Renault’s mid-sized sedan gets a refresh to keep it competitive in its segment.

The French do not traditionally do too well with 4-door saloons, with hatchbacks by far the more popular choice in Europe; yet the previous-gen Megane sedan was certainly a hit here, thanks to its combination of value and practicality. With no sedan version of the current Megane available, it’s up to the Fluence to continue the success story, and this latest update should help it along the way.

Changes to the new Fluence are mostly cosmetic. The most obvious difference is the redesigned front end, proudly incorporating the Renault diamond front-and-centre, ala the new Clio. Expect future Renaults to also feature this new family face.

The interior too, sees limited changes; the notable highlights being a new digital instrument cluster, and Renault’s 7-inch touchscreen multimedia system dubbed R-Link, which incorporates entertainment, navigation and telephone functions. Otherwise, the Fluence remains one of the most spacious cars in its class, with a generous 530 litres of boot space.

For the local market, the Fluence is powered by a 1.6L four-cylinder with 115 bhp, mated to a CVT transmission. Performance figures of11.9 seconds for the 0-100 km/h dash, and a top speed of 175 km/h, while fuel consumption of 6.4 km/l and 149 g/km of CO2 earn it a $5,000 CEVS rebate.

For a limited time only, the New Renault Fluence is available at a Post-COE Announcement launch price of $126,000 with 5 years warranty, 5 years servicing and guaranteed COE.