Kia Carens Driven: 5 Pros And 1 Con Of The People Mover

The Carens, set to be launched later this month, will be Kia India’s fourth model to go on sale in the country. While Kia calls it an RV and not an MPV (which usually has less appeal than an SUV), the cat was let out of the bag once the wraps were off as the proportions clearly screamed MPV. 

Anyway, we have now driven the Carens and here are our six takeaways – five positives and one negative – from the time we have spent with it.

Positives

Strong Standard Safety Package 

As standard, the Carens gets a lengthy safety suite, including six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitoring system, disc brakes on all four corners, hill hold assist, and rear parking sensors. Furthermore, we exclusively got hold of a leaked document stating Kia has its eyes set on a minimum four-star Global NCAP safety rating with the Carens. And that does sound reassuring if it turns out to be true. 

Good Performance Even With A Full Passenger Load 

We sampled the 140PS 1.4-litre turbo-petrol and 115PS 1.5-litre diesel engines, both of which offered good performance even with a full passenger load. Overtakes are easily executed and you don't need to push the engine too hard to pick up the pace. And coupled with the decently quick 6-speed torque converter and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, the Carens makes for an effortless cruiser.  

There are three driving modes namely Eco, Urban, and Sport that change the throttle setting depending on the mode you pick. Naturally, Eco dials down the fun factor, while with Sport will come in handy if you enjoy some fast and spirited driving 

Comfortable Ride Quality 

The 16-inch wheels might look undersized in the vast expanse of sheet metal, but the flip side is the chunky profile cushions you nicely while tackling our mostly not-so-perfect roads. The chunky profile tyres have allowed Kia to stiffen up the suspension for better handling, and the good part is, it reflects on the open road as the Carens is a safe and predictable handler despite its tall height. 

Spacious And Practical Cabin 

Kia has been quite clear in extracting as much space as possible in the Carens. For instance, the dashboard is pushed, while the first two rows have a healthy travel range and reclining functionality. Also, the Carens’ longest wheelbase in its class really reflects the amount of space offered inside as three six-footers can comfortably sit behind each other. Additionally, the third row in the Carens is genuinely usable as there is a decent amount of space and decent underthigh support by last row standards. The tall height also means headroom won’t be an issue either.

It’s also an extremely practical cabin. There are bottle holders in all three rows, enough to store drinking water for every passenger and handy washer fluid for when you forget those bottles were there for a week. Add to this the cooled cup holders behind the gear lever and the pop-out one above the AC vent, and your favourite cold drink won’t ever become hot. Your valuables can also stay secure thanks to the underseat storage. 

And it’s not just your cold drinks that’ll stay cold. Kia has provided roof-mounted AC vents to ensure the occupants don't lose their cool. Also on offer is an air filter with bacteria protection (as Kia claims) that might protect you from the virus that’s still out there. And at last, the pop-out table means you can even have a McDonalds meal (if you like it) on the move. 

Loaded Features List

 

The top-spec Carens gets all the bells and whistles, including a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a single-pane sunroof, automatic climate control, 64-colour ambient lighting, ventilated front seats, digitised driver’s display, cruise control, and an 8-speaker Bose sound system. 

But some features are missing, which brings us to the cons. 

Cons

Some Wow Features Missing

 

Sure, almost all boxes are ticked with what the Carens offers. But there are some misses like a panoramic sunroof, a full fledged digital driver’s display (like on the Alcazar), powered driver’s seat, a 360-degree camera, and a blind spot monitor. These would have driven up the prices, but would have given the MPV a more premium appeal

Prices And Rivals 

Our guess is that the Kia Carens is likely to be priced from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 18 lakh (ex-showroom), making it a 7-seater alternative to the Seltos rather than an upgrade (like the Creta/Alcazar). This puts it in contention with the Maruti Suzuki XL6, Mahindra Marazzo, and select trims of the Toyota Innova, Mahindra XUV700, Tata Safari, and Hyundai Alcazar.