Getting a second chance to prove yourself in a market at once increasingly competitive and growing exponentially has to be the luckiest thing to happen to a manufacturer. And if the market is as big as India's, that manufacturer should surely thank his stars for getting a second opportunity. We reckon Renault must be doing just that.
Although the French company's début in the form of the Mahindra Renault Logan was a failure (notwithstanding the fact that the product was technically a good one), the company is all set for an aggressive comeback that includes the launch of as many as five new cars over the next 15 months. The first one to make its entry is the Fluence and we went to Chennai to drive its two variants on offer.
Renault undertook some intense surveys and came up with a certain plan for the Fluence in the Indian market. In accordance with the conclusions drawn by them, they decided to introduce two variants of the sedan. One is a 2.0-litre, top-of-the-line petrol version that would offer the luxury trim and the other is a 1.5-litre bottom end diesel version with extremely basic trim. Externally, both the cars look exactly the same.
But get inside the cabin and there is a world of difference between the two. While the petrol version looks posh with a beige (interspersed with bits of black) interior, the diesel variant is mostly dominated by black, both on the dashboard and seats. Leather upholstery and a leather-clad steering wheel are two features that set the petrol version apart from the diesel one, which dons textile upholstery and a basic steering wheel. Needless to add, the petrol variant's cabin is the one you would prefer to be in.
However, think of the engine, transmission and performance, and a world of difference obtains here too. The petrol engine with its 2.0-litre capacity might sound very exciting, but it isn't. On paper, this engine produces 137 PS of peak power and 190 Nm of peak torque. However, since this car is being aimed at people who would rather be driven around than drive themselves, good performance has not been kept on top priority. Renault, with the aim of adding convenience, have equipped the petrol variant with automatic transmission only. Now this one is a continuous variable transmission (CVT) and it is sluggish. Very sluggish, in fact.
Unlike the petrol version, the diesel one gets a five-speed manual transmission that is far more exciting to drive with. A 1.5-litre motor that produces peak power of 106 PS and peak torque of 240 Nm empowers the diesel version. This variant is far better to drive and feels more connected to the driver. Of course, they call this the sportier of the two and is meant for the enthusiast. The turbocharged diesel engine has a little lag until about 2,000 rpm. However, once past that mark, you have all of 240 Nm of torque at your disposal.
Come to the chassis and suspension, both the variants are equal on that front. A well sorted out set-up gives these cars excellent handling and road holding. The car does inspire a lot of confidence while pushing through flowing corners at three-digit speeds. The optimum suspension setting strikes a good balance between providing enough sportiness and taking care of the uneven Indian roads. The steering wheel is well weighted too and provides adequate feedback round fast corners. Overall, the Fluence feels like a well-engineered car with not much to complain about on the dynamics part of it.
Apart from that, there are certain things about the Fluence that need special mention. Topping this list is the design and styling of the car. We have seen Renault's Logan before and probably the only reason for that car to fail in the Indian market was its styling. However, look at the Fluence and you wouldn't believe it comes from the same manufacturer. It's a very good-looking car with a sleek grille, bold headlamps, a nicely curved roofline and a sharp tail section.
Second on this list would be the storage capacity. Not only does the Fluence offer a voluminous boot, but it also has as much as 23 litres of storage space in the form of the glove box and cubbyholes. The petrol version offers some extra features over the diesel one and these include auto bi-zone climate control with rear a-c vents, automatic headlamps, a rain sensor wiper system, rear parking aid system, sun blinds for the rear passengers, a USB port for the audio system and Bluetooth connectivity. Also, the petrol variant comes with a cruise control option.
A couple of complaints that we have about this car concern the placement of the audio system and cruise control buttons. The audio system buttons are mounted behind the steering wheel, on the column. With the steering wheel straight, these controls get hidden behind the steering wheel spoke. One has to get used to their peculiar placement to be able to operate the system easily. The cruise control button is placed behind the hand brake lever. We had a tough time finding this one too!
The instrument console of this car is especially made for India and we loved the round, white-backlit LCD. But for some reason, the face of this display seems to be looking more towards the roof than the driver. However, these are minor things and don't become the deciding factors while buying a car in this segment.
With over 300 km clocked, the first impression of the Fluence was its solidness. With a price tag of Rs 12.99 (ex-showroom, New Delhi) for the diesel version and Rs 14.4 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) for the petrol version, this car seems to be a strong competitor in its segment. How it fares against its competition will soon be judged. Until then, we wish Renault the very best on their second coming!
Source: Car India