It’s been raining three-row vehicles for the last couple of years and every major manufacturer wants a piece of this pie. The latest to join this segment is Kia with the new Carens. The Korean manufacturer is staying away from labels like SUV or MPV, instead, they are calling it a Recreational Vehicle (RV). Well, we will let you decide what you want to call it. The Carens will be available as a 6-or-7-seater and in five variants — Premium, Prestige, Prestige Plus, Luxury and Luxury Plus — just like the Carnival. With comfort and practicality being the key for the new vehicle, Kia has decided to skip the GT Line trim. The Carens certainly has its hands full as the three-row vehicle segment is packed with some serious competition starting from the affordable Maruti Suzuki’s XL6, the forgotten Mahindra Marazzo, sibling rival the Hyundai Alcazar and might even rub up against some SUVs the wrong way. That’s a discussion for another day as today let’s find out what the Carens is all about.
A new design philosophy
The Carens introduces a new exterior layout, Opposites United, that tries to balance the bold SUV image with a practical MPV design. For starters, it’s the first Kia vehicle in India to sport a split headlight cluster. The front facia is quite distinctive as it gets a piano black finish horizontal panel that connects the LED DRLs, which are placed above the headlights. Only the top two variants get all-LED lighting. The lower half of the front apron looks chunkier with the company’s signature Tiger Nose grille nestled in the bumper. As we all know, chrome finish elements are a sign of luxury in India and Kia has smartly given the lower bumper metal garnishing to give it some panache. The design gives the Carens a mature and clean look from the front.
Moving to the side profile. It does have some resemblance to the Seltos, but with a flatter roofline and an extended wheelbase for the third row, the Recreation Vehicle does manage to retain some SUV elements due to the prominent shoulder lines that run from the headlamps to the ORVMS and then from the tail lamps to the rear passenger door handle. Kia has added touches of chrome on the window sill and the rear quarter window panel. The Carens boasts of a set of beautifully crafted dual-tone alloy wheels, but sadly, the 16-inch ones look small as the competition offers 17-or-18-inch wheels.
Coming to the rear, Kia sticks to its uncluttered design as the tailgate sports swept-back LED rear lights with a dummy reflector running across the boot lid. To add a touch of premium-ness, the black cladding bumper comes with a chrome finish.
Contrary to popular belief, the Carens is not a doppelganger of Hyundai Alcazar. At 2,780mm, it has the longest wheelbase in the segment. In terms of length, at 4,540mm, the Carens is 40mm longer than the Alcazar. It also has an impressive height of 1,708mm. This makes the Carens longer, wider and taller than the Alcazar.
Cabin comfort
Step inside and you notice the top-notch quality and fit-and-finish. The Carens is available in three cabin themes based on the variants. As we were driving the top-of-the-line variant, it came in dual black-beige interiors with blue accents. The upper part of the dashboard comes in a glossy black finish with the front passenger’s cupholder tray merged into it. The Carens gets a 10.25-inch infotainment system with a metal finish two rotary dials along with the usual bells-and-whistles like Android Auto, Apple Carplay and navigation system. The mid-section of the dashboard has a metal line running across it and highlighting the air conditioner vents tucked inside with the climate control system right below it. It sports a 12.5-inch all-digital LCD driver console with a 4.2-inch multi-information TFT display while the cabin gets a 64 colour ambient lighting option. The centre console offers additional connectivity options like USB, Type-C ports and a 12V socket along with control buttons to activate the ventilated front seats, hill-start and descent assist and three different drive modes.
Space is the key for any three-row vehicle and the second row is roomy and seats are comfortable. Three adults can sit at ease with decent legroom including the passenger sitting in the middle. Now Kia offers a state-of-the-art cabin air purifier that offers protection from viruses and bacteria, but they have attached this system at the back of the driver’s seat which eats into the knee room of the passenger. Unlike most of its competitors, Kia has decided not to give Carens a panoramic roof rather a good old fashion sunroof. This may sound like all cosmetics, but actually, it’s not as this gives them the option to install roof-mounted air conditioner vents that offer better cooling circulation. For charging devices, the second row gets two Type-C ports.
Now let’s head to the third row. Kia has upped the ante when it comes to convenience. The second-row seat is equipped with a one-touch electric tumble button that folds the seat automatically. The entry into the third row is quite easy but once you settle down, you realise the tight legroom space, like other vehicles in this segment. The seats are comfortable and the headroom is impressive for both the second and the third row as the ceiling height has been further raised from inside the cabin. The third row comes with two Type-C ports and a cup holder.
What’s under the hood?
Like the Seltos, the Carens is available in three engine options — the 113bhp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, the fuel-efficient 1.5-litre diesel powertrain that churns out 113bhp and then there’s something for the enthusiasts, the 138bhp 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine. All the engines are available in 6-manual transmission but the turbo petrol and diesel motors also come mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic and 6-speed torque converter automatics respectively. Carens is also the first vehicle in this segment to offer a turbo petrol trim.
We drove both the automatics so let’s first start with the frugal diesel engine. The 1.5-litre remains one of the most refined diesel units in the market. The powertrain noise is down to a minimum and there’s no audible clatter. It offers a linear response which makes it a breeze to drive in city conditions. Like any turbo diesel, the motor is happiest once it crosses the 2,000-2,200rpm mark and then the ponies start galloping faster. Once it goes past 4,000rpm, the power starts to taper off and the engine feels gruff. The 6-speed torque converter is not the fastest to upshift and this is where the turbo lag is felt. The transmission’s lazy nature makes it a good city cruiser, offering an effortless driving experience, which doesn’t like to be hurried.
The 1.4-litre turbo petrol, on the other hand, is a very silent engine and with numbers like 138bhp and 242 Nm of torque, it’s quite impressive. It responds quickly and at the same time feels rev-happy. Both the automatics come with three driving modes — Eco, Normal and Sport and no prizes in the guessing the turbo petrol holds the rev needle longer at 4,500rpm before it upshifts. Unlike the diesel, the turbo lag is well negated in the turbo petrol thanks to the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission which lets the Carens stay a bit longer on the low gears ensuring the needle hits the higher rpm mark to ensure the turbo kicks in.
As mentioned earlier, comfort is the key and the Carens easily sails over potholes and speed breakers. Traditionally, Kia vehicles in India, barring the Carnival, sport a firm suspension set up for better handling capabilities, but the Carens’s offers a pliant ride quality.
Ticks the right boxes
The Carens is loaded with comfort and practical features that will attract many buyers like a seatback table, front passenger under-seat tray, front and second-row cooling cup holders, top-of-the-line 8 speaker Bose music system, flexible seating options and the one-touch electric tumble seat. Kia has taken the extra mile when it comes to safety which is why the Carens comes standard with six airbags and four-disc brakes across all variants along with ABS with ESC, ISOFIX child seats, rear parking sensors, emergency stop, downhill brake control and much more. With a range of powerful, refined and frugal engines, the Carens offers something for everyone’s requirements. With the three-row segment heating up, we expect Kia to price the Carens aggressively
