Renault Fluence Goes With the Flow

The Renault Fluence is a compact sedan from the French automaker Renault for the Indian market. The car is also now available in a Fluence ZE with a battery, aka an electric car. The new avatar of the Fluence is actually the sedan avatar of the popular hatchback from Renault. The new car seems to have been beaten in the wrong places and has been then stretched to about five inches to fit the battery pack at the rear seats. The petrol is 137bhp, 2-litre, four cylinder engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine developing 106bhp and 240Nm of torque.

In India the Renault Fluence fits in the midsize sedan market and comes in both petrol and diesel engine options. The car still holds strong testimony to the company’s design theme which has started the fluidic fever in the country. There is no hard shoulder line to speak of which has become the trend in most cars these days. The interior plastics have a drab quality to them, not cheap mind you, just unexciting and uninspired. The overall fit and finish of the car is also up to the mark and it is well complemented by an equally quality interiors and offers great rear seat comfort. Like most modern cars, the side profile gets a progressively climbing waistline and thick body cladding on the doors. The comfort element is also well kept with features such as a Bluetooth interface, iPod connectivity, Airbags that are standard equipment in both variants. Inside and out, the car has a high-quality fit and finish.

Beneath its conservative image the Fluence lacks no audacity. With its roominess, its fine driving qualities and at the road price of a compact it attacks the segment at the bottom. With its 4.62 m long, this Mégane does not dare to speak its rivals but instead carves a path of its own. The steering wheel is adjustable for both rake and reach to suit drivers of all size and structure. The seats are also adjustable for the usual attributes plus the addition of lumbar support to suit passengers of all sizes and structure as well. The Fluence also sits 16mm higher off the ground, giving more room for suspension travel, especially when loaded. This means the Fluence sits flat in corners and won't make the kids sick in the rear bench. The steering is consistent and, despite a lack of genuine feedback, the weighting is good and leaves you feeling reasonably satisfied. The Renault Fluence competes against the likes of Toyota Corolla Altis, Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Civic, Volkswagen Jetta and the Skoda Laura.

In the Fluence, you sit on, not in however this is normal for a non sporty family car. The only real price you pay for the electric drive train is that the battery eats into the boot space. However, you can still fit in a couple of suitcases. So if you are in the market looking for a midsize family car that is not a Corolla, you can now shop with Renault Fluence in confidence.