KIA Carens

The Kia Carens compete against other six and seven-seater offerings in the Indian market. These include the more affordable offerings like the 2022 Maruti Ertiga, 2022 Maruti XL6, and the Mahindra Marazzo while the other rivals include Mahindra XUV700, Toyota Innova Crysta, Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector Plus, and the Tata Safari. The Carens offers strong competition to the rivals with its VFM pricing, a feature-rich cabin, and sorted powertrain options. It is worth noting that the Maruti Ertiga is currently the best selling 7-seater MPV in the Indian market and with super aggressive pricing, Kia is making all the efforts to give a tough competition to the Ertiga. The XL6 too has been updated recently. In terms of sales, Kia Carens is doing well too and climbing the ladder of success. Overall, Kia Carens caters to the different buyers by offering multiple powertrain options. 

Unlike the Hyundai Alcazar, the Kia Carens does not boast an SUV-like styling and get a modern, subtle and urban-cool design that will attract a fair share of buyers. Having said this, the Carens is based on the K1 platform and gets a low-set hood while the front fascia is largely dominated by the prominent LED headlights. There is nothing special to talk about when it comes to the side profile of the car and you will like the alloy wheel design while the rear too falls in line with the overall design language of the Carens. 

The car is offered with chrome door handles while other features like rear wipers, LED headlights, automatic headlamps, LED DRLs, passive entry, etc are also offered. The panel gaps are uniform and in all, the Kia Carens does boast a handsome styling. However, the rivals do offer a stronger road presence and a more SUV-like stance. The Kia Carens is available with eight exterior colour options that include - Imperial Blue, Moss Brown, Sparkling Silver, Intense Red, Glacier White Pearl, Clear White, Gravity Grey, and Aurora Black Pearl. The colour options and the exterior detailing is what makes the Carens look modern even while being an MPV. Overall, Kia has done it right with the design of the Carens and it looks quite modern. 

Just like the other Kia and Hyundai cars, the new Kia Carens too boasts a premium, well-built and feature-rich cabin. There is no dearth of space inside while the seats too are comfortable and supportive. The dashboard layout might remind of the more expensive Carnival but having said this, the Carens does offer an impressive in-cabin experience to the buyers. The fit-finish levels too are one of the best in the segment. 

The car is available with a number of features including the BOSE Premium Sound System with 8 speakers, wireless charging pad with cooling function, 10.25-inch touchscreen system, Air purifier, cruise control, front-seat ventilation, steering mounted controls, digital instrument console, 12v charging sockets and 5 USB Type-C charging ports. The car also comes with cooling cup holders, automatic climate control, push-button start, electric folding ORVMs, auto-dimming IRVM, rain-sensing wipers, and 2nd-row seat one-touch easy electric tumble and dedicated rear AC vents.    

The Kia Carens does boast a long standard safety features list and is offered with 6 airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management (VSM), brake assist system (BAS), hill-start assist control, (HAC), downhill brake control (DBC), all-wheel disc brakes, highline tyre pressure monitoring system, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and rear parking sensors. Other mandatory features like seat belt reminders and a speed warning system are also offered with the Carens. Overall, the cabin of the Carens feels quite spacious and with the latest features on offer, it gives the MPV a modern touch. Overall, Kia takes care of the latest features along with the safety equipment that is needed in today's era. 

The Kia Carens is offered with three engine options - 1.5-L NA Petrol Engine, 1.4-L Turbo Petrol, and 1.5-L turbo diesel. Speaking of the diesel first, this engine boasts a peak power and torque output of 115 PS and 250 Nm respectively. This engine is offered with 6-speed manual transmission and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The 1.5-L Smartstream G1.5-L Naturally Aspirated petrol engine churns out a peak power output of 115 PS and 144 Nm of maximum torque. This engine is only available with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The 1.4-L Smartsteam G1.4-L T-GDI turbo petrol engine is the most powerful engine on offer with maximum power and torque output of 138 bhp and 242 Nm respectively. While it is offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox while an optional 7-speed DCT gearbox is also on offer.

The performance from all three motors is impressive and the refinement levels too are commendable. We have seen similar powertrain options in the cars like the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta and have a proven long-term track record. Having said this, the Carens does offer a decent driving experience and has enough grunt to perform effortlessly in all situations. Having a diesel also gives it an advantage over the Ertiga and XL6. If you are someone who has a big family and often take long road trips then diesel is the right choice for you. 

The Kia Carens is offered with McPherson Strut with coil spring setup at the front while we get a coupled torsion beam axle (CTBA) with coil spring setup at the rear. The car gets disc brakes on all four wheels and boasts a decent braking performance. The suspension offers a great balance between ride-handling but the hardcore enthusiasts may not appreciate the dynamics. There is a significant body roll while the steering too does lack feel and feedback. What you will appreciate however is the fact that the steering wheel is light and does weigh up decently well as the speeds go up. 

Having said this, while the high-speed stability is decent, the car does tend to lose up its composure on the sharp undulations while doing triple-digit speeds with full-load. Other than that, you will not have any major issues with the Carens and the overall setup does boast some decent capabilities. Unlike the Seltos, Creta, and the Alcazar, the Carens is based on the K1 platform which is not as mechanical competent as the K2 platform. With its pricing, Carens offer all one needs from a budget MPV. 

Kia Carens scored 3-stars at the Global NCAP crash test. Kia Carens is the only car in the segment to be offered with six airbags as a standard part of the package. In addition to this, the Kia Carens also get a number of other advanced safety features such as electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management (VSM), brake assist system (BAS), hill-start assist control (HAC), and downhill brake control (DBC). 

It is also worth noting that the Kia Carens is offered with a four-wheel disc brake setup with brake assist, antilock braking system (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), etc. The build quality is decent and the Carens does get features like adjustable headrests, seat belt reminders, speed alert, etc. Recently, in the Global NCAP crash test rating, Carens scored just 3 stars despite offering top notch safety features. 

The Kia Carens is currently one of the most VFM offerings in the segment and offer a spacious, comfortable, feature-rich, and well-built cabin. Unlike many other rivals, the Carens not only offers multiple powertrain options but also offers a long list of safety features as a standard part of the package to the buyers. In all, this newly launched MPV is a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable, affordable, and feature-loaded car. However, if you are looking for something that is more capable, strong, and powerful, the other rivals in the segment like the XUV700, Alcazar, and the Tata Safari might be a better bet. That said, the long waiting period will be a deterrent for a lot of buyers and the long-term update too is a question for now.