Kia Carens

Expert Review by Maxabout

Introduction

After getting a substantial amount of success with Seltos and Sonet in the Indian car market, Kia India has recently launched the MPV Carens. This mass-market offering by the brand definitely intends to be another chart-topper. The Carens car is more of an MPV than an SUV, though Kia calls it an RV (Recreational Vehicle). Carens is a first-of-its-kind product in India, with production taking place at the company's plant in Andhra Pradesh. Is it the worthy sibling of Seltos and Sonnet, or is it just an affordable version of Carnival? Let’s dive into detail into all the features and specs of this all-new MPV.

Kia Carens Design and Style

Kia has built the new Carens with a completely new and dazzling design language. To kick off with the front fascia, you will see all-LED three-cube headlights with distinctive star map LED DRLs. The front grille is also fresh and surrounded with chrome embellishing the Kia emblem on the bonnet, and the three-layer fog lamps.

Kia has used chrome garnishing to a great extent as it knows the choices of Indian car buyers. The side profile is also quite attractive with crystal-cut alloy wheels, chrome-finished door handles, and chrome garnishing on the blackened portion at the bottom.

Turning to the rear profile, it is flat and gets chrome garnishing at the bottom with 3D elements again. The only standout feature on the rear end is the taillight design. In terms of body dimensions, the car has a longer wheelbase and extensive ground clearance. It is 4540mm in length, 1800mm in width and 1708mm in height, with R16 alloy wheels and roof rails, while the wheelbase is 2780mm and the ground clearance is 195mm.

Kia Carens Engine and Gearbox

Just like the Seltos, Kia India has offered the new Carens MPV also with three powertrain options. Among these more powerful and refined engines, the first one is the Smartstream G1.4 T-GDi, a 1353cc petrol engine that generates 140 HP and 242 Nm when coupled to a 6-speed manual or 7DCT transmission. Next on the list is a Smartstream G1.5, 1497cc, petrol engine that is capable of churning out 115 HP and 144 Nm and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission only. Last but not least, is a 1.5L CRDi VGT, 1493cc, diesel engine that produces 115 HP and 250 Nm when combined with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Kia Carens Interior, Instrument Cluster & Boot Space

Looking forward to interior styling, the car gets a wraparound dashboard designed with a blue finish, ample storage space for all three rows, and even the Type-C charging ports are available to all three rows of occupants. The sunroof offered is a regular single-pane sunroof instead of a panoramic sunroof, thanks to roof-mounted AC vents for the second row. The cabin is roomy and comfy, with seats having ample knee room and headroom. Both second and third-row seats are reclinable, and the entrance to the third is quite easy by tumbling the second-row seat with a single touch button.

Now, speaking of the instrument cluster, it is a 12.5-inch fully digital console with a 4.2-inch TFT multi-information display that offers info like speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature, and mileage in a very clear way, and you can also change the colours of the display. The offered boot space is a decent 216 litres. But it can be extended by folding third and second-row seats.

Kia Carens Brakes, Suspension & Tyres

As for braking duties, these are assigned to disc brakes on both the front and rear ends, while the suspension is handled by McPherson Strut with Coil Spring at the front and Coupled Torsion Beam Axle (CTBA) with Coil Spring at the rear. There are three types of wheels offered for different variants. The 16-inch dual-tone crystal cut alloy wheels and 16-inch steel wheels with full-size wheel covers are outfitted with 205/65 tyres, whereas the 15-inch steel wheels are clothed with 195/65 tyres.

Kia Carens Key Features

Kia has loaded the all-new Carens with plenty of first-in-class features and put in their best efforts to attract Indian car buyers to this segment. The Kia Carens comes with all-LED lighting, Star map LED tail lights, a skylight sunroof, 16-inch dual-tone crystal cut alloy wheels, ventilated front seats, 10.25-inch HD touchscreen navigation, Bose premium sound with 8 speakers, smart pure air purifier with virus and bacteria protection, Kia Connect, second-row one-touch easy electric tumble seat, 12.5-inch fully digital LCD cluster with 4.2-inch TFT multi-information display, 64-colour ambient mood lighting, and a smartphone wireless charger with cooling function, to mention a few.

In addition to the above-mentioned features, it also gets multi-drive modes, 12V power sockets, 5 USB Type-C ports, a smart key with a push-button start, telescopic steering, shark fin antenna, under-seat tray, adjustable headrests, and much more. In consideration of passenger safety, there are 6 airbags, ESC, VSM, BAS, HAC, DBC (Downhill Brake Control), All-Wheel Disc Brakes, Highline Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, ABS, Rear Parking Sensors, ISO-Fix Child Anchor, High Mount Stop Lamp with Emergency Stop Signal, Front Seat Belts with Pretensioner and Load Limiter, Speed Sensing Door Lock and Impact Sensing Door Unlock are on offer as standard on all variants.

Kia Carens Top Speed & Mileage

The ride and handling of the Kia Carens are pretty impressive, and it offers comfy travel, although the top speed is around 120kmph. The mileage as claimed by ARAI is 15–16 kmpl for the 1.5-litre petrol/manual, whereas the 1.5-litre diesel/manual offers 20–22 kmpl. It also needs to be mentioned that the fuel efficiency may vary depending on highway and city traffic as well as driving style.

Kia Carens Variants & Colour Options

Kia has offered the 2023 MPV Carens in five variants named Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury and Luxury Plus. While the offered colour scheme comprises eight attractive colours Imperial Blue, Moss Brown, Intense Red, Glacier White Pearl, Clear White, Gravity Grey, Aurora Black Pearl and Sparkling Silver.

Ex-showroom Price & On-Road Price

Launched at an introductory price of Rs 9.60 lakh, the Kia Carens will go up against the Hyundai Alcazar, Mahindra Marazzo, Maruti Suzuki XL6 and lower variants of the Toyota Innova Crysta. Understanding the difference between ex-showroom and on-road pricing, the ex-showroom price of a car is the asking price that excludes the cost of road tax, insurance, and registration. But on the other side, the on-road price includes all of the previously stated costs as well as insurance, registration, a one-time road tax, an extended warranty, and all vehicle accessories. It is essential to know that in our country, on-road prices vary greatly from state to state.

Kia Carens Competitors

2023 Kia Carens locks horns with Hyundai Alcazar, Maruti XL6, Mahindra Marazzo, Tata Safari, Mahindra XUV700 and the MG Hecter Plus.

Verdict - Should You Buy Kia Carens or not?

2023 Kia Carens RV, as Kia calls it, is a feature-rich car with cutting-edge technology and a new design language. The talk of the town is spacious, practical third-row seating instead of a third-row tag. Kia designed the Carens while taking into consideration the needs of families and equipping the car with a plethora of useful features. If you want to spend your money on a car that is full of style yet solid and comfortable, then you can definitely go for the Kia Carens.