On paper, therefore, there’s enough grunt
to be eked out from under the Fluence’s sculpted bonnet for most purposes. And
on most occasions indeed there is. So long as you don’t let the revs drop below
2,200. Below the powerband, there is just too much of turbo lag and that just
mars the driving experience. As a matter of fact, around the 36 haripins on the
climb up to Ooty, we found ourselves mostly in the first gear since the revs
would drop below the threshold each time we braked ahead of the turn to make
way for downhill traffic. The six-speed manual transmission that the engine is
mated to works quite well with decently sorted ratios. The gearbox itself is
fairly slick and short throw. But again the Renault turns out to be a mixed bag
since the clutch feels too heavy and springy, detracting from the shifting
experience. While on the highways it may not be so much of an issue, in
stop-and-go city traffic chances are you might come back with a sore left leg.
Rear
AC vents add comfort for rear passengers. Controller for blower speed would
have been nice. Note 12V power socket
Dynamically, we found the Renault sedan to
be quite well-sorted. On the straights it felt planted and stable while around
corners and bends the Fluence remained composed, holding its line quite well.
Rapid changes in direction too aren’t a problem with sufficient feedback coming
in from the quick steering working in combination with a dynamic chassis. Where
the Renault really outpaces itself is in the ride quality department. Be it the
front or the back, passengers in the Fluence will be treated to a super
comfortable ride. Bumps, potholes and all other forms of road irregularities
are ironed out without fuss. To add icing on the cake, there’s none of that
wallowy tendency that often plagues other cars that offer better ride quality
than handling abilities.
Boot
is large and tail gate opens wide. Add to that a low loading lip and what you
have is a cargo bay that’s easy to load as well
Even though the Fluence is equipped with
disc brakes all around, we will have to reserve our judgement on braking
abilities until we conduct a full road test. The brakes on the car we drove
felt especially spongy and seemed to lack bite. We believe this may have been
an issue with that specific unit we drove rather than an inherent problem with
the vehicle.
With
the six-speed manual, the 1.5 dCi unit is a willing companion for the most
part, except for the turbo lag that leaves you with no grunt below 2,200 RPM
Overall then, we return to the original
question. Is the Renault Fluence a good car to include in the purchase
consideration set if you’re on the lookout for a comfortable and spacious
mid-size sedan for around $23,250 to $26,580? The base version of the Fluence,
badged E2, retails for $23,240 (ex-showroom, Delhi) while the top-end E4 spec
car sells for $25,730. In the same price range buyers will have the option of
the Toyota Corolla Altis, the Skoda Octavia as well as the Hyundai Elantra,
which means Renault have their task cut out. Despite the upgrade.
