Renault Fluence Diesel E4 - Design Review

Renault may have been known in our market only for the Logan (now, Mahindra Verito) – a car that is as crude and dated in its design as straightforward it is with its practicality. But with the French carmaker going solo for India, their new car, the Fluence, not only aims at being practical but also this time it blends-in a decent and a more-to-date design.  The Fluence does not come with any legacy like the Renault Megane or the Renault Laguna and therefore it does not need to build up on any design identity established by a predecessor. In fact, the Renault Fluence was born as a concept that did not debut at a conventional auto show, but instead at a classic car show organized by Louis Vuitton – a fashion house. Thankfully though, in spite of taking birth in the fashion capital of the world the Fluence does not present itself with any radical lines, unconventional lights or weirdly shaped roof or windows.

The Fluence looks very elegant and slightly sporty and this fact is highlighted the moment you look at the front end. The eye-catching bit is the bonnet which gets a classy indentation that gives the car the sportier stance. This indentation is highlighted because the grille in tiny – and you’ll notice the chrome-plating on it only if you see the Fluence in Black or in the dark. The bumpers are simple and get a wide black smiley that incorporates the air-dams and the fog lamps. The fog lamp housing gets a chrome ring and this one is noticeable thanks to the contrasting black cladding around it.  The headlights are eye-shaped but neither look too aggressive nor too docile – ‘elegant’ is the word here, again.

The Fluence concept that I mentioned earlier, was shown as a 2+2 Coupe (four-door, four seater, coupe) – and the car has maintained that philosophy in the production form too. Therefore, the Fluence has a coupe-ish roof-line and a really long one at that, thanks to the wide front and rear doors. The glasshouse then looks quite sporty and up-to-date and sets the Fluence apart when compared to cars like the Toyota Corolla Altis and the Skoda Laura which have a conventional three-box design. Unlike the Honda Civic or the Chevrolet Cruze though, the Fluence has a fairly longish boot-lid. However, the design bit that I appreciate the most is the shoulder-line which flows out from the tip of the headlights, passes through the side profile, forms the upper edge of the boot-lid and therefore encircles the entire car like a lasso. Also worth a mention is the set of body-coloured, chunky rub-rails that sit at the bottom-half of the doors – they are unconventional, but gel very well with the car’s design.

Move over to the rear end of the car and you’ll notice that the tailgate has a typical European design. You have a big, fat and matte-black cladding under the bumper, a chrome garnished exhaust tip and the bumper itself is simplistic and has reflectors at either end. The tailgate gets additional chrome with the Renault emblem, the ‘Fluence’ monogram and the strip above the registration plate. The taillights are the wrap-around type with a sleek, vertical design and add more substance to the tailgate. 

Overall, the Renault Fluence has an elegant, simplistic and slightly sporty design. However, in spite of the understated stance, the Fluence looks like none other and even your uninitiated wife should be able to identify this car without thinking twice.

Also Read:

Renault Fluence User Experience Review

Renault Fluence Performance Review