SINGAPORE –

Flew-enz. Flonz. Flanz. Flambe. Flamm…we’re obviously not pronouncing it right, right?
Probably not, but don’t let that stop you. It’s been around for a few years, the made-in-Turkey Fluence is still a no-frills sedan meant to tackle the likes of East Asian competition. It’s unique though, being a ‘real’ European and runs on diesel power.

With this update the car gets a mild facelift (huge Renault badge, better looking lights and grille, LED DRLs and tail-lamps) and even more stuff on board. Before this, the Fluence received a 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine that replaced its gasoline 1.6-litre for efficiency and price benefits. 

Diesel yay, or diesel neigh?
First of all, diesel’s what makes the price possible. For reference, the 149g/km CO2 of the older gasoline 1.6-litre would have gone from enjoying a $5k rebate to being CEVS neutral under the stricter emissions rules, effectively increasing the price (if it were still sold) by that amount. Those figures were also post-update where the Fluence received tweaks to its efficiency performance via engine refinements.

 
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It’s the same diesel powerplant we’ve also recently seen in the Megane GT Line and Captur compact SUV, and mated to a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, so by now being a thoroughly known quantity. It’s noisy at times, but on the upside there’s plenty of torque and decent power – it doesn’t feel anaemic like many basic sedans – and you’ll have no trouble keeping fuel consumption under 6.0L/100km unless you try very, very hard to be bad.

How about life on the inside?
It’s not a cramped prison for sure. Renault claims the best in class wheelbase and the Fluence isn’t short on legroom in the back, it’s quite spacious, and also has a huge 530-litre boot.

Another of the Fluence’s strengths is its surfeit of niceties and things you don’t usually find at this price: Things like keyless entry and auto-lock (locks the car automatically as you walk away) are still present, along with the R-Link infotainment system that packs nav – now it also advises you on your green-ness with the Eco Trip Report feature. New features include a sunroof, new-design 17-inch wheels (with tyre pressure monitoring), the new lights as mentioned earlier and grey stitching on the interior upholstery.

Should I buy one?
It depends on your priorities. If you want to break out of the Korean-Japanese sedan mould a bit and desire a confluence of something with big space, great mileage and lots of amenities then the Fluence is it. It’s starting to show its age a little, over bumps it’s not the most fluent, but this update keeps things flowing well enough.

Renault Fluence Privilege
Engine 1,461cc, 16V, inline 4, turbodiesel
Power 110bhp at 4000rpm
Torque 240Nm at 1750rpm
Gearbox 6-speed dual-clutch
Top Speed 185km/h
0-100kmh 11.9 seconds
Fuel efficiency 4.4L/100km
CO2 114g/km
Price $111,999 with COE
Availability Now

Also Consider: Toyota Corolla Altis, Volkswagen Jetta