers aren't forgotten either with the rear seats availing generous legroom for even long limbed passengers. Another plus point in the Fluence are the rear aircon vents that is unique in this class.
The French sedan comes with one of the largest luggage capacity at 530 litres. This allows the Fluence to haul all your family paraphernalia without having to employ the fold down seats on most occasions.
Humour aside, from a practical standpoint the varied languages provided by the GPS makes it accessible to seniors who aren't as adept at the English languages. This means even grandparents taking the kids to school can take advantage of the flexible navigation system.
However, the GPS's user friendliness is slightly dampened by the slightly awkward user interface where coordinates have to be entered using a separate remote. A touch screen function here would've elevated the user experience significantly.
Comfort in the interior has also been markedly improved over the Meganes of old. The driving position in the Fluence is comfortable and is made especially so with a fully adjustable steering column. Passengers aren't forgotten either with the rear seats availing generous legroom for even long limbed passengers. Another plus point in the Fluence are the rear aircon vents that is unique in this class.
The French sedan comes with one of the largest luggage capacity at 530 litres. This allows the Fluence to haul all your family paraphernalia without having to employ the fold down seats on most occasions.
 |
The Drive
The Fluence derives its power from the same 1598cc inline-4 unit plucked from the Megane hatch. While we weren't impressed with the powerplant when we tested the Megane hatch, the same unit seems to work better here when coupled with the Nissan derived six-speed CVT gearbox.
The 112bhp and 156Nm of torque from the modest powerplant propels the sedan from 0 to 100kmh in a not too shabby 11 seconds. Lead footed drivers would find the performance in the Fluence uninspiring but when driven with restraint, the French sedan surprises with its torquey low to mid range when in cruise mode.
While the Renault might feel a little detached on the steering front, it does however firm up at speed to allow improved feedback to the driver.
The Fluence derives its power from the same 1598cc inline-4 unit plucked from the Megane hatch. While we weren't impressed with the powerplant when we tested the Megane hatch, the same unit seems to work better here when coupled with the Nissan derived six-speed CVT gearbox.
The 112bhp and 156Nm of torque from the modest powerplant propels the sedan from 0 to 100kmh in a not too shabby 11 seconds. Lead footed drivers would find the performance in the Fluence uninspiring but when driven with restraint, the French sedan surprises with its torquey low to mid range when in cruise mode.
While the Renault might feel a little detached on the steering front, it does however firm up at speed to allow improved feedback to the driver.
Body roll is evident when the driver displays exuberance in the corners but the body roll translates to the rather decent ride quality of the Fluence.
Conclusion
For the asking price of just $4,000 over the nearest competitor, the Fluence represents the best value for money option in the Cat A segment. Considering the car's larger proportions with the biggest boot space in its class, higher equipment levels and build quality, it seems a no brainer that consumers will be teased away from their favourite Japanese models.
The French and Europeans in general, are back and in a big way...
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Conclusion
For the asking price of just $4,000 over the nearest competitor, the Fluence represents the best value for money option in the Cat A segment. Considering the car's larger proportions with the biggest boot space in its class, higher equipment levels and build quality, it seems a no brainer that consumers will be teased away from their favourite Japanese models.
The French and Europeans in general, are back and in a big way...
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Like all previous Renault models, the last generation of Meganes suffered from the same lacklustre quality that crippled them against the Japanese makes. Well, in the past decade, the French have learnt that a good drive isn't enough and if they're to have any measurable success, they'll have to offer a complete package.
The latest Fluence like the Koleos, proves to be an international meeting of minds. While the car was designed in France, the cars headed for our sunny island are actually produced by Samsung Motors in Busan, Korea. The company also sells the car in Korea as the re-badged SM3. At the same time, the new sedan benefits from the Renault-Nissan alliance by way of its Nissan sourced six-speed CVT box.
Exterior
Though the Fluence is meant to fill the gap left behind by the four door Megane, it looks far different from the current generation Meganes. In all honesty, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For reason that whenever a manufacturer shaves cost by limiting the amount of design input, they always end up with something that looks well, odd.
The latest Fluence like the Koleos, proves to be an international meeting of minds. While the car was designed in France, the cars headed for our sunny island are actually produced by Samsung Motors in Busan, Korea. The company also sells the car in Korea as the re-badged SM3. At the same time, the new sedan benefits from the Renault-Nissan alliance by way of its Nissan sourced six-speed CVT box.
Exterior
Though the Fluence is meant to fill the gap left behind by the four door Megane, it looks far different from the current generation Meganes. In all honesty, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For reason that whenever a manufacturer shaves cost by limiting the amount of design input, they always end up with something that looks well, odd.
|
A case in point would be the Nissan Latio. As a hatchback, the car looks well proportioned though its attractiveness is dependent on the audience. When it came to the sedan, Nissan approached the project in much the same way they tackled the 350Z's transformation from coupe to roadster. Although instead of chopping off a portion this time, they decided to graft a boot to the rear of the Latio hatch. What they ended with was, well...exactly what they did. A Latio with a boot grafted on.
While that won't bother most in our practicality obsessed society, it does assault the sensitivities of design aficionados among us.
|
Thus it is to our delight that Renault decided to approach this sedan project with a clean design sheet. While the Fluence is no Countach, it does carry the essence of its role well. As an elegant, four door sedan that offers a sizable trunk, it gets top marks for carrying the role with equal elegance and practicality.
On first impression, the general length and width of the Fluence is among the largest in the 1.6-litre class. At 4.7m in length, the Fluence is quite easily the largest in its class which translates to a generous amount of space both in the cabin and boot area.
In the front, the Fluence gets a rather conventional looking fascia which makes you almost wish Renault incorporated more styling cues from the latest Megane in its design. Nevertheless, the Fluence still projects a seemingly upmarket executive design.
