Kia Carens

Kia Carens

The Kia Carens is a sleek and stylish vehicle that has managed to carve its presence in the ultra-competitive MPV space. Priced aggressively and coming with high-end features, the Carens could be another winner for Kia in the long haul.

How is the design?

The Kia Carens has a signature design with sleek and attractive headlights. It does away with the otherwise butch Tiger nose face hence having a unique design when compared to other Kia models in the country. The design is almost EV-esque with its grille positioned lower downwards and the more robust front fascia. There is generous usage of chrome as well. There are some design touches that are reminiscent of SUVs, like the overall stance of the MPV, the bonnet design and all-round black cladding as well along with roof rails. The design theme is uncluttered and with simple lines, minus the excessive body lines, creases, and other cuts. Chrome is used generously for the door handles, windowpane, and other areas while there are 16-inch wheels (could have been bigger) which do not fully complete the look. It is also the longest in this segment, even in comparison to full-blown SUVs like the Mahindra XUV700 or the Tata Safari. The taillights also give the Carens an edgy and sharp design.

How does it perform?

The naturally aspirated petrol engine functions well enough with its 6-speed manual gearbox. The turbo-petrol engine is a little more exciting to drive with its torque-y nature and is paired to 6-speed manual or 7-speed DCT units. At the same time, there is a 1.5 litre diesel engine that is paired to 6-speed manual or torque-converter automatic units as well. The Kia Carens has the same drive-train options as present on the Seltos SUV. The turbo-petrol engine has excellent power and torque figures, and is a responsive engine, accelerating swiftly in spite of all that bulk. The Carens offers great NVH levels, cutting out tyre and road noise completely. The refinement levels are also quite impressive. The turbo petrol offers decent performance overall for drivers and the DCT slots smoothly, without really needing the paddle shifters. The Eco and Normal modes function as they ought to, while the Sport mode offers more punch and responsiveness alongside. The diesel engine does not feel as responsive and powerful as the turbo petrol engine and the automatic transmission actually leads to a slightly duller driving feel. However, this is a steady and reliable engine and will offer higher efficiency levels. Refinement is pretty good for this one as well.

How’s the mileage?

⮚ Petrol Manual (1497 cc)- 15.7 kmpl
⮚ Petrol Manual (1353 cc)- 16.2 kmpl
⮚ Diesel Manual (1493 cc)- 21.3 kmpl
⮚ Petrol Automatic (1353 cc)- 16.5 kmpl
⮚ Diesel Automatic (1493 cc)- 18.4 kmpl

How’s the driving experience?

The Kia Carens offers a generally responsive and sprightly driving experience, while offering oodles of comfort at the same time. It comes with smaller wheels and high-profile tyres along with a long wheelbase. The car is easy to drive around in the city and is a good highway cruiser as well. The car can take potholes and bumps without major issues. Some vibrations do filter into the ride, but they are minor issues. The ride is comfortable without being excessively bouncy at higher speeds. The car has a good and planted feel and this enables higher speeds on the highway without any jittery feelings. The steering does not offer as much feedback as one may desire, due to the body roll, the Carens cannot be pushed aggressively around bends and corners.

What is the interior like?

The Kia Carens comes with top-notch interiors for its segment. The dashboard looks and feels attractive, with its neatly positioned touch screen unit and digital instrument console. The 10.25-inch infotainment unit is the same as the Seltos SUV and gets tons of features. There is the 8-speaker audio system from Bose with ventilated seats, connected car features, and an air purifier. There is no panoramic sunroof since the last two rows have roof-mounted air conditioning vents. The six-seater option is only provided for the top-end trim while the rest are seven-seater models. The second row offers good legroom and headroom along with knee room. The seats feel plush and comfortable, while the cabin is airy. The air purifier is placed behind the driver’s seat and this may cause a few issues in terms of knee room. The air conditioning vents here do not feel robust. The third row offers comparatively smooth entry with the second-row getting the one-touch tumble functionality. The last row has decent space. It also gets a USB C-type port and cup holders. This is a fairly reasonable proposition for adults.

Tech and Infotainment

The Kia Carens gets the 10.25-inch touch screen infotainment unit with UVO Connect, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, an eight-speaker Bose audio unit, and digital instrument console. There is the multi-function steering wheel with buttons and ambient lighting in 64 colors. There is a single-pane sunroof with ventilated seats, an air purifier, electric tumble down second row seats, and more.

Safety Equipment

The Kia Carens comes with safety features like six airbags (standard throughout variants) and hill descent control. There are also hill-start assist, TPMS, ESC, and disc brakes along with ABS and rear parking sensors.

Which variant to buy?

The six airbags and many other safety features are standard throughout the range. This makes it slightly easier for customers. Even the Premium base model becomes a value proposition with its roof-mounted rear AC, tumble down feature, reclining and sliding seats, power windows, USB Type-C ports, front armrest and more.

A little stretch will get you the Prestige variant which gets the 8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, six speakers, steering-mounted controls, automatic headlamps, reverse camera, and more. It is worth the price for the upgrade. The top-end Luxury Plus model gets the sunroof, ventilated seating, ambient lighting, logo door projection, eight-speaker audio unit and the 10.25-inch touch screen infotainment system along with climate control and several other features. This is suitable for those without any budgetary restrictions.

Which cars compete in this segment?

The Kia Carens takes on rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and XL6, along with the Hyundai Alcazar and the Toyota Innova Crysta. It has the longest wheelbase amongst its rivals and the only one to get a turbo petrol option. The pricing is aggressive and is matched only by the Ertiga. The rest are comparatively costlier. The Carens also has the longest wheelbase although the Innova Crysta is the tallest and longest MPV overall. The Mahindra Marazzo has the most width while the Alcazar offers the highest ground clearance and the biggest tyres. Pricing-wise, the Carens is a reasonable proposition and the Innova Crysta is a few segments above it. The Carens gets all the features and more with an aggressive price point that helps it easily surpass the Marazzo, XL6, Ertiga, and the Alcazar.

Verdict (Value for Money)

The Kia Carens is a great option at its price point. It does not get some features like the panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, and some others. However, the refined and powerful engines, especially the turbo-petrol engine, great features overall, a striking design, and most importantly, an aggressive price point, make it one of the best picks in its segment. Kia has got it spot-on this time again with the Carens.