Kia has been on an expansion plan by first introducing two compact SUVs and now they have upped the ante in the MPV segment with the new Clavis, which will be sold alongside the Carens. Kia has confirmed that the Carens will only be available in one variant, Premium (O), but if you’re in the market to buy an MPV and are not too sure which Kia to buy then let us decipher this for you.
Kia Carens vs Clavis: Exteriors
The Clavis is more of an evolution of the Carens, but with it design tweaks the MPV looks more modern and premium. It sports new L-shaped LED DRLs and cube-shaped LED headlights, which is currently Kia’s design ethos. The front and rear bumpers have been tweaked, while the connected LED tail lights are a lot sleeker. Kia has upsized the wheel size from 16-inch to 17-inch and the Clavis is paired with a new set of dual-tone alloy wheels. Â
Kia Carens vs Clavis: Interiors
The styling of the cabin gives it a more sophisticated and premium feel while the major update is that the Clavis sports a twin 12.3-inch infotainment system and an instrument cluster, while the Carens came with 10.25-inch displays. Going by the latest trend, Kia has ditched the three-spoke steering for a two-spoke one, which first made its debut in the Syros. The Clavis gets a swappable touch panel for both climate control and infotainment system. Unlike the single panel sunroof in the Carens, the new MPV comes with a panoramic sunroof.
Kia Carens vs Clavis: Safety Features
The Clavis is the first MPV in its segment to boast of Level 2 ADAS suite with 20 autonomous functions like forward collision warning and avoidance assist, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, etc. It also gets an electronic parking brake with auto hold. Apart from this, both the MPVs are equipped with six airbags, a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors with a camera, etc.
Kia Carens vs Clavis: Engine Options
Both the Carens and the Clavis come with three engine options — the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, 1.5-litre turbo petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel. In case of the Clavis, its offering plenty more drivetrains like automatic transmissions. The standard petrol only gets a 6-speed manual, the turbo petrol has three options — 6-speed manual, a 6-speed clutchless iMT and a 7-speed dual clutch automatic and the diesel has a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic torque converter. The Carens, on the other hand, only offers manual and an iMT option.
Kia Carens vs Clavis: Competition Check
Kia will officially launch the Clavis in June. So will have to wait and see how competitive the Clavis will be priced. The Kia MPV will go up against the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, the XL6 and the Toyota Rumion. Currently, the Carens is only available in one trim as its price range is from Rs 11.41 lakh to Rs 13.16 lakh, ex-showroom.
