Renault Fluence Diesel

Was thinking of either getting Kia K3, Nissan Qashqai or Renault Fluence. Kia K3 seems to be the best of all 3 in term of value for money while Qashqai is the trend for Cross over. However, after much consideration and assessment, my heart goes to Fluence. I am currently driving an 8 years old plus Renault Megan and I would say the reliability is not bad for a French car. I test drove the Fluence and it is quiet and it has that conti feel. My family also like the car a lot and it will be good for long road trip as we travel to Malaysia very often. The car is also features packed and I like the radio/ media control stick , which makes the steering wheel uncluttered and clean. Will be collecting my car this Sun and can't wait to get it. Will update again after driving the car for sometime.... Read More

Waited for six months and the first 10K servicing to write this; Not that I wasn't itching to post earlier. As a first car, this was a risk of sorts - conti (and French at that) and diesel. But I am enjoying it every one bit. It has shined in all departments tested so far: - Weekday commute in medium-heavy traffic: 75% E'way - Mass rapid transit: 6 adults at 90 kmh - People and luggage hauler that purred along at 100 kmh from the airport with 2 adults, 2 children + 140 kg weight across three 28" Suitcases, 4 hand-carry cases and 2 backpacks in the boot and front seat - That smooth ease of torquey acceleration when overtaking and moving off at junctions - Fuel economy hitting 20.8 kmpl on e'ways and not dipping below 15.2 on roads - Ride comfort for all passengers: leg room (2 of those adults above were 5 ft 9), suspension and climate (the rear vents do help a lot) - Ambience and sound insulation: clatter barely registers above 20 kmh, and on the KJE, KPE & MCE it's hiss-quiet - Cabin refinement: I love the uncluttered dashboard, elegant monochrome display (mine's the basic version and it exudes a serene feel especially at night, compared to the glare of multi-inch touch displays), understated climate and entertainment controls, genuine leather seats and judicious use of fabric, chrome and plastic throughout - Practical electronics that don't overwhelm - Clear, crisp audio that thumps well enough when needed - That feeling of space, which everyone feels when they step into the car and sink into its seats - Service engineer that's ready to help via phone or email without fuss In the early days with the car I was concerned by the judder in start-stop traffic but I now put it down to inexperience with the EDC and diesel in general. It's a non-issue now. A warning to potential drivers: watch your speed; You'll hit 60/90 before you know it. Even 120 barely feels like it. This is a beast that wants to be unleashed. One complaint: I have yet to hit the mythical 22 kmpl - perhaps on its next test: the NSH.... Read More