If you are reading this review, chances are, you already know a lot about the Kia Carens. This upcoming MPV has been in the limelight for the past few months and we finally managed to get our hands on two important variants - the 1.5 turbo diesel manual and the 1.4 turbo petrol automatic. Their respective videos are also out and you can have a look by clicking on the play button below. Or, you can continue to scroll down and read our detailed Kia Carens review. Do remember, pricing for the vehicle isn't out yet but bookings are open.
Kia Carens 1.4 Turbo Petrol DCT Review
Kia Carens 1.4 Turbo Diesel Manual Review
Is it spacious?
I want to get to the point right away - the Carens, when launched, will be surrounded by half a dozen other 6/7 seater offerings, both MPVs and SUVs. Kia understands this and their engineers have ensured the Carens can indeed hold its fort in front of other offerings when it comes to cabin space. For starters, all three rows offer excellent head room (inspite of the sunroof eating away some space..) and tall people will have no reason to complain at all. With the driver's seat positioned for a 6 feet tall person, the second row still offers 3-4 inches of knee space for an equally tall passenger. Brilliant.
We had the 6-seater version on test and expectedly, the independent seats can be reclined for comfort or pushed ahead for liberating extra space for the 3rd row occupants. The 2nd row also offers a nearly flat floor, thus aiding airiness inside the cabin. The sunroof and light colour for the seats also adds to the sense of space.
The last row is usually neglected in the Indian car market. Happy to report, the Carens takes care of this. The left seat in the 2nd row needs touch of a button to flip it ahead and you can simply walk into the last row seats. With the 2nd row pushed all the way back, a 5'5 - 5'6 tall person can easily be seated in here. Want more room? Push the 2nd row ahead, recline the last row seat and you could have a tall individual in here too. Yes, the Innova Crysta offers more space but the Carens has a clear edge in terms of (expected) pricing and features. On the other hand, the Carens offers as much or more space than most other 6/7 seater cars under Rs 22 lakh.
Even with all the three rows up, its easy to fit in a medium sized suitcase, a small kids suitcase, a large backpack and a large picnic box. All this without hampering the view for the driver from the inner mirror. The picture above showcases the same. Like the XL6, it also has a removable lower shelf.
The second row seats fold down flat and this liberates a lot of useable space on the inside - look at the picture above! All in all, I am definitely impressed by the space and airiness than the cabin offers. Top marks.
How does it look?
If you thought the Carens looks weird in pictures, I urge you to see it in flesh. Face to face, the MPV looks much better and happy to see Kia offering as many as 8 different colour options. Yes the bonnet is low and the rest of the body high but this unconventional design makes the cabin very airy. Up front, the EV lookalike grille looks great and you get full LED treatment in here. From the DRLs, that also double up as indicators to headlights and the sporty fog lamps.
Kia hasn't compromised on the tyre size and the Carens comes with relatively tall 16-inch alloy wheels (top versions). The wheels look nice and fill in the arches pretty well. The size profile also showcases the long wheelbase and the huge glass area - again important for the cabin to feel roomy.
The rear looks well proportioned in my opinion. As expected, the tail lights and the indicators get the LED treatment and you also have a red glass strip running across the width of the Carens. Nice touch. The bumper also houses the long, wrapped around chrome belt. A rear spoiler is standard on the higher versions.
How well does it drive?
Coming to the very important part of this Kia Carens review - you do get the same engines that power the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta. On the petrol front you have both the 1.5 non-turbo petrol and the 1.4 turbo petrol units. The diesel is the tried and tested 1.5 motor. Lets talk about this one first - we had the manual gearbox option and from the word go, you can definitely feel that Kia has worked on the gear ratios to make them shorter. This in turn makes the Carens peppier and with a full load of passengers, it should drive just well.
Flat out acceleration is decent but the way the engine behaves at lower RPMs is remarkable. Pulling up from low speeds in a higher gear is super easy! I also like the clutch action and the gear shifts - smooth and precise. Likewise, top marks to Kia for ensuring low NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) levels. There is simply no unwanted diesel clatter filtering into the cabin. The ARAI rated fuel economy stands at 21.3 kmpl for this manual model and 18.4 for the automatic one.
The 1.4 turbo petrol is a different experience all together. We had this with the 7-speed DCT or dual clutch automatic transmission and the same combination is seen as a 'performance package' with the Creta and the Seltos. The Carens however is a family mover and will this set-up suit its character? For starters, the 140 PS of power ensures a 10.2 second dash for the 0-100 run with the automatic gearbox. With the manual, you further shave off 0.2 seconds, making it one of the quickest family MPVs under Rs 50 lakh in India!
In every day driving conditions too, the Kia Carens 1.4 turbo petrol keeps you happy. The 242Nm of torque, combined with shorter gearing makes part throttle response excellent and overtaking a breeze. In fact, you don't have to try hard to remain ahead of traffic at all times. The gearbox works well and you can take charge of the gearbox via both the gear lever as well as paddle shifters. However, all this performance and ease of driving comes at a cost with the DCT model offering ARAI certified mileage of 16.5 kmpl. This is 0.3 kmpl better than what the manual offers - all down to the intelligent 7-speed box.
Satisfies your family needs?
Space and comfort apart, will the Kia Carens take care of your family's requirements? The safety part first - impressed to see that Kia will offer 6 Airbags in every single variant of the Carens. In addition to this, even the base version will offer full driver safety aid kit of ESC, VSM, BAS, HAC, DBC et al. And in terms of creature comforts, the Carens leaves no stone unturned. From the sunroof to wireless charging, cooled front seats to multiple charging outlets, it also offers the entire UVO Connect suite and a great audio set-up. Needless to say, this is one area where your family will pester you into putting down your money for the Carens
Our Verdict
Finally coming to the end of the Kia Carens review. I am pretty impressed with the Kia Carens. To break into the Rs 12-20 lakh segment isn't an easy task at all. However, Kia has rightly chosen to address what was lacking from an MPV till now. In my opinion, this could be your perfect family companion, without any compromises. As of now, prices aren't out but this will be slotted between the Maruti XL6 (cheaper alternative) and the Hyundai Alcazar. Bookings opened up few days back and we can't wait to see this premium MPV hitting Indian roads soon. All the best!
