Cabin comfort and features
Inside the cabin, the Fluence features a two tone dashboard with a brownish grey top and beige lower scheme. Just like the exterior, the interior of the Fluence has always looked elegantly different, and the sophisticated feel has only improved on the facelift. The big dashboard is finished in a soft touch material, and looks neat and uncluttered, though there are no storage spaces or recesses on top. The light coloured treatment extends itself to the steering wheel which is draped in beige colored leather. The seats, gear-knob and steering wheels have all been draped in new, better quality hide on the facelift.
The instrument console remains largely unchanged, with the stylish central display showing speed, fuel gauge and engine temperature along with door-open icon. It’s flanked by an analogue tacho on the left and a digital MID on the right which offers very useful information including average consumption and distance to dry. Around the three main readouts, you have a whole bevy of other tell-tale lights, which light up the center console like a Christmas tree when you turn the ignition on for the first time.
The center console is also home to a two-zone automatic climate control system with three air-flow modes – Soft, Auto and Fast. The three modes let the passengers choose how they want the cabin temperature to reach a specific temperature. For e.g. Soft mode wouldn’t bother you with a noisy blast. The buttons on the center console are too small, and those with big fingers often find some other button inadvertently pressed. The position of certain controls, like most other French cars is confusing and it would take one some time to get used to all the controls on this one.
Seats are big, plush and comfortable – some of the best this side of Rs 20 lakh. Just like the entire cabin, the seats have an air of quality and craftsmanship about them – the contrasting black lining on the edges of the seats is a classy touch. Front driver’s seat features lumbar support as well as height adjustment. The front seats also have special headrests with adjustable recline angle for better protection against whiplash injuries. Rear seats are extremely comfortable too, with dedicated A/C vents and a central armrest with integrated cupholders enhancing comfort further. There is also a power socket positioned below the rear A/C power vents. Headroom comes at a premium though.
In terms of small storage spaces throughout the cabin, the Fluence features a reasonably big storage under the central arm-rest. The glove box is quite small with more sections inside, which means that bigger items like a laptop cannot be stored within. Both front doors have a big recess to store a one-liter bottle with some space to spare. There are two more small cup-holders positioned longitudinally ahead and behind the gear shifter stick. At the back, there is apace for a medium sized bottle in either of the doors. Then there are two more small cup-holders integrated in the central armrest. Boot space is generous enough, and can accommodate 530 liters of luggage. In addition, the rear seats can also be dropped in 60:40 ratio to increase luggage carrying capacity further.
Feature list is liberal, and the top of the line E4 variant comes with goodies such as front and rear parking sensors, Cruise control, ESP, 4 airbags, push button start/stop, a decent sounding Arkemys 3D surround audio, auto headlamps and wiper, anti pinch windows, and a whole army of other features. The Fluence may not have a big screen on the center console, or a jazzy camera to titillate those who want to ‘see’ equipment on their cars, but it features contemporary tech which is nicely hidden under the panels of its classy cabin.
The complete list of features for both E2 and E4 variants is provided on the last page, along with the technical specification and prices of the car
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The fluence has always been a car which looks better in flesh than in photograph. I guess the flowing lines hide the real dimension of the car. When you look at it in person the car appears bigger and has immense road presence especially in black or white colour. I think it's the best in it's segment.
The new Jetta is getting design language from Audi's old designs. And that is making it look more competitive these days.