Whoever named the Renault Fluence was quite clever. First of all, “Fluence” sounds like it’s short for “influence”, suggesting that the Renault Fluence is an upmarket sedan that is designed for an influential person – someone with prestige. Secondly, “Fluence” sounds similar to “fluid”, suggesting a smooth drive and liquid lines. Now, the big question is whether the Renault Fluence lives up to its name.

Let’s start with the looks. The Renault Fluence certainly looks very sophisticated and the overall silhouette is aerodynamic and flowing – and nicely set off with a bit of sculpting along the sides that is very distinctive. From the front, the Renault Fluence looks eager and swift, but in an understated, elegant way. This blend of simplicity and style with a hint of sportiness in the roofline is continued down to the rear, nicely set off with a few touches of chrome on the lower side windows in the Privilege model. And the rear is likely to stay shapely, thanks to the rear parking sensors that come as standard in the Renault Fluence Privilege. Both the Dynamique and the Privilege versions of the Renault Fluence have metallic paint finishes on offer, all of which look good. So far, so good – the Renault Fluence lives up to its name in this respect.

Now for whether the Renault Fluence runs as smoothly as the name suggests. All variants of the Renault Fluence are powered by the same engine: a 2-litre petrol unit capable of producing 103 kW of power at 6000 rpm and 195 Nm of torque at 3750 rpm. This engine comes coupled to either a six-speed manual transmission in the Renault Fluence Dynamique, or a CVT (continuously variable transmission) in both variants of Renault Fluence. The engine runs smoothly enough (and so it should!) with both, and it goes fast enough for all your motorway or urban driving needs. And the active safety systems inside the Renault Fluence (ESP, ABS brakes and emergency brake assist) also contribute to the handling and overall motoring enjoyment.

Does the Renault Fluence cater to the comfort and needs of an influential person (or those who want to share that level of luxury and convenience)? Well, the Renault Fluence Dynamique (the lower-spec version) comes with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, the convenience of Smart Card Key for hands-free unlocking and ignition, dual zone climate control, Bluetooth audio preparation, an audio system that has full auxiliary input (USB and standard audio input) as well as radio/CD/MP3 capacity, oodles of storage space, electric heated wing mirrors (body coloured, too), automatic lights and cruise control (CVT models only) – and that sounds like a good level of luxury for many people. However, the Renault Fluence Privilege adds in black leather upholstery, lumbar support in the driver’s seat, fingertip audio controls, an electric glass sunroof and an integrated satellite navigation system… and 17-inch alloy wheels instead of the Dynamique’s 16-inchers.

Both models have the same safety specs, including dual front air bags, side air bags and front/rear curtain airbags. As the Renault Fluence is a family-sized vehicle (don’t let the coupé-like lines of the sedan roof fool you!), it’s also good to know that child seat anchor points are already there and that all the seatbelts in the rear seat are three-pointers. The rear seats also have a convenient 60/40 fold-flat function, allowing quick access to the boot – or extra storage space if needed.

Overall, the Renault Fluence does indeed live up to both things that its name suggests, and the Renault Fluence is likely to be a popular European drive on Australia’s roads.

The current model series includes the:

• Renault Fluence Dynamique 2.0 Manual
• Renault Fluence Dynamique 2.0 CVT
• Renault Fluence Privilege 2.0 CVT

For any more information on the Renault Fluence, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Renault dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

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