Kia India has finally debuted its latest crossover MPV, the Carens, and the pricing has also been revealed. It has been pitched against a wide variety of seven-seat cars, including SUVs like the Mahindra XUV700, MG Hector Plus, Tata Safari, as well as its own cousin, the Hyundai Alcazar, with a starting price of Rs 8.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
Nevertheless, it will face competition from other MPV rivals such as the Maruti Ertiga, XL6, Mahindra Marazzo, and Toyota Innova Crysta. Amongst the names stated above, Innova Crysta is the only one that definitely stands out from the crowd.
Carens is offered in five trim levels: Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury, and Luxury Plus. The MPV has priced between Rs 8.99 lakh and Rs 16.99 lakh (both prices ex-showroom). Carens’ entry-level Premium and Prestige models rival the Ertiga and XL6.
The Kia Carens Prestige, which starts at Rs 9.99 lakh and sits just above the basic model, has now been described in a first-look walkaround video by the Youtube channel named “sansCARi sumit”. It lacks features like alloy wheels, LED headlights, and others, but it still has enough to compete with rivals such as the Ertiga and XL6.
The Carens MPV has far more equipment and engine options than the Maruti siblings, especially in entry-level variants. The manufacturer has introduced the Premium and Premium Plus variants with all three engine options: a 1.5-litre NA petrol, 1.4-litre turbo petrol, and a 1.5-litre diesel unit. It’s worth noting here that these engines are only available with a manual transmission.
However, there is no competition between the Toyota Inova Crysta and the Carens MPV on the basis of price, as its lower variant is costlier than the top-spec variant, but in terms of features like an electric sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, and connected car tech, the Carens outweigh the Inova Crysta.