KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Kia Carens Clavis breaks cover.
- Booking starts from 9th May, midnight.
- 6-MT gearbox now available with 1.5L turbo petrol.
Kia Carens Clavis isn't really a brand-new vehicle, but a facelift of the Kia Carens, albeit with a new moniker - Clavis. This name brings a whole host of new features, plus a fresh new design that makes it look more luxurious - definitely, families will fall for it at first glance. Now, how different is it from its predecessor? Let's find out. Also, do join our 91Wheels Whatsapp Channel to never miss out on automotive updates.
Also Read: New-Gen Mahindra Bolero To Be Revealed on 15 August! All You Can Expect
Exterior
Front Profile
Clearly, the all-new Kia Carens Clavis looks more luxe than the regular Carens. The all-new inverted L-shaped LED DRLs, plus three ice-cube LED headlamps, appear futuristic and align with Kia's bigger models like the EV6 and EV9. Also, the grille is Kia's digital Tiger Face with diamond finish decor, which gives a wrong hint that it is an EV, as there isn't any traditional air passage. But the Carens Clavis is a pure ICE car. Moreover, the bumper is all-new - with a silver skid plate taking up a lot of area and giving hints that this is a premium MPV even from a distance.
On comparing it with the Kia Carens, this one features a gloss black-like body panel in the front, which houses the headlights and the LED DRLs, reminiscent of human eyebrows and eyes. Honestly, this design feature really sets it apart from any vehicle on the road, as the face of the Carens looks beautiful. Also, the bumper area is quite sober, featuring a honeycomb net and a chrome boundary that feels pleasing to everyone.
Side Profile
This area doesn't see many changes, except the bottom silver cladding, which has gone thicker in size and appears aligned with the ones available at the front and rear section. Moreover, the alloy wheels are all new - crystal-cut dual-tone alloys of 17 Inch, and in the lower variants, Kia offers 16 and 15 Inch alloy wheels. On the other hand, the Carens has 16 Inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with crystal cuts, and the silver cladding is quite minimal - more like a thin stripe, which looks good on it.
Rear Profile
This area of the Carens Clavis looks super refined and elegant, as Kia has incorporated connected LED tail-lamps, and the overall layout of the tail-lights has been tweaked. Also, the bumper is all-new, featuring a rear skid plate with a satin chrome finish. To add more, at the bottom of the bumper, I noticed a brake light, or it could be a reverse parking light - that we need to clarify - but it gives it an overall appealing look. On comparison with just the Carens, the rear profile doesn't look that different, as only the bumper is new with a skid plate. However, the newer car looks more elegant.
Interior
New Kia Carens Clavis
As soon as you step inside this car, your first thoughts would be, 'Wow, amazing' - for real. The quality of materials used and the fit and finish of every Kia car is just top-notch. Plus, now they have taken customer feedback and made several improvements to its cabin. For example, the overall central console now feels like it's in the perfect spot - not too high or low, just perfect. Also, the size of the central air vents has gone a little slimmer, which aligns with the overall design, and now there is just one single screen housing the infotainment and driver's display. The size of this panaromic display is 26.62 Inch.
Other new feature advents are - panaromic sunroof, new automatic ac control panel, and a double D-cut steering wheel, which we have seen in Kia Syros.
Talking about the Kia Carens, the central console appears too large and straight up in your face. Although the quality is fantastic, the infotainment screen feels small despite being 10.25 Inch, and that's because of the curvaceous central console. Also, the steering wheel is great - featuring a D-cut three-spoke design, with control switches for media and cruise control. A single-pane sunroof is there, and a total of 5 USB Type-C sockets are there, which just make it a highly practical and well-thought-out car.
Saftey
With this facelift, Kia Carens Clavis is now incorporated with Level 2 ADAS with 20 autonomous features, which includes reverse parking assist, lane watch assist, adaptive cruise control and side colission beam, and more. This features was missing as Kia Sonet, which is way affordable than Carens offer the ADAS. Other saftey features that are standard are - ABS with EBD, 6 Airbags, ESC, all four disc brakes, and rear occupant alert.
Powertrain
Nothing much has changed in this department, as customers still have three options - a 1.5L NA petrol, 1.5L turbo petrol, and a 1.5L diesel. Gearbox options are again the same - 6MT, 6iMT, 6AT, and 7-DCT. However, one great thing Kia has done this time is offering a 6-speed manual (MT) with the 1.5L turbo petrol, so that enthusiasts can fully explore the true side of this mighty engine, making 160 PS and 253 Nm of torque.
Also Read: Kia Carens Clavis Unveiled, Bookings Begin From Rs 25,000!
Verdict
Bookings for this MPV will start on 9th May, at 12:01 AM on the Kia site, with a token amount of Rs 25,000 - and then its pricing will be out. Like the regular Carens, Clavis is available in 6 variants, and at a later stage, an EV version of it too will launch, confirmed by Kia officials. Now, will this discontinue the existing model or will both sell simultaneously? Stay tuned to know that.