While the generous dimensions of the sedan is a plus, the overall design does feel let down by the smaller diameter wheels that barely fill up the large wheel wells.
Interior
Like the previous generation Megane, the Fluence inherits the much improved build quality that has reinstated faith in the French manufacturer. A tap around the dashboard panels gives a solid report that is usually only found in the higher price range.
Megane owners would find the interior all too familiar as the dashboard is now shared with most models in the Renault range. However the Fluence gets a built in TomTom GPS that was quite a hoot to use during our test drive.
On first impression, the general length and width of the Fluence is among the largest in the 1.6-litre class. At 4.7m in length, the Fluence is quite easily the largest in its class which translates to a generous amount of space both in the cabin and boot area.
In the front, the Fluence gets a rather conventional looking fascia which makes you almost wish Renault incorporated more styling cues from the latest Megane in its design. Nevertheless, the Fluence still projects a seemingly upmarket executive design.
While the generous dimensions of the sedan is a plus, the overall design does feel let down by the smaller diameter wheels that barely fill up the large wheel wells.
Interior
Like the previous generation Megane, the Fluence inherits the much improved build quality that has reinstated faith in the French manufacturer. A tap around the dashboard panels gives a solid report that is usually only found in the higher price range.
Megane owners would find the interior all too familiar as the dashboard is now shared with most models in the Renault range. However the Fluence gets a built in TomTom GPS that was quite a hoot to use during our test drive.
Unlike most GPS units that limit their voice navigation language to just English and maybe Mandarin for the more advanced units, the TomTom GPS system in the Fluence offers navigational instructions in a plethora of languages and even different accents for English. The accents range from English, Australian to American while the most entertaining comes from the different Chinese dialects that the system supports. Fancy your navigation in Hokkien or even Cantonese?
Humour aside, from a practical standpoint the varied languages provided by the GPS makes it accessible to seniors who aren't as adept at the English languages. This means even grandparents taking the kids to school can take advantage of the flexible navigation system.
However, the GPS's user friendliness is slightly dampened by the slightly awkward user interface where coordinates have to be entered using a separate remote. A touch screen function here would've elevated the user experience significantly.
Comfort in the interior has also been markedly improved over the Meganes of old. The driving position in the Fluence is comfortable and is made especially so with a fully adjustable steering column. Passengers aren't forgotten either with the rear seats availing generous legroom for even long limbed passengers. Another plus point in the Fluence are the rear aircon vents that is unique in this class.
The French sedan comes with one of the largest luggage capacity at 530 litres. This allows the Fluence to haul all your family paraphernalia without having to employ the fold down seats on most occasions.
Humour aside, from a practical standpoint the varied languages provided by the GPS makes it accessible to seniors who aren't as adept at the English languages. This means even grandparents taking the kids to school can take advantage of the flexible navigation system.
However, the GPS's user friendliness is slightly dampened by the slightly awkward user interface where coordinates have to be entered using a separate remote. A touch screen function here would've elevated the user experience significantly.
Comfort in the interior has also been markedly improved over the Meganes of old. The driving position in the Fluence is comfortable and is made especially so with a fully adjustable steering column. Passengers aren't forgotten either with the rear seats availing generous legroom for even long limbed passengers. Another plus point in the Fluence are the rear aircon vents that is unique in this class.
The French sedan comes with one of the largest luggage capacity at 530 litres. This allows the Fluence to haul all your family paraphernalia without having to employ the fold down seats on most occasions.
|
The Drive
The Fluence derives its power from the same 1598cc inline-4 unit plucked from the Megane hatch. While we weren't impressed with the powerplant when we tested the Megane hatch, the same unit seems to work better here when coupled with the Nissan derived six-speed CVT gearbox.
The 112bhp and 156Nm of torque from the modest powerplant propels the sedan from 0 to 100kmh in a not too shabby 11 seconds. Lead footed drivers would find the performance in the Fluence uninspiring but when driven with restraint, the French sedan surprises with its torquey low to mid range when in cruise mode.
While the Renault might feel a little detached on the steering front, it does however firm up at speed to allow improved feedback to the driver.
The Fluence derives its power from the same 1598cc inline-4 unit plucked from the Megane hatch. While we weren't impressed with the powerplant when we tested the Megane hatch, the same unit seems to work better here when coupled with the Nissan derived six-speed CVT gearbox.
The 112bhp and 156Nm of torque from the modest powerplant propels the sedan from 0 to 100kmh in a not too shabby 11 seconds. Lead footed drivers would find the performance in the Fluence uninspiring but when driven with restraint, the French sedan surprises with its torquey low to mid range when in cruise mode.
While the Renault might feel a little detached on the steering front, it does however firm up at speed to allow improved feedback to the driver.
Body roll is evident when the driver displays exuberance in the corners but the body roll translates to the rather decent ride quality of the Fluence.
Conclusion
For the asking price of just $4,000 over the nearest competitor, the Fluence represents the best value for money option in the Cat A segment. Considering the car's larger proportions with the biggest boot space in its class, higher equipment levels and build quality, it seems a no brainer that consumers will be teased away from their favourite Japanese models.
The French and Europeans in general, are back and in a big way...
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Conclusion
For the asking price of just $4,000 over the nearest competitor, the Fluence represents the best value for money option in the Cat A segment. Considering the car's larger proportions with the biggest boot space in its class, higher equipment levels and build quality, it seems a no brainer that consumers will be teased away from their favourite Japanese models.
The French and Europeans in general, are back and in a big way...
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Photos by Benjamin G, Kline
Car Information
Renault Fluence 1.6 (A)
CAT A|Petrol|13.2km/L
Horsepower
84kW (112 bhp)
Torque
156 Nm
Acceleration
11sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used Renault Fluence
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