Kia Carens
Kia Carens

Kia’s newly-launched premium MVP, Carens ticks all the right boxes and is effortless to drive!

We got behind the wheel of the much-awaited Kia Carens and have returned rather impressed with this lifestyle MPV

The Kia Carens is a vehicle that delivers on style, space and performance. Built to be a recreational vehicle that has the functionality of an MPV with the styling of an SUV, this new vehicle has a lot going for it. It is Kia’s fourth vehicle for the Indian market, and it holds a lot of promise too!

Design

From a styling perspective, Kia seems to have done a brilliant job with the Carens. Up front you get the tiger grille in a new avatar that looks more futuristic, neat star map LED DRLs that represent constellations and nice projector headlights. The length of the vehicle has been nicely disguised with sleek character lines and a neat chrome finish that runs along the bottom edge of the windows. The rear also carries a sharp look with the star map shaped rear lights and a beautiful chrome insert in the bumper that brings out its SUV styling cues.

Interiors

Kia has left no stone unturned when it comes to the cabin of the Carens. Available in both six and seven seater variants, the Carens offers a plush upmarket cabin crafted from fine materials. It is spacious and access has been well thought out, especially that push button access to the third row. The Carens gets ventilated front seats, a large 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an eight speaker Bose audio system, a digital driver display, wireless charging and a smart air purifier that has been neatly integrated on to the back of the driver’s seat.

Performance

The Carens will be offered with three engine options and three transmission options in various permutations and combinations. As far as the engine options are concerned, you get the 1.4 litre T-GDI petrol motor that delivers 140 PS of power and 242 Nm of torque, a 1.5 litre petrol engine that delivers 115 PS of power and 144 NM of torque and for the diesel lovers there is the tried and tested 1.5 litre CRDi VGT unit that delivers 115 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic and a 7-speed DCT.

Safety

With safety becoming a major item when considering car purchase, Kia has taken the leap to offer over 10 features as standard. This includes 6 airbags across all variants, all-wheel disc brakes, downhill brake control, ABS, parking sensors, electronic stability control as well as a tyre pressure monitoring system. The Carens also boasts of a robust structure to further elevate its safety ratings.

Verdict

With the Carens, Kia has ticked all the right boxes. It is effortless to drive, feels extremely premium on all counts and you will be hard-pressed to find fault with it. Set to launch shortly, the icing on the cake will definitely be the pricing. We believe that Kia will deliver the Carens at a very aggressive price point in the range of INR 18 to INR 22 lakh.

(A pitstop for modern-day car and bike enthusiasts, this column features the latest machines, reviews, roadtrips and more. By a team of automotive insiders who call themselves MotorScribes)

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