Fluence full of flair and fancies

The Fluence is a compact family sedan which will serve the more conservative end of the market quite well.

When the newcomer, which is available in three different guises, was unveiled to the local motoring media someone suggested the Fluence name was the inspired brainchild of the same group of cleaners and coffee-makers at Renault's head office who came up with names such as Koleos, Logan and Sandero.

However, although the name is as uninspiring as Logan and Sandero, like them, the Fluence is also a good value for money offering, not only price-wise (particularly at entry level), but also in terms of space, comfort, safety and technology.

At the introduction of the Fluence the Renault suits made much of the car's "fluid, elegant design" which is not exactly how most car-writers would describe the car.

'Touches of... 'ow you say... ze French flair, burt...'

It certainly has touches of French flair inside and hints of elegance at the front end of the car, but overall Fluence looks a tad blobbish and overfed.

Renault claims the Fluence provides a "distinctive and highly attractive alternative to the established, and typically conservative, mainstream contenders" in the C-segment sedan class.

This is debatable, particularly when one compares it to Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruz, Mazda, the new Jetta, Toyota and others of the same ilk.

Like the above, Fluence is a compact family sedan which will serve the more conservative end of the market quite well. It will no doubt also have some appeal for car rental companies, company fleet car buyers and government departments.

To get the engine working at its best you will have to stay in the rev range of 4400 to 6000rpm.

Fluence is certainly spacious enough to claim best-in-class measurements for shoulder and elbow room for both front and rear seat occupants and it also has a generous boot.

The interior is quite attractive although the seats were probably designed for people with smaller bums than South Africans tend to sport.

French and Italian cars are not known for logical lay-out when it comes to gauges, knobs, buttons and dials but the Fluence's accessories fall easily to hand and are sensibly concentrated around the steering wheel and centre console which makes them easy to use.

Passengers not forgotten

The interior has a quality feel to it, particularly the leather furnished flagships with their prettily decorated chrome bits and pieces.

For a change the French white coats also didn't forget the rear passengers and the higher-spec models have a climate control system with vents beneath the front seats and at the rear of the centre console.

In line with Renault's sportier cars the Fluence handles and steers well, thanks to MacPherson-type struts up front firmed up with rectangular lower arms and an anti-roll bar, and the same electric power steering system you will find in the latest-generation Mégane.

The steering does initially feel a bit strange and takes a bit of getting used to but it is fairly sharp, once you've got it right.

Great brakes

The car sits better on the road than its image projects, with not much body roll, even at tonking speed.

Although French carmakers at times seem to think that hooters deserve more attention than brakes (which is understandable if one drives anywhere in France), the brakes on the new French sedan are really good. This is thanks to ventilated discs in front and solid versions at the rear, assisted by an ABS system with integrated Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA).

The generous boot gives you good load capacity while the fold-down rear seats allow you to load those bulky items.

But then we come to the engines and this where the Fluence slips quite a few notches. The choice is between two 16-valve petrol engines with capacities of 1,6 litres and 2,0 litres respectively.

If you live on the Reef, or if you live anywhere else and you like moving along faster than snail pace without having to tire yourself out with constant gear changes, do not even consider the smaller version because it is really sleepy, in spite of the fact that on paper it produces 81kW and 156Nm.

Keep those revs up

It is also a high-revving chunk of metal and to get it working at its best you will have to stay in the rev range of 4400 to 6000rpm.

Renault says it will accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 11,7 seconds and gallop on to a top speed of 185km/h. At the media introduction up on the Reef we couldn't match that and the car certainly didn't feel like it was up to it.

Fluence is certainly not short of specs with even the most affordable derivative, the 1.6 Expression, being well kitted out.

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Renault claims a combined cycle fuel usage of 6,5 litres/100km but if you have to constantly drive the car at high revs to get going this seems doubtful. And unlike the bigger-engined model's six-speed manual, the 1,6 litre has a five-speed box, which means that you lose the benefit of a low-revving sixth gear.

The 2.0 litre engine, offered in the top-spec Privilege model, produces 105kW at 6000rpm and 195Nm of torque at 3750rpm.

This engine is the first petrol unit to be jointly developed by Nissan and Renault and it certainly feels more awake than the smaller engine.

Not short of specs

Claimed standing start sprint time is given as 10,4 sec to 100km/h. The book says it will get to 195km/h and will glug fuel at the rate of 7,8 litres/100km in the combined cycle.

Fluence is certainly not short of specs with even the most affordable derivative, the 1.6 Expression, being well kitted out.

Air-conditioning is standard, along with electric power steering, a multi-function trip computer, one-touch electric front windows, height and lumbar adjustment for the driver's seat, a height and reach-adjustable steering wheel, and a 60/40-split folding rear seat.

Fancies include a 4x15 watt front-loading CD receiver with MP3/WMA music file compatibility and Carminat TomTom navigation system.

Easy reader - and that range readout is useful; now there's no excuse for running out of fuel.

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Fluence also gets a gold star for its safety features with tick-boxes for dual front and side airbags, as well as curtain airbags, ABS with EBD and EBA, automatic warning light activation during emergency braking, ISOFIX mounting points for the rear side seats, and automatic central locking of the doors and boot when in motion.

The Expression trim includes attractive 16-inch alloy wheels, along with a full-size spare wheel.

The 1.6 Dynamique gets all of this, plus automatic windscreen wipers with rain sensor, automatic headlight activation, and dual-zone automatic climate control with combined odour-particulate filter.

Like your rims

In addition, it boasts full leather trim, as well as a 4x35 watt MP3-compatible CD receiver incorporating Bluetooth connectivity for cell phone integration as well as audio streaming from portable MP3 players, plus a dedicated RCA connection for plug-in devices.

Adding to the sporting flair, attractive multi-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels are fitted to the Dynamique.

Fluence gets a gold star for its safety features.

The 2.0-litre Privilége specs extend to ESP traction and stability control, reverse parking sensors, electric heated side mirrors, an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror and a split leather steering wheel.

It also brags with a splendid audio system with eight speakers and digital three-dimensional surround sound.

Optional extras - at a price

As is the trend these days, Renault also offers a long list of optional (read: expensive) extras such as a sports kit which comprises front and rear bumpers, as well as colour-matched side sills. This can be complemented by more bling such as a chrome exhaust pipe, rear spoiler, chromed side mirrors and a range of exclusive alloy rims.

At the launch of the Fluence, Renault took a lot of time to announce that it was re-launching its "refreshed" Confiance package of what it describes as "value-added after-sales services".

I have had mixed reports about the effectiveness of this programme and clearly Renault is again embarking on a programme to improve its image in this department.

For the Fluence the Confiance package includes a five-year/150 000km mechanical warranty, a five-year/100 000km service plan and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty.

Also included are roadside assistance, fixed-price servicing, and guaranteed spare parts availability.

The Fluence models and prices are:
1.6 16v Expression R199 900
1.6 16v Dynamique R224 900
2.0 16V Privilége R244 900

Specifications

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