The initial atmosphere is positive. Renault Korea announced that as of the end of February, the cumulative number of pre-orders for the Filante reached approximately 7,000 units. The reserved Filante vehicles are scheduled for delivery to customers starting the second week of March. Whether the Filante can maintain this momentum is a crucial factor that will determine Renault Korea's performance this year. To assess the potential success of the Filante, I test-drove the vehicle from Ulsan to Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province.
The Filante looked unique from the exterior. The 'grille lighting' on the front featured a unique design with different colors for the top and bottom sections, along with several grooves. It also had the effect of drawing attention to the Renault Korea logo attached in the center. The lamps located on the front were not just a monotonous design but consisted of multiple lights that blend into the body. While it appeared original and possessed a solid, crossover-like stance, it also felt a bit cluttered on the other hand.
The rear design simultaneously showcased sleekness and elegance while highlighting distinct lines. The Renault Korea logo on the rear also harmonized well with the rest of the vehicle. This seems possible because the logo's shape is simple and not subject to significant size constraints.
When I opened the driver's door, the seat automatically moved back to make room for me to sit. As I sat in the driver's seat, it moved forward again toward the steering wheel. There was plenty of space for a driver of my height, in the mid-170cm range.
The steering wheel was hexagonal. It wasn't an angular hexagon but had rounded corners. Although I usually drive cars with standard round steering wheels, I didn't feel any particular discomfort. The display was a long, continuous unit that extended to the passenger side, a feature also seen in the Grand Koleos. The center screen and the passenger screen show different content. The center screen displays general driving-related information, while the passenger screen allows for entertainment like games. You can play simple games on the passenger screen, which would be helpful for drivers with young children to keep them entertained.
The accelerator was soft and responsive, and acceleration was quick. Given the vehicle's size, I expected a slightly heavier pedal, but I had no trouble accelerating with the same pressure used in any standard sedan. However, when using the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) to set a speed, you have to press the accelerator quite firmly if you want to exceed that limit. For this reason, when using ADAS, you can naturally maintain the set speed without any effort. It is a useful feature for roads with speed limits.
I activated the cruise control while driving on the highway. Interestingly, it maintained a consistent speed even on uphill, downhill, and curved roads. While some vehicles experience speed fluctuations of about 2-3 km/h when road conditions change, the Filante's cruise control did not seem to be greatly affected by the road environment.
The vehicle's quietness was also excellent. Once the windows were closed, external noise was barely audible. While most recently launched vehicles offer excellent quietness, the Filante was so quiet that even the wind noise generated during high-speed driving was not very noticeable. The Filante comes with 'Active Noise Cancellation' applied to all trims.
The Filante offers five driving modes: AI, Snow, Eco, Sport, and Comfort. When I switched to Sport mode, the acceleration became faster, but it wasn't at an unreasonable level. Eco mode also made acceleration slower, but it didn't feel like a massive difference. The sound effect that plays when switching to Sport mode felt somewhat artificial.
Renault Korea seems to be paying close attention to entertainment features recently. I played some music while driving, and personally, I would rate it as one of the best audio experiences available in a car. The Filante comes standard with an 8-speaker advanced sound system by Arkamys, a French audio specialist. You can also opt for a 10-speaker BOSE surround sound system. With this, you can feel as if you are listening to music in a concert hall. Both low and high notes were distinct and clear.
The distance driven that day was 73.3km, and the fuel efficiency recorded was 15.9km/L. This is very similar to the official fuel efficiency of 15.1km/L. The prices of the Filante, after applying individual consumption tax and eco-friendly vehicle tax benefits, are: Techno 43,319,000 won, Iconic 46,969,000 won, and Esprit Alpine 49,719,000 won.