Verdict
The 3 Sedan uses 25% less fuel, the Fluence is 17% more powerful, while the Fluence has a 16% bigger boot. Weigh that against the equipment each side gives you in the table below.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM119,620 | RM108,888✓ |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | C-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM90✓ | RM379 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, direct fuel injection, naturally-aspirated with variable valve timing | 16-valve DOHC, naturally-aspirated with variable valve timing |
| Capacity | 1,496 cc | 1,997 cc |
| Horsepower | 118 hp at 6,000 rpm | 143 hp at 6,000 rpm✓ |
| Torque | 153 Nm at 4,000 rpm | 195 Nm at 3,700 rpm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore × Stroke | 74.5 mm × 85.8 mm | 84 mm × 90.1 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 14 | 10.2 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | CVT Automatic |
| Transmission Name | SkyActiv-Drive | X-Tronic CVT |
| Gears | 6 | — |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Mazda | Jatco |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | — | 10.1 seconds |
| Rated Economy | 5.8 L/100 km✓ | 7.7 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 200 km/h✓ | 195 km/h |
| Co2 | — | 178 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,660 mm | 4,618 mm |
| Width | 1,795 mm | 1,813 mm |
| Height | 1,440 mm | 1,485 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,725 mm | 2,702 mm |
| Weight | 1,361 kg | 1,406 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 51 litres | 60 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Boot Space | 444 litres | 530 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 215/45R18 | 205/55R17 |
| Rear Tyre | 215/45R18 | 205/55R17 |
| Spare Tyre | Space Saver | Full Size 15" |
| Factory Tyres | Bridgestone Turanza T005A | Continental ContiPremiumContact 2 |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Japan (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Torsion Beam | Torsion Beam |
| Front Wheels | 18" Alloy | 17" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 18" Alloy | 17" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack And Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | G-Vectoring Control Plus | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 7 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Driver's Knee) | 6 (Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for rear doors | Manual for rear doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 5 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | — |
| ISOFIX | Available for two outer rear passenger seats | Available on two outer rear passenger seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes, Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) - Front and Rear | — |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | No |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | — |
| Seatbelt Reminder | Front Seats Only | For All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Emergency Stop Signal (ESS) | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector | Halogen Projector |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Normal Bulb |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | — |
| Front Foglamps | — | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Driver's Seat, Manual Adjustable Front Passenger Seat | Manual Adjustable |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | — | Rear Vents |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 USB-C | 1 Front, 1 Rear |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Audio | 8.8" MZD Connect Infotainment System with Commander Control Knob, Bluetooth, 8 Speakers, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay | 7" Touchscreen Renault R-Link CD/MP3 Player with Bluetooth, Navigation, Voice Control and Arkamys 6 Speakers |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Driver and Front Passenger Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Highway & Traffic Jam Assist | Passive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation | Remote Control Activation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | — |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | — |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | — |
| Instrument Cluster | Digital/Analogue | Digital/Analogue |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Handbrake |
| Convenience Notes | 7" TFT-LCD Digital Instrument Cluster Display with Analogue Dials | — |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 100,000 km | Unlimited✓ |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years | 5 years |
| Warranty Notes | 5-year/100,000 km free service | A courtesy car if maintenance work takes more than 48 hours |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
