Renault Fluence was designed with the aim of standing out as the most attractive car of its class and its several features do set it apart from rivals. Beneath its strong, sporting exterior, Renault Fluence features a comfortable cabin and a barrage of useful technological aids. But the French carmaker has got a humongous task cut out before it makes its presence felt in the Indian car market. Apart from understanding the market dynamics, the company has to undo the bad taste a la Logan (a mistake by all standards committed by Mahindra) and leave a tantalising after-taste among buyers.
Fluence will go head-to-head with Civic, Corolla Altis and Cruze. These are sedans falling in the category of sporty looking beasts to those with futuristic designs to really sober looking luxury machines. So what?s the difference that will make Renualt’s new car sizzle in the market? In my view, Fluence is one of the most beautiful sedans to look at in this range of cars. The Renault?s new saloon is far removed from the Logan?s square lines. It looks splendid from almost any angle and in India will certainly stand out from the ubiquitous styling of its rivals. Under the hood will be a more powerful version of the Logan’s 1.5-litre diesel engine developing 105bhp of max power.
Talking about the interiors, the rear or the side profile, there is nothing markedly different from what we have in our market, but from the front, it’s an entirely different story altogether. It is adorned with three things? style, style and style. The way its headlamps swoop in to create a distinctive nose with the grille and the logo adding the final touch, the car totally stands out amongst competitors. Overall, its fluid contours give the car a seamless and uninterrupted flow from one end to the other.
The 2.0 petrol version is replete with oodles of features, from bi-zone cooling system, automatic headlamps, rain sensitive headlamps, rear parking aid system, cruise control speed limiter and rear sun blinds, among others. The Fluence 1.5 diesel seems like a poor cousin on this account. But both have key-less start technology inbuilt in them, a clear differentiator in the market.
The petrol version has automatic gears. It?s not an out-and-out fun like a Civic Auto, but perfect for city conditions. On highways, it lags terribly behind its competitors when it come to overtaking or demanding a quick acceleration. Drive it at a constant speed, cruise around and everything is fine. But when that extra thrust is required, it simply grunts and groans and is unable to give desired results. On the other hand, when we talk about the diesel machine, it’s totally the opposite. This machine with a 1.5 litre heart is real metrosexual?well-waxed, manicured and pedicured outside, with a beast inside that is rearing to take on the highway.
Unlike the petrol version, where you just don’t feel like pushing it, this one makes you want to take it to the extremes.
The petrol variant is meant purely for those who love driving in the start-stop condition of a city. It has all the right ingredients to provide a luxurious travel experience, but push it beyond a certain point and be ready to be disappointed. Later this month, Renault will announce the pricing of these two cars, leaving ample time for the guessing game. I feel it should start from the Rs 11-lakh mark. Right pricing is what is needed for Renault to overcome the Logan pains and get a real start.